Card making & Scrapbook : Cutting Tools

No matter what paper crafting project you make, you will inevitably have to cut something. Knowing the proper tools for each project will make your craft time more enjoyable and hassle free. Read through the top ten cutting tool basics to help you make the best decision before making that first cut. 1. Scissors: Scissors are the most common cutting tool. They come in various sizes and work perfectly for cropping freehand. Scissors with a long straight edge work well for making large or thick cuts while precision scissors can be used to cut small and delicate items. You can now find non-stick scissors that protect the pieces you are cutting from sticking or being ruined during the cutting process. 2. Paper Trimmer: These handy tools allow you to cut practically any size paper with a straight edge and are imprinted with measurements to guide your cutting. They also have a clear ruler that houses the blade which lets you to precisely see each cut as it is made. With the trimmer, you can quickly cut several sheets of 20-lb. paper, card stock, construction paper, tissue paper, and more. Popular sizes include 24”, 12”, and compact personal trimmers. 3. Craft Knife: Craft knives are suitable for precision cutting and trimming. Sets are available that include an assortment of interchangeable and replaceable blades such as a straight edge, general purpose, precision, micro saw, scoring, and lightweight chisel. These cutting tools are ideal for cutting delicate lettering, shapes, and papers. 4. Paper Punches: These tools come in a variety of fun shapes and sizes from simple shapes like circles and squares to more complex designs of animals and insects. They are available in hand held varieties similar to the classic hole punch. They are also referred to as Craft Punches which are used by pressing a button to make the shape. These are also available in an assortment of shapes and sizes including punches made just for borders. When they get dull, simply punch through aluminum foil or fine sandpaper to sharpen it.

5. Decorative-Edge Scissors: A staple in the scrapbook and paper craft worlds, these tools provide instant pizzazz to any project. From scallop to deckle to lace to waves, you can use these scissors to make frames, embellish cards, create decorative layers, add borders, and much more. 6. Shape Cutters: If you have ever tried to cut out a circle or oval, you may have experienced the great shrinking affect where your end result is ten times smaller than the one you started with. This is no longer an issue with shape cutters. You can use these tools to cut perfect circles, ovals, and other shapes with a simple turn of a blade. Some shape cutters come with adjustable knobs to make several different size cuts. 7. Die Cut Machine: Thanks to ingenious technology, making your own die cut letters and shapes is quick, easy, and always at hand. With numerous choices of size, shape, and style, companies like Ellison, QuicKutz, Provo Craft, AccuCut, and Xyron have created systems suitable for use by novice and advanced crafters. A die cut machine cuts out shapes for you with a simple push instead of tediously cutting each piece by hand. 8. Corner Punches: This tool allows you to easily embellish paper corners. Corner punches let you round paper edges, create an intricate photo frame, and much more. These work like shape cutters but work specifically to decorate the corners of your paper. 9. Rotary Trimmer: If you like using a paper trimmer and decorative-edge scissors, this tool combines both for accurate and versatile cutting. You can find rotary trimmers with straight blades and interchangeable decorative blades. The round straight blade is durable enough to even cut cloth. Using the decorative blades allows you to cut the same pattern across an entire 12”x 12” sheet of paper without the stop and go cuts made with scissors. 10. Cutting Mat: When using any cutting tool, a cutting mat protects your work surface from cuts, scrapes, and tears. Varieties available include self-healing mats which are made of a material that resists cuts and glass mats that have a smooth surface for easily flowing cuts. Many cutting mats include grids to help ease the task of measuring and making parallel cuts.

This information is from:http://scrapbooking.com