Alec AL-K54 Pro-25G Hyper Gate Cut Saw Tool Review

By Michael Benolkin

Review

Here's an interesting tool that has been reissued in Japan and is now available in the US. This is the Shimomura Alec Pro-25G Hyper Gate Cut Saw (quite a mouthful) that solves numerous problems with many contemporary model kits. Many of the latest kits from a variety of manufacturers seem to provide separate parts for tiny assemblies that used to be molded as one part. Lift rings, grab irons, hydraulic lines, etc., which do indeed provide some impressive detail to a given model, except that many of those parts seem to be destroyed when attempting to remove them from the parts trees. Even my trusty Xuron sprue cutters cannot get close enough to a tiny part without destroying the part, and if I cut from a 'safer' distance, then the effort to remove the sprue stub will usually destroy the part instead. Sound familiar?

The Alec Pro-25G is a small saw blade mounted to a wood handle for comfortable use. The blade itself is 0.1mm thick and a fine tooth pitch of 0.25mm. This tool allows you to gently saw the part away from the sprue stub without the usual deformation caused by other cutters. The combination of fine saw and comfortable handle provides a tool that can finally remove parts from the parts trees with minimal clean-up and risk of damage (when used properly).

Of course, I had to try this tool out on a current project and removed a few parts off the sprue trees. With the help of my Optivisor, I can see the right spot against a tiny part, and the saw smoothly cuts through the styrene stub. While I'll use the Xuron on larger parts, this saw is the first cutting tool I've used that can get up against a part and not harm it. This tool is a keeper!

You can find the Pro-25G (within the US) at HobbyZone USA here!

My thanks to HobbyZone USA for this review sample.