Pro tip: I learned the hard way that a worn-out eraser shield can ruin a whole sheet of vellum.

I was finishing a set of mechanical drawings for a small house plan last Thursday, and my old metal eraser shield had a tiny bent corner I didn't notice. It snagged the paper and tore a clean line right through a finished elevation view. I had to redo that entire drawing from scratch, which took me almost two extra hours. What's your go-to brand for a really durable eraser shield that won't bend easily?

3 comments

3 Comments

emery192mo ago

Used to think any shield worked, but that sounds brutal.

dixon.spencer1mo ago

Cheap shields are a false economy. They shred your paper and ruin your lines. That Alvin story proves good tools last decades. Spending a bit more upfront saves so much frustration later. It's one of those things you don't appreciate until you've wrecked a final draft.

wilson.kelly2mo ago

My drafting teacher swore by Alvin shields, said they lasted through his whole career. I still have mine from college and the edges are perfect.