Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/03/09

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Subject: [Leica] Urgent advice please - mat cutters
From: reid at mejac.palo-alto.ca.us (Brian Reid)
Date: Wed Mar 9 21:46:12 2005
References: <097badff542ee1ed839ee5348103c432@dodo.com.au> <BA1F1B1FA842DE1E2A247E46@hindolveston.reid.org> <43428c9edd8e1d0b3304e9b5b74c92b5@dodo.com.au>


> Thanks Brian.  I gather you use that with a straight edge?

Yes. I use an Alvin Safe-T-Cut straightedge:

http://www.draftingsteals.com/catalog-cutting-mats--knifes----sissors-safe-t-cut-straightedge.html

I have the 18, the 30, and the 42-inch sizes. Accept no substitutes. There 
is no other product that is anywhere near as good as this unit.


I recommend also the Alvin cutting mats:

http://www.draftingsteals.com/catalog-cutting-mats--knifes----sissors-cutting-mats-desktop-cutting-mats.html

though a piece of clean chipboard works just as well in most cases.



> Also, I wont be changing the the blade each mat.  Too expensive!
>  how many mats before the blade is not good?

The blades come in packs of 5; you can buy them in quantity 1 online for 
$1.61 per package, which comes to about 30 cents US per blade.

http://www.misterart.com/store/view/001/group_id/2207/Dexter-Mat-Cutter-and-Blades.htm

Given that a good piece of mat board costs a lot more than that, and that a 
sharp blade helps avoid damaging the mat board, I consider that it would be 
foolish not to change the blade each time. That said, I think that one blade 
can probably cut 3 meters through 4mm matboard before there is visible wear. 
You don't want to let it get to visible wear, especially if you are cutting 
a bevel, which I always do. Blade sharpness is really important.

Brian


In reply to: Message from rdcb37 at dodo.com.au (Rick Dykstra) ([Leica] Urgent advice please - mat cutters)
Message from reid at mejac.palo-alto.ca.us (Brian Reid) ([Leica] Urgent advice please - mat cutters)
Message from rdcb37 at dodo.com.au (Rick Dykstra) ([Leica] Urgent advice please - mat cutters)