Your scrapbooking, rubber stamping, and cardmaking projects will look perfect when you use the proper cutting, trimming, and scoring tools. Understanding the differences between these tools helps to insure that you are using the right tool for the right job.
Popular trimming tools are the guillotine cutter, personal paper trimmer, and rotary cutter. Paper punches, scoring blades, T-squares, and shape cutters are also important tools and will assist with each and every project.
The guillotine trimmer is the traditional paper trimmer you can find any office supply store. A long sharp blade (often curved) is hinged at the base and is lifted above the paper and down directly on top to make a straight cut. Please keep in mind that not all guillotine trimmers are made well. You're going to need a solid, sturdy guillotine trimmer with tight fittings. Make sure the handle doesn't flex at all or you will be consistently frustrated by crooked cuts. Another great feature is a detachable blade which can be sharpened or replaced.
Rubber stamping projects often require simple cuts to mattes and small pieces of stamped card stock. The personal trimmer is the perfect tool for the routine trimming and can fit inside your desk drawer. Small paper trimmers usually have safety features that make them especially suitable for trimming small items held by hand close to the blade. This allows you to crop small pieces of hand stamped card stock, trim tiny wallet photos, and matte stocks. Personal paper trimmers are not suitable for long straight cuts because they are usually made of lightweight plastic.
Rotary trimmers are favorites for scrapbooking enthusiasts because you can purchase different styles of blades. Want to make a curvy edge or a perforated, stamped envelope? The rotary trimmer makes these tasks simple. Many rotary trimmer systems also come with handheld trimmers that use interchangeable blades. You'll need to purchase a good self-healing cutting mat for your handheld rotary trimmer. The self-healing cutting surface is designed to allow you to use your rotary cutter many times without perceived wear.
Cutting a circle or oval shapes with scissors can be very difficult. Shape cutters have quickly become a favorite tool for paper craft artists. Shape cutters come with plastic templates that allow you to cut many different shape sizes.
Paper punches are the easiest way to make sure your shape is perfectly cut every time. Your paper punches should be easy to use and have no trouble cutting through card stocks. If your paper punch becomes difficult to use, it could be a result of glues or adhesives getting into the die mechanism. Usually a spray of a silicone lubricant will solve this problem.
T-squares and the scoring blades are tools that can be very helpful while stamping and scrapbooking. Durable T-squares that will last many years can be purchased at your local hardware store. Cheaper styles can be purchased at a craft store. Buy a quality T-square that has a tooled edge for making perfectly straight lines and cuts. You will be able to line up corners and make perfect mattes. Scoring blades are used to make straight tears and folds along the corner edges of handmade greeting cards. Designer scoring blades allow you make decorative tears on scrapbooking paper and card stock.
All of your projects will benefit from having the proper cutting and trimming tools. Make sure to have these tools on hand so you can dive into those projects. Well trimmed projects with clean, straight cuts always stand out above the rest. Keep your blades sharp and out of the reach of small children at all times. Try to purchase at least one version of each of cutting tools to experience the benefits of each one.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Kathy Williams
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