Showing posts with label cutting tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cutting tools. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Tools for cutting: What do you use?

I have to admit that I can't cut a straight line with scissors, not with a line, not without a line, not with a score line, am just horrid at "cutting." Give me a paper trimmer and life is good and straight (most of the time anyway.) Tonight I thought it would fun to review some neat cutting tools, and also to hear what cutting tool(s) you can't live without.

The one tool I use the most is my Fiskars Personal Paper Trimmer. I LOVE that thing (even though it had to be replaced the other day because somehow all the lines came off, so I could not read any of the measurements...sigh). It is a work horse, and until I got my score pal, I used it for both cutting and scoring. What is really great is how small it is, yet you can cut up to a 12 x 12 sized piece of paper. Office Depot has a cutter that is very similar to the Fiskars, and it is about $5 to 10 cheaper (couldn't find a link online, but I bought one for about $15)

For cutting circles I like the Martha Stewart Circle Cutter, it can cut a circle as small as 1 inch and as large as 5 7/8th (great sizes for cards or scrapbooking). The sizes jump by 1/16th of an inch, so you can do some nice layering with this as well. For small pieces of paper I make sure to tape the paper to my cutting board (with artist tape to protect the paper).

I have used exacto knives, without much luck. When I am cutting out a very small image I can use the knife, but just never get clean cuts. A while ago a bought a new exacto knife by Fiskars called "Fingertip Craft Knife." This knife loops over your index finger and is supposed to give you more control, though I couldn't cut that much better with it either. Sighhhhhhhhhhh

Punches are also great cutting tools, especially for different shapes. I have found the the punches with handles work much better then the ones with a button you push down. I use punches for square shapes, or my trimmer.

And I would never forget that I love my Cuttlebug for cutting as well : ) It does a great job and it is easy to use and there are tons of dies out there to use!

The one product I haven't bought yet are the Nestibilities, and from what I have read and heard they are really great for both embossing and cutting layers of shapes for card making. I think I am going to put them on my list for Christmas : )

I have a few different types of scissors, including the Kia ones which I love. Most of the time I find that the smallest scissors are the ones I use for trimming and cutting out images, though once in a while I pull out the larger ones to cut odd shapes. Make sure that you keep your scissors in good working condidtion, keep them clean and sharp and they will last a lifetime.

What do you use? What tool or tools do you consider a must have? If there is one thing a rubber stamper or scrapbooker uses constantly, it is cutting tools!
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