surface to cut prints and especially excess paper from a "board" mounted print

[alain]

Hi

I'm now trimming (cutting prints) with a very sharp knive (the CUT-DC from Zenith) on rather soft grey "cardboard".  From time to time I use new board.

When trimming excess photopaper that's over the edge off the (rather hard) board after mounting the print , I turn the print so that I cut from behind and nicely can follow the edge of the board.  I do place something on the other side off the print so that it only makes contact with the cutting surface on the edge that I will trim.
I notice that because of the softness off the cutting surface I don't get absolutely perfect cuts, the photo seems to a little bit from the board because off the cut.  When using a piece of stiff laminated wood I get better results, but I have to avoid marks from previous cuts, so that I use up quite some boards.  Not a big problem, but probably not ecological.

Is there a better material to make the cuts on that's very stiff and hard? 
I've seen glass, but the handling off it seems problematic to me.
If seen cutting mats, but are those stiff enough, or do the have a rather soft surface?
Some type off board material?

[Richard.Wills]

Self healing cutting mats are good - avoid making deep cuts, as the mat won't heal. When trimming prints face down, I have a sheet of tissue under the print, for protection, and it helps with rag papers to prevent the very edge of the print from "bedding down" into the cut.

A couple of years ago, a neighbouring business dumped a glass display cabinet in the street, from which I took three 24x36" shelves - about 10mm thick. These are great for cutting on, and I have no fear of handling them, as they are made from strengthened glass, and have rounded edges. I'll sometimes use a lightbox under the glass, to align prints to the substrate.

My main cutting table has 8x4 sheets of polypropylene as a cutting surface - was used by a supplier as packaging for a delivery of DiBond on an open wagon. Two sheets have lasted for about four years! Also have a table with a 2x1m self healing mat, and various smaller matts which get used when it's easier to rotate the cutting surface, and keep the print in one place.

Pretty much all cuts against a mat are made using 10A scalpel blades (a couple of hundred per month!).
 
One day, I'll make a back lit 8x4' cutting table with a glass top...

[alain]

Self healing cutting mats are good - avoid making deep cuts, as the mat won't heal. When trimming prints face down, I have a sheet of tissue under the print, for protection, and it helps with rag papers to prevent the very edge of the print from "bedding down" into the cut.

A couple of years ago, a neighbouring business dumped a glass display cabinet in the street, from which I took three 24x36" shelves - about 10mm thick. These are great for cutting on, and I have no fear of handling them, as they are made from strengthened glass, and have rounded edges. I'll sometimes use a lightbox under the glass, to align prints to the substrate.

My main cutting table has 8x4 sheets of polypropylene as a cutting surface - was used by a supplier as packaging for a delivery of DiBond on an open wagon. Two sheets have lasted for about four years! Also have a table with a 2x1m self healing mat, and various smaller matts which get used when it's easier to rotate the cutting surface, and keep the print in one place.

Pretty much all cuts against a mat are made using 10A scalpel blades (a couple of hundred per month!).
 
One day, I'll make a back lit 8x4' cutting table with a glass top...

Thanks for all the info.

Does the strengthened glass shows cuts or does are the cuts not going into the glass, aka does the glass remains "pristine" after use?

[Richard.Wills]

The glass does show fine scratches, which I'm sure, over time might weaken it. But the tips of the scalpels last much longer (depending on the paper used), and you get a more tactile feel for the right pressure required to make a clean cut.

The glass was far from pristine when I found it, but still looks far better than the windscreen on our (10yr old) car!

I'm intrigued by the Zenith knife you're using - I can only find a google translation of it. How long do the blades last? We've got around the issue of having to swith blades every Xnumber of cuts, by having half a dozen scalpel handles, but I'd love to have something with the same shapness, and the durability of a utility knife.

[stockjock]

I was having trouble getting a clean cut on Canson Platine on a cutting mat and a poster here recommended cutting on tempered glass.  I went to Ikea and found several different sizes of tempered glass that was fairly cheap that I purchased.  There is no question that I am getting a cleaner cut on the Canson Platine cutting it on glass rather than a cutting mat or something like cardboard.  I haven't noticed any scratches but it wouldn't surprise me if some showed up but I doubt they would be deep enough to affect anything.  Here is a link to the product that met my needs:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60223823/#/00151452

I would make sure to get tempered glass and make sure the glass itself is resting on a perfectly flat surface.

[alain]

The glass does show fine scratches, which I'm sure, over time might weaken it. But the tips of the scalpels last much longer (depending on the paper used), and you get a more tactile feel for the right pressure required to make a clean cut.

The glass was far from pristine when I found it, but still looks far better than the windscreen on our (10yr old) car!

I'm intrigued by the Zenith knife you're using - I can only find a google translation of it. How long do the blades last? We've got around the issue of having to swith blades every Xnumber of cuts, by having half a dozen scalpel handles, but I'd love to have something with the same shapness, and the durability of a utility knife.

I have the impression that they last long, but I'm rather safe than sorry and I replace often (as I have a low volume).  The knive and the blades are clearly superior to the cheap snap-of blade knives that you find in DIY stores, a lot sharper.   I'm very pleased that it's a 18mm knive, very nice handling. 

I'm also quite pleased by the way the Zenith people handled my enquiries (in English) and my orders.
http://www.zenith-art-system.de/index.php?id=117

Alain

[Ernst Dinkla]

I was having trouble getting a clean cut on Canson Platine on a cutting mat and a poster here recommended cutting on tempered glass.  I went to Ikea and found several different sizes of tempered glass that was fairly cheap that I purchased.  There is no question that I am getting a cleaner cut on the Canson Platine cutting it on glass rather than a cutting mat or something like cardboard.  I haven't noticed any scratches but it wouldn't surprise me if some showed up but I doubt they would be deep enough to affect anything.  Here is a link to the product that met my needs:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60223823/#/00151452

I would make sure to get tempered glass and make sure the glass itself is resting on a perfectly flat surface.

Is there any sign yet that the latest version of the Canson Platine and/or the Epson Platine has a less brittle coating, so cuts nicer?  That is what a user of the Arca Platine clone observed when he compared the Canson Platine With the Arca (very long name but basically Felix Schoeller Platine).


Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
January 2016 update, 700+ inkjet media white spectral plots

[graeme]

The glass does show fine scratches, which I'm sure, over time might weaken it. But the tips of the scalpels last much longer (depending on the paper used), and you get a more tactile feel for the right pressure required to make a clean cut.

The glass was far from pristine when I found it, but still looks far better than the windscreen on our (10yr old) car!

I'm intrigued by the Zenith knife you're using - I can only find a google translation of it. How long do the blades last? We've got around the issue of having to swith blades every Xnumber of cuts, by having half a dozen scalpel handles, but I'd love to have something with the same shapness, and the durability of a utility knife.

Probably not important to the thread but: If you want to minimise scratching on the glass try an X-Acto knife. The blades are made of softer metal than standard scalpels ( & can be resharpened ).

[alain]

Probably not important to the thread but: If you want to minimise scratching on the glass try an X-Acto knife. The blades are made of softer metal than standard scalpels ( & can be resharpened ).

I don't think the type of knife makes a big difference, but I suppose the pressure on the knife does.

For sharpening a blade:  That can be done, but I think only in a hobby contest.
Sharpening on wet stones for new blades will make a difference, but takes time.  I've seen it, but it takes some practice.  For a snap blade it can be done on new knife blades, but given the price I would rather buy the ones at Zenith ;-)

[graeme]

I don't think the type of knife makes a big difference, but I suppose the pressure on the knife does.

For sharpening a blade:  That can be done, but I think only in a hobby contest.
Sharpening on wet stones for new blades will make a difference, but takes time.  I've seen it, but it takes some practice.  For a snap blade it can be done on new knife blades, but given the price I would rather buy the ones at Zenith ;-)

X-Acto knives were recommended to us by the ( highly qualified ) course tutor on the architectural stained glass course I spent 3 years on. We used them for cutting heavy duty resists on float glass which was to be sandblasted. He specifically stated that it was easier to avoid scratching the glass surface ( which would have ruined the artwork ) by using an X-Acto blade as opposed to a regular scalpel.

Back on topic: I do quite a lot of cutting of paper & card & would second Richards suggestion of a self healing cutting mat.