The right way off the sprue: a flush-cutting side cutter leaves a clean, flat cut face instead of the stress-whitened stub you get from twisting or scissors. Stainless steel with a safety grip, it's built for the small precise cuts kit modeling demands — structure kit parts, detail castings, ladders and railings that snap if you look at them wrong.
Finish the job with the Hobby Knife and Model Files for invisible sprue-gate cleanup.
How is this different from wire cutters?
One side of the blade is dead flat, so the cut face sits flush with the part — general-purpose cutters leave a pinched ridge you then have to sand off.
Which side faces the part?
The flat side. Cut a hair proud on delicate parts and shave the last bit with a hobby knife.
Will it cut metal?
Soft metals (white metal castings, thin brass wire) yes; hardened steel like piano wire, no — that ruins the edge.
