by KushiroCG·Modeling
Images © KushiroCG. Used for product review; image policy.
Hard Bevel earns its place in the superhive library by targeting a specific pain point: the overlapping geometry Blender's native Bevel leaves behind on sharp faces. The maker also offers a free companion, Soft Bevel, but positions Hard Bevel as the more robust of the two.
Hard Bevel is a Blender add-on that bevels selected mesh without creating overlapping geometry. Blender's built-in Bevel tool produces overlapping geometry at sharp faces; Hard Bevel is designed to prevent that and bevel smoothly. It works on selected faces and edges, so you can pick just the edges you want to bevel and run the tool.
The add-on suits all kinds of modeling, including game assets such as weapons and rocks, and hard surface work. It's especially useful for beveling ngon shapes and game-like forms like fire and crystals, which can be difficult to bevel cleanly. Support for multiple bevel cuts gives a smooth bevel profile.
Hard Bevel uses an algorithm the developer describes as very robust, and it avoids the tracing method used by their free Soft Bevel tool, so it doesn't have the shaking problem. Settings cover bevel size, a threshold for preventing near edges from overlapping, vertex merging, a choice of fillet engine, and the number of cuts.
Hard Bevel is best for hard surface and game asset modeling, including weapons, rocks, and ngon-based shapes like crystals and fire.
Hard Bevel is completely free to download and use.
Hard Bevel supports Blender versions 2.83 through 5.1 and is listed as Blender Extension compatible. It's distributed as an add-on under the GPL license. Once installed, you use it from Blender's Edit mode through the right-click context menu. For the exact version you're running and any installation notes, check the developer's page, since compatibility can shift as Blender continues to update.
Hard Bevel runs inside Blender's Edit mode. Switch to Edit mode, right-click in the 3D viewport, and select Hard Bevel from the bottom of the pop-up context menu. After running it, you can adjust settings in the panel at the bottom-left: Bevel size sets the amount of bevel, Threshold helps prevent near edges from overlapping, Merge Result and Merge Distance control merging of close vertices, Fillet Engine chooses between two engine types, and Number of Cuts sets how many bevel cuts you get.
Hard Bevel and Soft Bevel are both beveling tools from KushiroCG, but they work differently. Hard Bevel uses an algorithm the developer describes as very robust, with no overlaps across their test meshes. Unlike Soft Bevel, it does not rely on a tracing method, so it avoids the shaking problem that approach can cause. Soft Bevel is offered as a free tool. If you're choosing between the two, Hard Bevel is positioned as the more robust option for clean bevels.
Hard Bevel is listed as free in this catalog. It's released as a Blender add-on under the GPL license. Pricing and licensing terms can change over time, so for the current details and to download the tool, head to the developer's page. KushiroCG also makes a separate free beveling tool, Soft Bevel, if you want to compare the two before deciding.
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