Cutting Tools and Techniques | Cardboard Fundamentals

Author: Daisy

May. 20, 2024

Cutting Tools and Techniques | Cardboard Fundamentals

Here are several useful tools and techniques for safely and precisely working with cardboard.

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Cutting Mats

Consider getting a cutting mat before you start slicing up cardboard on your floor, desk, or dining room table. You can use a layer of newspaper or magazines if you must, but a proper cutting mat will protect both your tabletop and avoid dulling the blade.

Most cutting mats also have handy rulers, guides, grids, and angles printed on them. They come in a variety of sizes.

Rulers, Straight Edges, and Squares

Metal rulers are best as they prevent blades from cutting into the edge or traveling up and over, which can happen with wood and plastic.

To help you create parallel edges, a square of some kind can be a big help. If you have one straight edge to begin with, you can create perpendicular lines from there with a square.

Angle rulers and protractors can also be very helpful in making precise shapes at particular angles.

Marking

It's good practice to measure and mark where you intend to cut before doing so. Have a variety of pencils and pens on hand.

Cutting Knives

One of the first things you'll need to do with cardboard is to cut it down to a useful size and shape for your needs. Utility knives and hobby knives are best, as they have very sharp, replaceable blades. Cardboard dulls edges quickly!

Other knives that work well are contractor's knives for thicker cardboard and scalpels for curves and more intricate work. Both of these types also use disposable blades.

Straight Cuts

Use a small straight-edged metal ruler and a hobby knife to make a straight cut.

  • Keep your fingers out of the way
  • Apply firm pressure to the ruler
  • Cut away from yourself, not toward your body

Cutting with Scissors

Scissors work well, but they can get dull from too much cardboard use. Consider designating an inexpensive pair for cardboard cutting and know that they may need to be replaced periodically.

For most straight cuts, it's best to run the blade alongside a metal ruler or straight edge to prevent it from running off the line.

Cutting with Rotary Cutters

A more specialized tool to consider if you do a lot of cardboard cutting is a rotary cutter. It looks like a smaller, sharper sibling of a pizza wheel and is usually used for fabric cutting.

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Again, run it alongside a straight edge to avoid the cut curving off the line.

Circle Marking

To mark circles for cutting, you can use a compass, a circle template, a round object to trace such as cups and containers, or a thumbtack and a loop of string or yarn.

Circle Cutting

  • Use a small, thin blade
  • Go slowly
  • Take multiple shallow passes rather than trying to cut it all in one go

Circle Center

One advantage of using a compass or the pushpin and string method for drawing your circle is that it automatically creates a center hole!

You can then use the center hole for an axle, such as a bamboo skewer.

Creasing, Scoring, and Poking

To help you make bends in cardboard, you may want to crease or score one side of the material. A dried-out pen, a knitting needle, or a pointed dowel (not too sharp) all work well for this.

You'll also want some tools for poking holes in cardboard. An awl works very well, but you can substitute a bamboo skewer, toothpick, or small Phillips screwdriver.

Crease to Bend

Run a creasing tool across the cardboard a few times to create a better bend.

Hole Punch

A single hole punch is great for making holes in cardboard. You'll be limited by the "throat" of the tool regarding how far in from any edge you can punch. For very specific needs, specialized hole punches are available at craft/hobby stores with farther reaches, various diameters, and different shapes of punch.

Curved Lines

You can create freehand curves, trace objects, or use a flexible curve ruler. This is especially useful if you need to create multiple instances of the same curved shape.

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Curve Cutting

  • Lay out your curve with a pencil
  • Make multiple light cuts using a small, thin blade

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