Cheese slicer kit in the UK?

[Essex Barn Workshop]

Sorry to ask, I am proficient at Google but having trouble.
You know the cheese slicers that look like a hacksaw, but with a wire as the blade? I want to make a cheese board with one of those as the cutter, and I am aware that Rockler sell a kit in the USA but not, as far as I can see, here in the UK.
Does anyone know of a supplier at reasonable cost here please? Doesn't need to be the Rockler version.

 

[Diver Fred]

Guitar string and a length of dowel?

 

[Sachakins]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/17608434...qUKFbx7y7FrmbWXd2uRMA3U3fkCVpn3YaAt3_EALw_wcB

 

[Essex Barn Workshop]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176084349076?var=475537610067&_ul=GB&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338990945&toolid=10001&customid=eb:g:vms:eb:176084349076-475537610067;Cj0KCQjwrKu2BhDkARIsAD7GBouicPAsIpzfPmCMXy-Aah_qUKFbx7y7FrmbWXd2uRMA3U3fkCVpn3YaAt3_EALw_wcB&_trkparms=ispr=1&amdata=enc:1KBMbsaM7QHO22DEvPJmwdg28&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrKu2BhDkARIsAD7GBouicPAsIpzfPmCMXy-Aah_qUKFbx7y7FrmbWXd2uRMA3U3fkCVpn3YaAt3_EALw_wcB

Thank you, ideally I want one in the UK as the only ones I found on Ebay were in China and delivery might take longer than I've got! Need it done and ready by 8 September.
Think if nothing else I'll buy this complete one and take it apart!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28541542...lp:4481478&itmmeta=01J64JX63M56SR3YQ0G0GX2EDK

 

[ChaiLatte]

...ideally I want one in the UK...

The one to which you link is also in China, even though it says Manchester. Possibly it is shipped from a UK location.

I do not know if you saw it, but the one in your link is also described as a 'butter cutter'. That might be an alternative area in which to search.

Maybe look in Nesbitts or some other commercial catering supplier for a dismantle-and-repurpose option.

http://www.staintech.co.uk/43/Wire-Cutters/

 

[Cobbs]

Thank you, ideally I want one in the UK as the only ones I found on Ebay were in China and delivery might take longer than I've got! Need it done and ready by 8 September.
Think if nothing else I'll buy this complete one and take it apart!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285415424411?_trkparms=amclksrc=ITM&aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=272260,271285,271993,271290&meid=57da902850044c90bbc4ed0e0f784e28&pid=101875&rk=2&rkt=4&sd=176084349076&itm=285415424411&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=4481478&algv=SimVIDwebV3WithCPCExpansion&brand=Unbranded&_trksid=p4481478.c101875.m1851&itmprp=cksum:28541542441157da902850044c90bbc4ed0e0f784e28|enc:AQAJAAABAKAOBbj8c9I6eO4vPyI9FfMl8NhNqsULUU1TfDUZ7khl3dbILddu%2BFgsurAoLDkjJ14%2FDfe9mXf2%2B5EEfkFKCh7oyWnvlVKnTPeGvUreqnEB%2B3Sioa1G1qyERfIbSh7z1DrDx4XuP6CtPWZdrI%2B2m5HfFYUSMkjg%2FvboEQPCzKS0DS5L5VdiUsyEkX%2BNcR5tZt7Rq71wCtyaXFADle1%2BsOx92RkS8TY%2BUzfyhvz%2F57YY2pJhHF43By3jLVnL5a5svjRYUL%2BCj5E15vTF1UMUmHE9AU2%2FvBcJimz9jKcy%2Bz4n4K25P0SzypRGTwk9jeWxqcyPGss5Xriyhffq196UjF8%3D|ampidL_CLK|clp:4481478&itmmeta=01J64JX63M56SR3YQ0G0GX2EDK

I suspect that one will come from China too - scroll down the page and look at the seller's business details...

 

[robgul]

I suspect that one will come from China too - scroll down the page and look at the seller's business details...

It's a seller in China but they, along with many such businesses, bulk ship stock to warehouses in the UK where they ship in days - I've bought lots of stuff that's arrived in days. (On ebay you'll frequently see "Glenfield" as the location - there's a massive drop-shipping business there, near Leicester)

 

[throbscottle]

If you make your own I highly recommend using molybdenum wire. Amazingly strong stuff, - I have a reel of 0.1mm and can't break it with my hands!

 

[ChaiLatte]

If you make your own I highly recommend using molybdenum wire.

If it is so good, why does every single commercial cheese slicer throughout the price range use standard stainless steel wire?

 

[Cobbs]

If it is so good, why does every single commercial cheese slicer throughout the price range use standard stainless steel wire?

Because molybdenum is toxic.

 

[throbscottle]

From the RSC Periodic Table app:
"Biological role

Although it is toxic in anything other than small quantities, molybdenum is an essential element for animals and plants.

There are about 50 different enzymes used by plants and animals that contain molybdenum. One of these is nitrogenase, found in nitrogen fixing bacteria that make nitrogen from the air available to plants. Leguminous plants have root nodules that contain these nitrogen-fixing bacteria."

 

[Cobbs]

From the RSC Periodic Table app: "Biological role: Although it is toxic in anything other than small quantities, molybdenum is an essential element for animals and plants.
at

Well, that's me told!

 

[throbscottle]

My curiosity being piqued, I found this: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles/tp212-c1.pdf
It looks as though you wouldn't suffer toxic effects from a cheese wire.

 

[throbscottle]

If it is so good, why does every single commercial cheese slicer throughout the price range use standard stainless steel wire?

I would guess a number of factors. Apart from the potential toxicity, which although appears to be a very low risk, risk averse manufacturers would avoid, there's also some other factors.
Everyone has heard of stainless steel. They think they know what it is. Most people don't know what molybdenum is - that would make a fancy-shmancy cheese wire potentially costing lots I guess. Or one that's unsellable. Can of worms there I think.
The wire I bought is, I believe, an alloy containing iron. I have no idea of it's corrosion resistance. It's a pretty colour though...
"Food safe" wire made of anything other than stainless steel is potentially a novel product, so there'd be a shedload of cost in getting it approved if it isn't already.
Stainless steel wire is already well known to be up to the task. Nobody is interested in a thinner wire.

I'm sure there's a lot of other reasons I can't think of, but I guess those are the big ones. In short, personal use, OK, commercial use, no.