I was thrilled to finally get my hands on a new Index Finger Knife. Its design is simple and genius at the same time. Rest your index finger in the holder and apply pressure to the blade and cut the materials. It makes the blade feel like an extension of your finger. Many years ago, I had a swivel knife. It was like a pen with a narrow, free-spinning blade. I used it to cut out scallops for my Sig Kougar trim scheme. It worked well at the time, but after hun- dreds of sharpenings, it finally wore out. The Index Finger Knife uses standard blades and is a joy to use. The only learning curve is how much pressure to use on the material you’re working with, but that’s true of any new knife. To build some- thing straight, one needs to be able to cut straight. A good miter box is one of the essential tools for a properly built model. As you can see in the photo, my old miter box has a few miles on it. Over time the slots became wider, and the cuts became less accurate. You can see the difference between the old and new ver- sions side by side. The Miter Box Set doesn’t cut any corners. HM REVIEW O ne of the highlights of the NRSHA (National Retail Hobby Stores Association) show is chatting it up with the older manufacturers that were my go-to companies when I was much younger. It’s great to see that they have persevered over the 50 years I have been active in modeling. Though there are many folks I love to talk with, one in particular I enjoy is Alan Iwig, national sales manager for Excel Blades. He always travels with some Hobby Merchandiser magazines from years back and has numerous stories to share. Alan is knowledgeable about Excel Blades’s products and stands behind them and the company. It is comforting to know this, and Alan is accessible when anyone has questions about the products. Over the years, Excel and Alan have been very gener- ous with samples for us at the NRSHA Expo, and they all have been greatly appreciated. Excel was kind enough to send a few samples of their most popular products that hobbyists find useful for their projects. Stocking tools like these can capture a bigger share of hobbyists’ wallets because they can find everything they need for a project at your store. One of my favorite items is the FitGrip Knife. I have many of the traditional round aluminum knives and have dodged a few falling off my less-than-level work table. I still use the round knives, but the FitGrip knife is a game-changer. Not only is it super comfortable to use, but it doesn’t roll off the workspace. It is also much easier to load and lock with the knurled lock knob on the end. With its placement at the end rather than near the blade insert, it doesn’t un- lock the blade as you rotate the knife while cutting. STAY SHARP WITH HOBBY TOOLS FROM EXCEL BLADES Alan Iwig, national sales manager for Excel Blades Complex curves are a cinch. The FitGrip Knife makes detail work easy. Excel knives have unique advan- tages compared to other tools. 14 HOBBY MERCHANDISER AUGUST 2021