shaving

how many people shave on roll up windows? do you charge your customers more? if so, how much do you normally charge more?

Every exposed edge gets shaved/filed

No we don't charge extra.. professional installation is all inclusive in our price

its a standard package... no additional charge... also no less charge if the customer does not want it... its like saying "hey, i'm doing you a favor here"

Every car you tint becomes a business card for you! I point out to customers how we shave frameless windows and that it's not something practiced by most shops! Anything work related that makes you stand out from your competitors is a bonus in the long run!!

good point..a good job done is a business card that is just going to cause people to come ur way

whats the purpose of shaving again?

kevin

So you don't run around all scragley....

so you dont have a 1/4 gap

TA you are right on! We shave all work at our shop. I tell my students to use shaved edges as a sales tool setting them apart from rest. I think using a exacto with a #11 blade that has been rubbed on cement to wear it down works best and gives the best results. Butttttttttt thats because it works best for ME I know people who use the same knife but with a new blade for every window, then we start into people with files Lots of ways to leave a shaved edge and make your work look better IMO
HERE is some video on what I have to say about it from my website.
Cheers
Mr. Rogers

Does anyone have a good suggestion for good file set? I went to Lowes looking for the Nicholson hobby file set and it has been discontinued

when I picked up my last one it was on clearance so I guess it probably has been. Look for a local hobby shop/RC shop/model airplane shop. They should have something similar. Basically you want a very fine, straight cut file.

i stopped shaving/filing about 15 years ago. if you know how to do a nice micro-edge then you'll be just fine.

i try to convince TA of that everyday , but then again i dont know sh!t ,i've only been doing this for 16yrs. ....

I don't know of a single tinter around here who doesn't 'shave' in some form or another.... I don't know how well even the best of microedges would go over here...

i only know of one guy here who shaves and i still have to actually show the customers the difference between his and mine. if it's a good microedge customers don't realize shiat.

I used to microedge very small, but recently when I try again I've been having issues with cutting a good enough top edge. In the curve its always off a little bit. I agree that most customers don't look close enough to tell the difference between a shave and a good micro.

Blade you would have to learn all over again in Stump city. The differences are small (get it ) between micro and shave but shave is a great selling tool and like tts said..... here it is expected and custys can tell the difference. I used to micro until I learned to shave

i definitly need to try this.sounds like a good thing to use and learn.my area is bad tho because no matter what u tell the custy they say well i can go down the street and get tint for 80 bucks....

Do you really want to deal with that custy............

Sometimes they can be good. Theres a lot of people that are just looking for a deal and to save as much as possible. I have a picture book of other shops work that I show them, and usually once you talk to them about the industry and the installation process and such, they become good customers once they realize you get what you pay for.

ya true.i mean that was a shop that does a 45 min job and cuts soooooo many corners.hate that.thats a disgrace...o and scoty il have that cash for u soon.sorry i got set back

Home Depot still carries Nicholson hobby file set. And they also have another brand there also, which is cheaper.

Well i do agree with your limited experience that you still don't know sh!t. But thank god i'm here to help you out filmslayer!

we file all are roll windows, i always say your only as good as your last job quality all the time it works for me

ya ...i seriously think this forum has made me so much of a better tinter

i still don't get that part... how can you shave with a dull blade :P

i was thinking the same exact thing.when i shaved last time my line didnt come out straight

I cant explain the dull blade thing Just try it very little pressure on the glass and the three angles just right

DJ... you can buy just Stan's shaving video... it's not very expensive.... and you will learn it quick

using the knife I always have issues with it catching the film or not being even. on the windows i shave i use my nicholson hobby file and let the film dry while I work on the next door then come back and file it.

ya thats what i am going to do.im just strapped on cash right now thats why i havent.i hate bein broke.i mean the only thing i really have trouble with is uneven shave line

Sweet, thanks



Generally my micro edges are dead on, but there are times when a file would come in handy. I can't see using a file on every window. But I would to try it on a couple of different frameless windows.

I agree. I can micro them where it's so tight you can barely see a line and never had anyone complain, even if it does happen to be a little off sometimes. Most ppl scratch there head wondering how you cut it so close to the edge in the first place shaving looks nice though done right i will admit it but being you have to overlap the edge, wait for it to tack up better and then shave it off the edge i would think there is more risk of contamination on the top edge, not to mention peeling issues your bound to have every now and then

Thats why I'm starting to move away from filing now. I've been fighting contam since the start, and decided that a micro edge is just as good.

If you are having that many problems shaving a film edge... you are doing it wrong... period...

please correct me if i am wrong...

microedging is not intrusive... no files no blades.

what you do here is cut the film to the shape of the edge using your olfa then cut the rest. when applying the film to the inside of the window, its not a matter of how accurate you can be nearest the edge of the glass... that's it.

correct. but it IS a matter of how close you get the film to the edge. You need a good top cut, and you can get within 1/16 to 1/32 of an inch, which is not noticeable by the naked eye unless your less than a foot away

I've done a few file jobs lately and had one come back because it peeled off at the top. I accidentaly tried to shave yesterday on a Lexus ES300, I was surprised at the outcome. However I like the idea of letting it tack up first, maybe even hitting it with the heatgun really quick, then coming back and shaving.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but when you shave, don't you angle the blade with the glass?

On rollups without seals around them, I use a bent soda can top with tape on it as a guide, so it wont scratch the film. Using my knife in the end whole to trim comes out pretty good. I will try and post a pic for ya also.

frameless windows are the easiest to shave, and everyone should shave them. leaving a gaped edge(like what you are describing) is pretty ghetto on a frameless window since its much more noticeable everytime you open it

not if you know how to do a nice micro-edge.

If you know how to adjust the film and cuts so it lays properly, you can get a nice tight fit. It really does beat waiting for the film to tack up, film rolling off the glass a bit and picking up dirt, and the dirt that seeps in with the water along the top. Even if it's just a little contamination in places you can hardly see, it's a good place for it to start peeling. I will shave for certain cars and people, but for the average joe subaru, slice and dice and out the door.

Explain Ghetto to me? I have done this for the last three years, and I can have the edge looking invisible. Next time I do one I will post a PIC, and then see if it fits in your definition of ghetto.

Any chance on this pic?

Hey Guys just a quick note. I dont shave that much but i did pick up a Diamond edge file set from Harbor Freight for cheap. If you dont have a store in your area they have a website. caution ....these files cut fast and will if not carful it will file the edge of the glass.

lots of people like the file but like you said you will file the glass if not careful I'm sticking with the exacto knife with a #11 blade
The right way is what works best for you.

I my opinion blade is right. about using a microedge for roll ups and shaveing is nessisary for frameless doors. I have worked and dominated in some of the most competitive areas in the US. Know how to cut a good pattern is key to making a micro edge look the same as shaved. Also why dont you guys just use an olfa blade to shave? I have been doing it like that for years with great results. its all in the angle. although you are all right about using the fact that you shave your rollups is a good sales tool. the finished product is the best sales tool for referals and the future of your business. Nice and tight no chance of peeling