Match tip geometry to the clearance around the joint
Compare the width of the exposed joint with the tip's working surface. Within the FX-8801 T18 family, the D08 and D24 both have flat chisel ends, but a 0.8 mm flat is easier to place beside a close neighboring lead while a 2.4 mm flat can contact more of an exposed terminal.
If the obstacle is access, compare working length and bend separately. The straight BL and SB drawings show the same nominal tip radius but different lengths. The BR02 uses a bent point, which can keep the pencil body away from a nearby component.
Compare bevel angle and finish when the face matters. Hakko's FX-8801 manual identifies some bevels, including the CF15, as tinned on the working face only. Use that shape when you can reach the joint with the face. If your usual motion uses a flat edge across a lead, compare the D-series chisel instead.
Compare these tips
- Hakko T18-D08 · 0.8 mm chisel
- Hakko T18-BR02 · bent conical
- JBC C245862 · long 1.2 by 0.7 mm bent chisel