GodHand Nippers and Model Building Tools

What GodHand makes

GodHand makes hand tools for plastic model building. Its official store on Yahoo Shopping Japan sells its tools under the GodHand name, including the SPN-120 nipper. We couldn't confirm a founding year or a company address from a first-party page, so we leave those out.

The main tool is the nipper, a side cutter for removing parts from the runner. A runner, or sprue, is the plastic frame the parts come attached to. The small stub where a part joins the runner is called the gate. Cutting the gate cleanly is the first step of every kit, and the step most beginners rush.

On Amazon US, our data holds 20 live GodHand listings:

• Nippers: 6, including the SPN-120 nipper, the PN-125 and the PN-135
• Files and boards: a mini file and a stainless steel board set
• Pliers and benders: tapered pliers and a diagonal bender
• Blades and tips: a Spin Blade set, a Spin Mold and a needle set
• Bench helpers: a nipper stand, double-sided tape, a parts opener and a starter set

GodHand nippers: which one does what

Six listings are nippers. The titles don't all say the same thing about blade design, so here's what each one states.

SPN-120 single-edged nipper

Two listings carry this model number: one titled as version 5.0 of the GH-SPN-120, and one titled GH-SPN-120 alone. GodHand's own store describes the SPN-120 as a single-edged nipper for cutting gates cleanly on plastic model kits.

Here's how the store explains it, in my words. The anvil blade, a flat side, holds the gate. The thin cutting blade comes down from the other side and makes the cut. Because the cut face stays smooth, you can cut close to the part without leaving a stub, so you spend less time sanding. The store adds that the thin, sharp blade puts less stress on the plastic and keeps whitening of the cut surface to a minimum. Whitening is the pale stress mark plastic sometimes shows where it was cut or bent.

Who it suits: a builder who already cuts parts cleanly and wants less cleanup on visible surfaces. Who should skip it: a first-time builder who hasn't learned how hard to squeeze yet. A thin blade asks for a light hand.

PN-125 and PN-125-KR

The Nipper PN-125 GH-PN-125 and the Keroro Plastic Model Nipper PN-125-KR share a model number. The second one carries a licensed character name, given here as the listing gives it. Their titles say nipper and nothing about single or double edge, so check the description on each listing.

PN-135-M Nipper Side Cutter

The PN-135-M is listed as a nipper side cutter. Its number sits above the PN-125 in the naming, but the title doesn't say what's different. That's a question for the listing photos and the maker's description.

SG Series

The Nipper GH-SG-01 and the GH-SG-01 SG Series Planipper both carry the SG-01 number, and the GH-SG-02 Starter Tool Set carries SG-02. The titles suggest an SG line meant to go together, but they don't list what's in the starter set. Look at the photos.

The rest of the GodHand bench

GodHand's other 14 listings fill in the steps after the cut. Here's what the titles tell us, and only that.

Files and boards

• GH-MF Mini Fit File: a small file, per the title
• Stainless Steel FF Board 6mm Set of 4 (FFM6-SET): a set of four 6 mm stainless steel boards

Files take down what the nipper leaves. Tamiya's modeling guide recommends metal files and abrasive paper or sanding sponges used together, from coarse grits around #100 up to fine grits of #2,000 and #3,000. Work from coarse to fine, and stop when the surface matches the plastic around it.

Pliers and benders

• GH-CSP-130 Craft Grip Tapered Lead Pliers
• GH-BND-115-N Diagonal Bender

Pliers hold and shape small parts and wire. A bender, per the name, bends. Neither title lists the jaw size, so check the photos if you work at small scales.

Blades, molds and needles

• GH-SB-05-09 Spin Blade 0.5-0.9 mm: blade sizes from 0.5 to 0.9 mm, per the title
• Spin Mold 45 GH-CSB45-1-3
• GH-CSB-35-37
• GH-SMN-125
• GH-RN-Set Regel Needle Set

These titles are mostly model numbers. Some name a tool; some don't. When a title is only a code, the listing photos are the spec sheet. A code tells you which box, not what's in it.

Bench helpers

• GH-NS-PB Nipper Stand: a stand that holds a nipper upright
• GH-DST-20 Strong Double Sided Plastic Tape
• Amazing Parts Opener GH-PO-110

A stand for one pair of cutters sounds fussy. I am fussy, so it sounds right. A nipper lying flat on the bench gets knocked to the floor, and a thin blade doesn't land well.

Amazing Parts Opener is the most confident product name in the grid. The title doesn't say what it opens. The photos will.

Lucho read the list and gave me the shop view. "A good side cutter is like a good torque wrench. You keep it in one drawer, and you don't lend it out." He has never borrowed mine. I've noticed.

How to cut a gate cleanly

The method below follows GodHand's own description of the single-edged nipper and Tamiya's guide to cleanup. It works with any decent cutter.

1. Find the gate. Look at where the part meets the runner. Some parts have two or three gates.
2. Cut a little away from the part first with a sturdy cutter, so the part comes free with a short stub.
3. Set the flat side against the part. On a single-edged nipper, that's the anvil side holding the gate, with the cutting blade on the stub side.
4. Trim the stub flush with one light, square squeeze.
5. Clean what's left with a file or a fine sanding stick, coarse to fine.
6. Look at it under good light. If you see a pale stress mark, sand lightly until the color matches.

Take your time on parts that show: faces, canopy frames, car body edges. Parts that hide inside the model can live with a slightly rougher cut.

Grits, in plain numbers

Sanding grit is a number for how coarse the abrasive is. Lower numbers are coarser and remove plastic faster. Higher numbers are finer and leave a smoother surface. Tamiya's guide runs from around #100 for coarse work up to #2,000 and #3,000 for fine finishing.

For gate marks, you rarely need the coarse end. A medium grit to take down the stub, then a fine grit to smooth it, covers most parts. Save the coarse grits for big seams on car bodies and hulls.

What the titles don't tell you

Most GodHand titles in our data are a name plus a model code. They rarely list blade edge type, jaw length, grit or what's in a set. That's a short spec sheet. Before you order, check three things on the listing: the photos, the description and the size. A tool that looks right and is the wrong size goes in a drawer.

How to pick within GodHand

Start with the cut, because that's where every build begins.

1. First kit or first good tool: a nipper listed as a general plastic model nipper, like the PN-125, after you check the listing for blade type
2. Cleaner gate cuts on visible parts: the single-edged SPN-120 nipper, used with a light hand
3. Cleanup after the cut: the Mini Fit File or a board set
4. Small parts and wire: the tapered pliers
5. Not sure what you need: the SG-02 Starter Tool Set, after you read what's in the box

One common bench setup uses two cutters: a sturdier one to take the part off the runner with a little gate left on, and a finer one to trim the gate flush. That way the thin blade only cuts thin plastic. Whether you need both depends on how many kits you build.

Who should skip GodHand for now

If you're building one snap kit to see if you like the hobby, a basic side cutter will do the job. Specialty nippers and files make sense once you know you'll build again. And if you need a tool for wire, metal or anything other than kit plastic, pick a tool made for that. The SPN-120's store page describes it for plastic model gates.

Taking care of a thin blade

A nipper is a cutting tool. Treat it like one:

• Cut only kit plastic with a model nipper
• Keep the blade square to the gate; don't twist
• Close the safety cap if it has one, and store it in the stand or a drawer
• Keep it dry after a session in a damp garage

Tamiya's guide gives the simplest rule for any blade: change it when it gets dull. A dull knife slips, and slipping is where cuts come from.

Where GodHand tools go in the build

Every model starts the same way: cut, clean, fit, glue or snap, paint. GodHand's listings cover the first two steps and some of the third. If you're building a snap kit, like most Gundam kits, the nipper and a file may be the only tools you need. Our Gundam model kits page explains the grades, and the model kits section covers the rest.

Keep the cut part in the parts tray, not on the bench. Small parts roll, and floors keep them.

Safety at the bench

Cut away from your body on a cutting mat, and keep blades and nippers away from kids. Store sharp tools capped and out of reach. Small model parts are a choking hazard for children under 3, so keep the bench clear when little ones are around.

Put the nipper back on its stand. Then pick up the next part.