Eureka! Alternative to metal wire in soap cutters

[The_Phoenix]

Last week, as I was cutting a batch of soap, my second-to-last guitar string broke. My daughter was in the kitchen when it happened. She makes jewelry and suggested the wire she uses to make earrings. Alas, it was too thick. She inherited my jewelry-making tools and supplies, so I also knew that in her bin was a spool of fishing line that I used to use to make necklaces. She brought the spool down and I connected it to my cutter, winding it as tightly as I could. It worked!!! The benefit of using this is that it doesn't kink, which is always what would lead to the wires breaking, and NO drag marks. Just a nice, smooth, even cut. And it can manage a LOT of tension. I have a single-bar cutter, so not sure how well this would work on a multi-bar cutter.

 

[Obsidian]

I was wondering about jewelry wire since I'm down to my last cutter wire. Good to know that fishing line will work too, I have plenty of that

 

[KimW]

Thank you for sharing! I've been wanting to use a different "wire" in my sliding table cutter. I've seen posts here about folks using fishing line, but not with the detail, and even a pic!, as your little post here. Knowing it diminishes the drag marks cinched it for me. Thank you again. I'm off to look through my fishing line spools.

 

[jcandleattic]

Although fishing line works, it will have to be replaced often as it is very easy for it to stretch out after just a few uses (ask me how I know) So you end up not only replacing them often, but in the long run will probably have a bigger cost due to having to replace it so often.

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with jcandleattic. When my ex-husband made my first cutter he tried several different options. He was a big fisherman so had a lot of stuff. They did stretch out. Even had a couple snap. Tried jewelry wire too and it worked okay but didn't do as well on harder soap. It's all trial and error. I've had my Bud Cutter for 5 years now or so and still haven't broken a wire. Though a couple of the tension turners have broken and had to be tweaked.

 

[KimW]

@jcandleattic and @shunt2011 - what wire do you use, please?

 

[shunt2011]

I've got the wires that Bud Hafner uses on his cutters. I had one come with it when I ordered it and I ordered a couple extras. I can't remember what wire he uses. I'm sorry.

 

[jcandleattic]

@jcandleattic and @shunt2011 - what wire do you use, please?

I've only ever had to replace 1 wire on my cutter, that I got over 15 years ago, at the time I used a .020 gauge wire. It's the same gauge as a heavy weight guitar g-string.

 

[The_Phoenix]

I was wondering about jewelry wire since I'm down to my last cutter wire. Good to know that fishing line will work too, I have plenty of that

Give it a try! My cutter has multiple settings. I use a slab mold, so I set it first to 3", then 1". It is always when I change the setting that the wire would break and winding and unwinding the wire around the key adds risk each time.

Although fishing line works, it will have to be replaced often as it is very easy for it to stretch out after just a few uses (ask me how I know) So you end up not only replacing them often, but in the long run will probably have a bigger cost due to having to replace it so often.

Good to know. So far, I'm on my fifth batch using the finishing lure, and that means that I have adjusted the line ten times (once to adjust it to 3" and once to adjust it to 1"). I've discovered that I do not have to tighten it extremely taut. So far, so good. I have a few spools of .0185 diameter fishing lure, which was not at all expensive.

 

[jcandleattic]

Good to know. So far, I'm on my fifth batch using the finishing lure, and that means that I have adjusted the line ten times (once to adjust it to 3" and once to adjust it to 1"). I've discovered that I do not have to tighten it extremely taut. So far, so good. I have a few spools of .0185 diameter fishing lure, which was not at all expensive.

Because you adjust it so often, it may be stretching out and you just don't realize it because you are tightening the slack created by the stretch every time you adjust it.
But hey, if it works, great...

 

[Jillyb]

Oh my don't know why I never thought of fishing wire we used it on a broken cheese cutter years ago and it worked like a dream

 

[KiwiMoose]

Make sure you get the right type of fishing line and it is less likely to stretch. Don’t buy ‘leader line’, and go for one that is for heavier fish.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Last week, as I was cutting a batch of soap, my second-to-last guitar string broke. My daughter was in the kitchen when it happened. She makes jewelry and suggested the wire she uses to make earrings. Alas, it was too thick. She inherited my jewelry-making tools and supplies, so I also knew that in her bin was a spool of fishing line that I used to use to make necklaces. She brought the spool down and I connected it to my cutter, winding it as tightly as I could. It worked!!! The benefit of using this is that it doesn't kink, which is always what would lead to the wires breaking, and NO drag marks. Just a nice, smooth, even cut. And it can manage a LOT of tension. I have a single-bar cutter, so not sure how well this would work on a multi-bar cutter.

Good to know'

 

[cmzaha]

Fishing line stretches.

 

[earlene]

I have wondered if fishing line would be useful or not. Perhaps I'll give it a try one day myself with my adjustable log splitter. Making the adjustment for different heights always makes a horrible mess of the wire. It's worth a try at least once. If I cannot tighten the line to my satisfaction, I can always go back to wire.

I see you used 20lb test Omniflex fishing line. How was the thickness of the 20lb test line as compared to the thickness of the wire you replaced? Did it seem sufficient or would you have gone thicker had you a choice? 20lb test line is 0.38 mm and the average wire cutter wire is around 22 guage, which is 0.64 mm, so I'm wondering how that thinner line impacted the cut. Did it seem strong enough? (As a former fisherwoman I found 20lb test strong enough for a good fight with a feisty fish, so I would expect it was strong enough.)


Fluorocarbon fishing line is a non-stretching fishing line. It might be worth a trial for this purpose. (link)

 

[KimW]

How in my many years of fishing do I not know about fluorocarbon line?! I must place a call to my father-in-law! Thanks, @earlene

Though I'll keep it to myself that I'll steal a few yards to use for soap cutting. He'd not be impressed with that - LOL

 

[TheGecko]

You might want to consider using 'spiderwire'. It has a tensile strength that is stronger than steel, but because of its high orientation, it has no stretch.

 

[linne1gi]

I've only ever had to replace 1 wire on my cutter, that I got over 15 years ago, at the time I used a .020 gauge wire. It's the same gauge as a heavy weight guitar g-string.

I've never had to replace a wire in over 8 years!

 

[lshone]

@jcandleattic and @shunt2011 - what wire do you use, please?

I'm also a frustrated guitar player. I get my strings from these guys. Here is a link to their plain stainless strings I use on my cutter. I'm using .013 strings (this would be considered a light B string). I cut 8 bars at a time.

==> Guitar Plain Steel Single Strings

 

[cmzaha]

Wire will still outperform the fishing line. As strong as fishing line is it can still abrase so if you have exfoliants in your soap you are going to abrased the line weakening it. I spent half my life offshore fishing line does not necessarily hold up well. Granted I can't say much for freshwater tackle only saltwater. I do know firewire can also break. Fluorocarbon just has less stretch making it easier to detect a fish unless it has changed, and many would use it as a leader because it is quite expensive, but shows up less in the water.