Tamiya Sharp Pointed Side Cutter NO.123 (74123)

Every plastic modeler needs a nice pair of "nippers" or "sprue cutters". Some of us are lucky enough to have several cutters built for different purposes. The noted Japanese model company Tamiya has issued several high-quality modeling tools. Among these tools is a fine-blade sprue cutter, reviewed here. This cutter is a fine tool, sharp, and easy to use. There is always a downside in life and regarding this tool, the downsides are cost and sturdiness. Anything with the Tamiya name tends to cost more and these cutters are no exception. They are among the most expensive cutters available to modelers, but they ARE well made and have nice clean cutting action. These cutters have very fine, sharp blades which means that they are not necessarily your primary cutter. Using these on heavy plastic parts and thick connecting sprues may lead to the fine tips of the blades breaking off (that happened to my first pair of Tamiya cutters even with careful use). Use a pair of cheaper general purpose cutters for larger cuts. The Tamiya cutters are best for small sprues and for removing small parts from the "tree". NEVER use these cutters on anything other than plastic! There are cheaper cutters that are actually better for wire and metal parts. So, like many fine tools, the Tamiya cutters are really good at what they are designed to do, but misuse will lead to dulling and breakage. I am very glad I have these to back up my heavier cutters. A handy addition to a modeler's tool box.

These are great sprue snippers. Cut clean and are sharp 3 years later. Some have complained of the lack of durability, but I have not had that issue. I believe they are cutting plastic that is too thick or maybe wire. These are for cutting near the part being removed from the sprue. If I want to cut thicker plastic, I used my wire cutters. If you follow these rules, these nippers will last you a long time. I wouldn't hesitate to buy these again.

Whoa, these are really nice. Precision instrument, sharp and perfect for intricate work.

Outstanding. Cuts through sprues like butter

Best snippers I’ve ever owned! Very sharp and accurate. Worth every penny.

Review #2Just wanted to give a quick update. Since my first review I went ahead and added Dspiae 3.0 nippers and USAGUNDAMSTORE nippers to my plastic model toolbox. Tamiya's nipper is best all around.GodHand SPN-120 is still the best but most fragile.USAGUNDAMSTORE's nipper probably comes in second for leaving the least amount of stress on the cut.DSPIAE 3.0 nippers I was very disappointed with. They are high quality and they even give you a leather tip protector that has a button to snap close to protect the blades but it's hard for me to get a flush cut with them for some reason. They cut as well as GH but the fact that I can get them to cut flush with the surface is aggravating.Review #1I have only had two other Nippers before I purchased this product. My first was a no name cheap pair that was purchased as a tool set for model building. Then I decided to purchase the coveted Godhand SPN-120. There is indeed quite a bit of difference between these two. The Godhand (GH) has a wayyy thinner tip, one bladed (think of it as a guillotine and a very short blade. Tamiya's nippers on the other hand have noticeably thicker blades, longer blade's (yes, that's plural) and blades that cut from each side. In our lives, more is typically better. However, when it comes to nippers, it rarely is.When comparing Tamiya nippers vs GH, ultimately GH has a cleaner cut, the exact same cut you'd have using an Hobby Knife . Regardless, it all comes down to how much you're willing to spend, your thoughts on how much of a stress mark you're willing to live with and how much you're willing to risk. I've seen GH nippers selling for $45 nowadays online. I purchased mine at $50. However, they are super easy to break (this is why I purchased these).If they would sell at around $40, I'd purchase them again. All nippers will leave a stress mark after a cut. Tamiya's nipper feels and without a doubt is much more durable. If you airbrush, having a high quality nipper isn't really a must have for you since you'll likely be sanding anyway and then painting over any stress mark. If you're doing just a straight build and have the patience to methodically cut with GH's so not to break the blade I'd recommend GH. Tamiya's nipper however is a workhorse, inexpensive, and much more durable.The verdict for me is to use these on models I plan on airbrushing and GH for models that are straight build. This will certainly lengthen the GH sharpness. I would reccomend Tamiya's nippers to anyone who is new to plastic model making as they are much more durable and half the price compared to GH.

These cut through plastic frames like butter and leave a clean edge.I had been using cheap side cutters for several years, and they eventually lost their edge and started to chip, so I bought these on sale (like half off).They have a smaller rubber handle than my old ones, but still fit fine in the palm of my hand. If you have exceptionally large hands, they might be a bit small for you and you might want to try the Citadel ones or larger specialized ones.They're forged steel with a flat edge so you can cut relatively close to your model without leaving significant scarring, but I would still not cut them flush to harder plastic models. You're probably okay cutting pretty close to Bandai's plastics, as they're softer than those used by some other model companies, but it's still best to leave a little bit off the sprue left on the model so you can trim manually.They cut through GW, Parabellum and Bandai sprues with ease. I would not recommend using these on metal or 3d printed models (cast resin is usually softer than 3d printed UV resin, so that's ok to cut thin gates, not the thick ones though), and never use them on steel wire, they will likely chip or lose their edge way too fast. Not advised to cut through the frames themselves, just the gates, as I'm not sure what thickness they are designed for, but 4mm thick plastic might be a little much for them.