No matter how much you love torn, wrinkled or distressed paper in your layouts, sooner or later you are going to have to cut some paper. And, believe it or not, not all scissors are created equal, nor should they be. The blades on scissors are constructed with specific purposes in mind, so, for example, fabric scissors are best left for fabric (and ribbon). Paper scissors are best for, you guessed it, paper. And so it goes. Using a pair of scissors for somethings they are not intended for will, over time, dull (or dent or warp) the blades. So don’t do that. (And we’re speaking as much to ourselves as anyone here, as we often are soooooo tempted to just reach for the whatever is handy, here at Finders Keepers, and we have the dented ribbon scissors to prove it. Sigh. )
So, here are our favorite cutting tools and what we use them for (or what we SHOULD use them for. Ahem.)
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These Paper Snips are great for fussy cutting little things or making any kind of detailed cut in paper. Their size and sharp, precise blades allow for super clean, accurate cutting. SU! Paper Snips – 103579 |
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These Fiskars scissors are a great alternative for the SU! Paper Snips, if you are an Amazon shopper.
Fiskars 5 Inch Micro-Tip Scissors
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SU! Ribbon Scissors are made to work with ribbon and fabric. They are incredible sharp and give a good, clean cut without fraying. SU! Ribbon Scissors (No longer avail) |
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Fiskars makes these scissors, which are also great for ribbon and fabric. |
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The Fringe Scissor is really a scissor of convenience, not an absolute need. They create fringe (in paper) that is evenly spaced and cut clean. |
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Rubber Scissors are used for trimming or cutting apart rubber and/or photopolymer stamps. They have a thick, forgiving blade that will give you a clean cut. SU! Rubber Scissors (No longer avail) |
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A paper trimmer, whether it is from Stampin’ Up! or Fiskar (below) or somewhere else, is really a must for any kind of papercrafting, because it gives you a long (usually up to 12″), straight cut. Whatever brand you use, the blades should be replaceable, or your cuts will get ragged after a bit. SU! Trimmer |
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Fiskar Trimmer |
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The Stampin’ Up! Big Shot and the Big Shot Sizzix (below) are both manufactured by Sizzix and are exactly the same machine. They are used for die cutting and are a bit pricey, so are usually used by the intermediate or advanced papercrafter, who has realized the addictive delights of the craft. Big Shot |
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Big Shot Sizzyx |
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Silhouette offers a myriad of cutting and etching machines. Like die cutting machines, they are more expensive, but also allow more precise, digital designs to become a reality. The Cameo hooks into your computer (and the software you install) and then pretty much cuts whatever you tell it to. Here at Finders Keepers, we came to really appreciate our Cameo (or Cami, as we have come to call her) when we need to make our own stickers. That’s right! The Cameo can “kiss cut” a sheet of sticker paper with your designs printed on it. Too cool! NOTE: If you are nervous about working with an e-cutter, check out the Silhouette School. There are really descriptive, clear and easy steps shown in their video series. Wireless Cutting Machine |
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The CARL Heavy Duty Rotary Paper Trimmer (we call ours Carl) is great for professional papercrafters, who may need to cut large quantities of paper at once. It has replaceable blades and cutting mats and gives a very clean, straight cut through a dozen sheets of cardstock at once. |
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The AccuCut Grand Mark IV (or Mark, to everyone here at Finders Keepers) is a large scale die cutting machine. Because of the expense (of the machine and the dies), this machine is primarily for the pros. It cuts through several sheets of crafting paper at once and gives a precise cut every time. It also comes with the STELLAR customer service of AccuCut. They know everything about dies and cutting paper and can answer strange and rare questions about just about anything regarding that machine and its dies. |
It’s been a slice!
