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Cutting top edge

Badass TintGuy

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poppawilly67

poppawilly67

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im right handed so this is how I do it. I spray down the outside of the roll-up with my solution then lay the film on the outside of the glass (liner facing me) with about 1" overlap on the top of the glass. slide out blade on olfa and snap. I re-open my olfa approx 1/4 of an inch and poke a hole in the film at the left corner of the top of the glass. holding the olfa at approx 45 degree angle, I cut the top edge from LEFT TO RIGHT in one swift motion. once my pattern is cut, I prep the glass and set the film with the top edge of the tint approx 1/8 of an inch from the top of the window. I know most tinters like the top edge of the film at the top of the glass but I like to drop it a little because as long as I have been tinting, I have not had one single customer come back for tint peeling at the top. it works for me, so im sticking to it. hope this helps with your question. if it doesnt help, I tried.

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Tintguy1980

Tintguy1980

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I asked how to trim a top edge I couldn't explain in detail because I never got any step by step detail when I first started.

Okay let's try this:

This presumes the film is laying on wet glass partially rolled down position and the person is right handed. Take your thumb and forefinger and pinch the film on the glass edge at the far left side to keep it from shifting when inserting the knife blade. Insert blade through film at a slight angle to the glass edge so as to strike the edge once the film cuts to that point. Your sharp knife edge should now be ready to follow through the restof the cut. If you were to look at the first insertion and the first inch or two cut along the edge it would look like a miniture hockey stick. The trick is in what has been said; the angle of the dangle is key. Your blade edge should tilt toward the glass edge pinch cutting the film much the same as gliding open scissors through paper. There is an edge produced between knife body and blade edge; this needs to ride along the glass edge precisely where polished glass meets rounded unpolished top. Keep the butt of the knife roughly 20-30 degrees up from the surface and 20-30 degrees angled of the glass edge at all times. Pitch the cutting edge about 20-30 degrees toward the glass. Once you insert and start your way down the glass edge, do not stop and always apply a mild downward pressure toward the glass surface and toward the glass edge. When approaching a curve do as you would when driving a car; slow down to maintain control and keep the butt of the knife at the same angles at all times until through to the other end; otherwise without maintaining locked in angles you will slip off the glass edge = miscut. If for any reason you stop and need to restart at a point in a cut you left off at, pop the blade to freshen the edge, reinsert with careful alignment and finish the cut.

If you can walk the process through your mind's eye you can write it down; not everyone can picture write in this fashion.

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TomTint

TomTint

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Posted

I asked how to trim a top edge I couldn't explain in detail because I never got any step by step detail when I first started.

Okay let's try this:

This presumes the film is laying on wet glass partially rolled down position and the person is right handed. Take your thumb and forefinger and pinch the film on the glass edge at the far left side to keep it from shifting when inserting the knife blade. Insert blade through film at a slight angle to the glass edge so as to strike the edge once the film cuts to that point. Your sharp knife edge should now be ready to follow through the restof the cut. If you were to look at the first insertion and the first inch or two cut along the edge it would look like a miniture hockey stick. The trick is in what has been said; the angle of the dangle is key. Your blade edge should tilt toward the glass edge pinch cutting the film much the same as gliding open scissors through paper. There is an edge produced between knife body and blade edge; this needs to ride along the glass edge precisely where polished glass meets rounded unpolished top. Keep the butt of the knife roughly 20-30 degrees up from the surface and 20-30 degrees angled of the glass edge at all times. Pitch the cutting edge about 20-30 degrees toward the glass. Once you insert and start your way down the glass edge, do not stop and always apply a mild downward pressure toward the glass surface and toward the glass edge. When approaching a curve do as you would when driving a car; slow down to maintain control and keep the butt of the knife at the same angles at all times until through to the other end; otherwise without maintaining locked in angles you will slip off the glass edge = miscut. If for any reason you stop and need to restart at a point in a cut you left off at, pop the blade to freshen the edge, reinsert with careful alignment and finish the cut.

If you can walk the process through your mind's eye you can write it down; not everyone can picture write in this fashion.

Then repeat this process 12,000 X...

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Badass TintGuy

Badass TintGuy

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Posted

I asked how to trim a top edge I couldn't explain in detail because I never got any step by step detail when I first started.

Okay let's try this:

This presumes the film is laying on wet glass partially rolled down position and the person is right handed. Take your thumb and forefinger and pinch the film on the glass edge at the far left side to keep it from shifting when inserting the knife blade. Insert blade through film at a slight angle to the glass edge so as to strike the edge once the film cuts to that point. Your sharp knife edge should now be ready to follow through the restof the cut. If you were to look at the first insertion and the first inch or two cut along the edge it would look like a miniture hockey stick. The trick is in what has been said; the angle of the dangle is key. Your blade edge should tilt toward the glass edge pinch cutting the film much the same as gliding open scissors through paper. There is an edge produced between knife body and blade edge; this needs to ride along the glass edge precisely where polished glass meets rounded unpolished top. Keep the butt of the knife roughly 20-30 degrees up from the surface and 20-30 degrees angled of the glass edge at all times. Pitch the cutting edge about 20-30 degrees toward the glass. Once you insert and start your way down the glass edge, do not stop and always apply a mild downward pressure toward the glass surface and toward the glass edge. When approaching a curve do as you would when driving a car; slow down to maintain control and keep the butt of the knife at the same angles at all times until through to the other end; otherwise without maintaining locked in angles you will slip off the glass edge = miscut. If for any reason you stop and need to restart at a point in a cut you left off at, pop the blade to freshen the edge, reinsert with careful alignment and finish the cut.If you can walk the process through your mind's eye you can write it down; not everyone can picture write in this fashion.

Nice directions!!!! that's the kinda of feedback im looking for. Well said man!!!!

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Guest eminemdpc

Guest eminemdpc

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Posted

What im getting at with my question is. What is the best angle while cutting top edge and the best starting and ending point for right handed guys?

45° angle smooth and steady all the way through. Happy Tinting!

As for where to start. Depends which side of the car your on. Passenger front start at the long side and work your way to the mirror. Opposite on the drivers side. Or whatever feels more comfortable 4 u.

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