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My sister recently bought the Fiskar Shape Cutter and NEITHER of us can get it to work. It won't cut through cardstock, only regular printer-weight paper. Help! Is it a lemon? Should we have bought SU's Colluzzle instead?
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I HATE THAT DARN THING! I so want to get rid of mine. I can't get the hang of it to save my life. It was a gift, but I no longer feel I need to hang on to it. I have the CM cutting system and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!
I have one and I have NEVER been able to cut Stampin' Up cardstock with it but it will cut thinner cardstock and photos just fine. You do have to adjust the blade to get it to work.
I had trouble with mine when I forst got it but rememebr reading some tips somewher on the internet and they helped a great deal. I'll try to repeat as many as I remember.
1. make sure the template is right side up. It does make a difference if you are trying to cut with the back side facing up. The Fiskars wording should be readable right side up.
2. Use a self healing cutting mat underneath your paper.
3. As mentioned above, you may have to tweak the blade to get it to the right level
4. Tape or use your non- cutting hand to firmly hold the template- otherwise it can slip.
5. Do not apply too much pressure. Digging too deep into the paper causes the cutting blade to scri\unch up the paper as it tears. It will cut heavier card stock.
6. You may want to trace the template twice
It definietly takes some practice but once you get the hang of it, teh shapecutter is a great tool. Hope it helps.
I thought it would be a great tool but was disappointed, at least for my purposes. I have three templates and a cutter for sale for anyone interested!! I don't scrapbook so it just didn't fit my M.O.O.
__________________ Ann Here is my oily blog! CLICK HERE Certified Copic Instructor - Local ClassesI love cars, stamping and essential oils!
My sister purchased also purchased one before Christmas & we couldn't get it to work either. We asked about it in a local scrapbooking store to see if they sold it & if they had any tips for it. They told us that Fiskar makes some really great products & also makes some lemons. This one is a lemon & therefore they will not carry it. My suggestion: return it.
I LOVE THIS TOOL Please don't get discouraged. Once you get it to work, you will love it. The trick is to hold it and guide it with your thumb and index fingers (that's how I hold it). You are holding the outside of the circle and holding it so you can view where the blade going. Push down very lightly, then glide the blade where you want it to go. It will swivel in the direction to guide it. You have to adjust the blade up or down with whatever cardstock you are using. Test it cutting a straight line to see if it pulls or doesn't cut through. That only takes a second. If your blade is adjusted right, it cuts like butta! I don't use it so much with their templates, but it is SO AWESOME to use to cut stuff "free hand". For example, if you were making a card with flowers on the edge and you wanted to cut out the outline, this is your tool. You can cut out little bitty cirlcles to larges shapes. Hey - I should get some sort of commission -
Seriously, I told all of my friends to order it and they all were mad at me because they couldn't get it to work. But I showed them how, and now they love it! - I hope you give it another try.
I agree, it's a useful tool, it just takes LOTS of practice. I have had one since they were brand new on the market, and have never had a problem with it... I bought one for my Grandma, and had to spend an entire afternoon with her showing her how to use it (she was actually calling it obscene names for weeks before I gave her a tutorial). I've never used a Colluzle, though it's on my list. My Grams much prefers the Colluzle over the Shapecutter. (why can't I spell "Colluzle"??? I'm too lazy to get my SU catty off the desk... )
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I LOVE THIS TOOL Please don't get discouraged. Once you get it to work, you will love it. The trick is to hold it and guide it with your thumb and index fingers (that's how I hold it). You are holding the outside of the circle and holding it so you can view where the blade going. Push down very lightly, then glide the blade where you want it to go. It will swivel in the direction to guide it. You have to adjust the blade up or down with whatever cardstock you are using. Test it cutting a straight line to see if it pulls or doesn't cut through. That only takes a second. If your blade is adjusted right, it cuts like butta! I don't use it so much with their templates, but it is SO AWESOME to use to cut stuff "free hand". For example, if you were making a card with flowers on the edge and you wanted to cut out the outline, this is your tool. You can cut out little bitty cirlcles to larges shapes. Hey - I should get some sort of commission -
Seriously, I told all of my friends to order it and they all were mad at me because they couldn't get it to work. But I showed them how, and now they love it! - I hope you give it another try.
CM is certainly the easiest, no work to it, cutting system on the market. A friend of mine is an avid scrapper and I tried hers. I'm not a scrapper and don't need 15+ different size of any particular shape--just a few to make cards with. That being said, I agree with the above statement. I use the shapecutter and have had great success and have MANY of their templates. I do tend to "go over" my cut an extra time when using SU c/s as at times even after blade adjustment it doesn't quite go through. Blade depth per different c/s does matter. I've had to PRACTICE with Coluzzle and BladeRunner as well. CM is easy--no practice needed. All other systems need to be experimented with IMO.
I have that item, I can't make it work right no matter what. I do love the hard plastic templates tho. My solution was to buy a Blade Runner and use it with the Fiskars templates.
IMHO the Fiskars cirlce and oval cutters bite too!
I bought the Fiskar one too a while ago and hated it !! I like to be able to use something as soon as I get it and this was so frustrating that I took it bag. I ruined more cardstock trying to get the "hang of it" that it was costly too much to keep trying. I agree I have the CM system and it works well. Fiskar system wasn't worth the frustration for me.
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I hate it! I hate it! I hate it!
I have never been able to get the hang of it. I own the CM one and love it. The reason I had bought the Fiskars one was because I bought and alphabet template and some rectangles,etc. Recently I decided to try it again, since it is a waste to have it and not use it. I have been able to cut some stuff, but I have a lot of problems with the letters. When you go around some of the bends, it keeps on going and you ruin what you were cutting. I wanted to make a title out of pictures, but with all of the trouble I've had, I'm not willing to risk ruining my pictures!
I wish I could return it, but I've had it for a couple of years...
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HATE IT! I bought it when they first came out a few years ago -- I've hated it since day 1. I'm sure that if I worked with it I'd get better at it (wishful thinking?!) but I never think to get it out. It's going in my yard sale pile for sure!
I have to say I love the Fiskars shape cutter better than anything else I've used! It works great with SU cardstock and anything else I've tried. Try the tips above (sometimes I forget to adjust the height). My only other tip is to remember to start cutting with the blade straight against the edge (it swivels,so you have to watch it) and start cutting in the middle of a line & not in a corner or angle.
HTH!
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fiscars shape cutter
since it is Fiscars...email or call their 800 # it is guatenteed...ask for money back because it does not compare to other products that you have tried... they really stand behind their products...number is on packaging
I used to hate mine until I learned how to use it. Now it is easy and always easy to get to in my workspace. Follow the tips here. One thing I was told that was not mentioned here is make a marker with a sharpie on the base by the tip of the blade, that way you always know which way the blade is facing. If you need more info do a search in the forums. I know there was alot of info going around last year.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Soni B
since it is Fiscars...email or call their 800 # it is guatenteed...ask for money back because it does not compare to other products that you have tried... they really stand behind their products...number is on packaging
Thanks Soni B! I called Fiskars and the lady said that they couldn't give me my money back, but they are coming out with a new cutter, and she is sending me one. She said that you don't need to apply any preassure at all, and it is very easy to use. I'll let you know how it works...
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I have it and love it, my friend has it and hates it. I think you need to see someone using it live to work out how it works. I have seen it used on craft shows on TV and find it quite easy.
The only other tip I have that a Fiskars lady gave on TV was to make sure that the orange section on the side of the cutter is between your thumb and forefinger. She said it did not matter which way the blade faced.
I think you also need to have a light touch, hold it with the lightness of a pen. Don't use pressure and don't press down hard, you need to make it glide.
I like mine. I HATE using the Colluzle, having to cut those stinkin tabs, takes forever and they never look quite right!! I also use my Shapecutter for freehand cutting, to cut curvy fronts for cards, blades of grass for scrappin, freehand letters etc etc.
I've had mine for years, and love it. Most of my friends use CM system, and hate the fiskars one. I caught on to it real quickly and never had any major issues. I have found that if the blade isn't out far enough, it won't cut right. Or if the blade isn't turned the right way, it'll tug at the paper and tear it. A big thing was the direction of the blade. The slanted side needs to be in the direction you're pulling, not the straight part of the blade. It won't cut correctly that way. When I showed my mil how to use it and a friend, they didn't have any problems. But my friend did later switch to the CM product. I'm cheap, so I like being able to get several shapes for less than one of CM's.
I have the shapecutter system and haven't used it to its full potential yet because my scrapping space is so cramped and disorganised that I get my system out a few times and cut a bunch of shapes at once. This has worked very well for me, and for example, having the precut shapes made putting my husband's bday card together a breeze.
I found the system a lot easier to use with the shapeboss table to hold the templates and paper in place while I cut.
One of the tips I read on the Fiskars website is if you are going to use the cut-out shape, to avoid having any wavy cut at the point you start cutting, have the blade angled inward somewhat. If you are going to use the paper with the shape cut out of it and are worried about a wavy starting point, have the blade angled outward when you start to cut. This is as clear as I can say it, I'm afraid. :(
I hate this tool!! I love my Colluzzle - some people have trouble getting the knack of it, but I had no problem at all and it's so quick. Joann's and Michael's also sell colluzzle, to you may be able to get a better deal with a coupon!!
Lauri
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Fiskar Shape Cutter
