Tankraft Panther Cutting Mat 8" x 12" Review

By Michael Benolkin

Review

Tankraft is a specialty company that produces cutting mats for modelers. Here is one of their first subjects, the Panther tank printed on the cutting mat surface along with the essential ruler grid for measuring elements of your project(s). This mat is produced in two sizes, this one being the 18" x 12" form factor with a panzer gray background. This is a nice alternative to the generic hobby cutting mats 'out there' that are green and otherwise plain. The mat consists of three self-healing surfaces laminated together with a total thickness of 3mm.

As with other cutting mats on the market, the printing on the mat is robust when exposed to certain chemicals. I've erased parts of previous mats on my bench when cleaning up from a liquid cement spill. If you've used/worn out cutting mats, you know that the surface will 'heal' from a cut through the surface, but repeated cuts in the same area will leave scars which is why modelers replace mats periodically including the one on my bench.

These mats are shipped flat which is a nice plus as the last one I ordered was through Amazon and it arrived rolled-up in a tube. It took several days for that mat to become flat once again. If you're looking for a larger size or a different subject, stop by their website. At present, they also offer the M4 Sherman in the same size, and both subjects in 24" x 18" as well. Check them out!

My thanks to tankraft.com for this review sample.