Must have
Side cutters (nippers)
Cut parts from the runner without stressing the plastic. Single-blade nippers give the cleanest cut once you have a few builds behind you.
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Starter toolkit
Gunpla tools: what you need and what can wait
You can build a High Grade with three tools. Buy the "must have" items first, then add the rest as your builds get more ambitious.
Must have
Hobby knife
Shaves off the leftover nub after cutting. Use fresh blades; a dull blade tears plastic.
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Panel lining marker
Brings out the molded detail lines. Start with a fine black or grey marker.
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Sanding sticks
400 to 1000 grit sanding sticks smooth nub marks so they disappear.
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Tweezers
Place stickers and water decals precisely. Angled tips are easiest.
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Cutting mat
Protects your table and keeps small parts from rolling away.
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Matte top coat spray
Hides seams and stickers, removes the toy shine and protects panel lines.
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Glass file
Polishes nub marks to a shine with no white stress marks.
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Parts separator
Pries apart pieces you snapped together by mistake without scratching them.
Check price on AmazonSkip the all-in-one "50-piece Gunpla kits". They are full of tools you will never use and the cutters are usually poor. Three good tools beat twenty cheap ones.
New kits, build tips, one email a week.
Release dates, beginner picks and the techniques worth learning next.