How to disconnect selected mesh geometry?

Question

I don't know how to disconnect a face from the rest of the mesh in edit mode.

This isn't like pressing P to separate the selection into a completely different object. I just want to select a face and disconnect/rip it away from the rest of the mesh but keep it as a part of the original object.

One way to do it would be to duplicate the face with ShiftD and then delete the original face. But I suspect there is a "native" command for disconnecting selected faces and I would like to learn it.

score 36 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 18 '14 at 18:20

36

The command I am looking for is "split" and you can select it with Mesh > Vertices > Split, menu or by pressing the keyboard shortcut Y.

edited Dec 18 '14 at 18:20

PGmath

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answered Dec 18 '14 at 18:03

Antti

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@X-27 It seems to happen to me all the time, that right after I finally decide to write a question down, I also find the answer. I simply didn't understand earlier to search from the "vertices" category because I was thinking about faces. But after I asked the question, I searched some more and found it. First I considered deleting the question, but I guess it's better to leave it since it was hard to find the solution by googling. – Antti Dec 19 '14 at 18:48

score 11 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 21 '16 at 15:12

It sounds like you want to rip the edges around the face.

It helps to go into edge select mode first by pressing Ctrl+Tab > edge select, since in vertex edit mode you may end up selecting too many edges. Then select the edges around the face and hit V, this will rip the edges.

If you try to move these ripped edges you will actually move only the edges (any vertex located in the middle will remain fixed at its place). To move entire ripped piece you will need either to press Ctrl+L immediately after ripping to select geometry linked to selected edges or deselect all with A and then select the faces to move away.

Rip isn't meant for isolating entire selections, rather a vertex or edge loop. — ideasman42, Dec 18 '14 at 20:47

score 2 · Answer 3 · edited Apr 22 '22 at 09:49

2

Go into Edit Mode select a face press P and click selection.

edited Apr 22 '22 at 09:49

Duarte Farrajota Ramos

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answered Aug 02 '18 at 00:19

Kavin Lahrs

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Please re-read the question. Stipulates not using P to separate selection into new object. – batFINGER Aug 02 '18 at 06:15
Only this answer let me to disconnection, so Mesh -> separate -> selection (or p) works for me, (not split). Thanks! – atom Mar 23 '20 at 20:00
3.5 years later and still haven't re-read the question? – SO_fix_the_vote_sorting_bug Mar 03 '22 at 17:24
this is the correct answer – prismspecs Oct 08 '22 at 11:20

How to disconnect selected mesh geometry?

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