Hercules Hot Knife/Hot Pen Styrofoam Cutter - Hot Wire Foam Cutter and Styrofoam Sculpting Tool (1 Pen)

Works well, no more styrofoam mess. Need to cut in ventilated room or outside because the smoke activates my alarms plus it smells intense.

I wanted to cut up a bunch of Styrofoam into different sizes and shapes, but have no need of precision. This inexpensive tool is perfect. I like that it comes with an ON/OFF switch and a stand to place the hot end on while I'm fussing around with more stock. For thin stock, it goes through like a hot knife through butter. For 2" stock, I have to go much slower (not a bad thing). Want a hole in the middle? Just poke the end through where you want to start.After a while, the melted plastic begins to smoke, so I use a pad of steel wool to wipe it off the heated rod.One thing to realize is that this rod cuts a path through plastic foam that is about 1/4" wide and it's hard to hold it steady. Any twitch, and the cut wiggles. My needs are pretty rough, so it's perfect for me. If a person wants tiny cuts, the correct tool is a heated WIRE cutter. Amazon sells plenty of them. They cost more, and they can only cut foam boards that will fit on the table. If you need to cut out small designs that are delicate, use a wire cutter.

This thing melts right through 1" styrofoam. I used it on 3" thick and it got a lot slower but it still cuts through it without much difficulty. You will need a steady hand and patience for thick material. It is hard to shave thin amounts because the plastic melts back together. But, it's a good tool and a bargain.

Cuts like butter! Be careful! Super hot and tip can break easily.

This little tool is fine. It works.I had a project for which I had to cut a lot of 2" EPS foam insulation. I had read advice elsewhere, no fault of the seller, to use hot knives to cut this material and it seems really bad advice. It's slow. It smokes/smells.I would recommend this tool for a small hobby job or trimming a little bit of insulation.

I have just used it on one small project but honestly it exceeded my expectations. It takes only seconds to heat up and it cuts well -sealing the sides as it cuts. Just cut slowly and you will never have to wait for it to regain critical heat. Great value!

great item at a great price

Loved it! It cut without leaving me with BB size pieces of foam. Seeing I'm using it near my computer and photo gear. I did go to a ventilated space in case of fumes, But, I didn't even get a hint of fumes.