Cutting felt at the Plough

Light: ZebraLight H30
Knife: Spyderco UKPK Drop Point, Khukuri

I stopped by the Pewter Plough after class to help with some of the work on the set of "Becky's New Car," which opens in two or three days. The main task was putting up black felt on the walls, and I'd been told that I'd be helpful because they needed someone tall enough to staple it at the top. As it turns out, they got some helpers that could put it up, but their biggest problem was actually that they didn't have anything that could cut the felt. They were trying to hack their way through it with an old pair of scissors that appeared to mostly just get jammed on the material. I went over with my UKPK and was able to cut the length of it pretty easily as long as it was held taut. I think I also tried the Khukuri briefly on a piece, but the fine edge of the VG10 didn't bite into the material (which is a lot like woven strands of fine plastic I guess) as well as the toothier S30V, so I stuck with the UK. Afterwards, I wished I'd brought the ZDP Endura to try, partly because I think its toothiness is somewhere closer to S30 and would have liked to see how it cut, partly because using the UK in an actual work environment showed me the limitations of a slipit in ways that normal light use doesn't.

While cutting a section of felt that was attached in a corner, I needed to provide my own light since I had to get between what I was working on and the big standing work lights. I'd foreseen a situation like this since the theatre area is very poorly lit (only has stage lights, can't have normal lights visible), so I attached my little ZebraLight to the chest of my jacket. Very glad to have it, and I would have had a lot more trouble if I hadn't brought it. Afterwards, someone noticed it clipped there and asked about it.