The electric hot knife (HK-60) is a heavy-duty tool manufactured by the Hot Tools Division of M.M. Newman Corporation. It is the perfect tool for cutting and sealing synthetic materials with a neat beaded edge. The beaded edge is created by melting the material as it cuts. It is faster and safer than using a razor blade and it leaves a neater edge than scissors. It features a double-edge copper hot knife tip that is resharpenable and slides directly over the heating element.
It is recommended for cutting indoor/outdoor carpets, awnings and sailcloth. It can also be used to cut rubber and synthetic gaskets, padding and insulation. The HK-60 double-edge copper blade reaches between 800°F and 1100°F in less than two minutes. This powerful 60-watt electric hot knife can cut materials up to 5/8 of an inch thick and comes with a tapered wooden handle that stays cool and is comfortable to hold. The heating element is located at the tip of the tool where the cutting takes place. The HK-60 is 10” long with a 64” power cord and operates on 115 volts.
The HK-60 comes with a heavy-duty hot knife tip and has three other tips that can be purchased separately. The tips can easily slide on and off the heating element once it has cooled down. The soldering tip can be used to solder large areas. The woodburning tip can be used to burn straight or curved thick lines or for writing names in wood. Finally, the blank tip is for people that want to create or machine their own tips.
The HK-60 is a fantastic tool for cutting your outdoor carpet to fit perfectly on your deck without leaving any frayed edges. For the golf enthusiast, the HK-60 is perfect for cutting the holes and edges for your synthetic indoor/outdoor putting green. Everyone knows how important it is to have a perfect edge on a golf hole, so every putt you hit falls in.
The HK-60 can also be used as a plastic degating tool. It simply melts the runner to separate the molded part and leaves a clean edge. Eliminating knives and the need to press and cut, this lightweight electric hot knife is faster and safer. This has the added benefit that none of the pieces will have a sharp edge once they are degated.
Other Uses
Other important uses for the heavy-duty hot knife include cutting different types of netting for safety nets, rope adventure courses and sports goals. The hot knife is used in the parachute and hand glider industries to cut materials when needed. It is used in the boating community for cutting and doing repairs on sails and spinnakers as well as making custom fitting bimini tops, dodgers and upholstery repairs. It can also be used to cut car mats to fit properly in different parts of a car. Lastly, it can be used to cut ice hockey goaltending pads before they are stitched back together.
The HK-60 cuts these synthetic materials by melting them. It will not work as well with natural materials because they do not melt and they will char or burn. You should always do the cutting on a flat surface and be careful not to melt what you are cutting to the surface you are cutting on top of. Please also make sure to use the HK-60 in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling the fumes as the material you are cutting melts.