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OK Ladies,
Because of all the GREAT reviews on Mr. Carl and my frustration with my Fiskars, I decided to take the plunge and buy the RT 200 (12 inch Profession grade) when it was only $20.00 at Staples (compared to $40.00 online). So, maybe it was that I was expecting too much, but I honestly am ready to throw it out the window! Or sell it, anyone interested????
It is no better than my Fisakrs rotary trimmer as far as straight edges go. Every time I cut, the is a gradual slope that ends up being about 1/16 of an inch by the end. I realized it was b/c I wasn't holding the gaurd down hard enough, so when I put all of my very heavy weight on the gaurd to cut, I get a beautifully straight edge with no slope at all, but I now think I have carpel tunnel as my wrist is killing me after cutting only 4 cards!!! Boy, just think, I have a stamp a stack tomorrow, and MANY more cards to cut!
So, after figuring out how to "solve" the problem with my Carl, I went to my Fiskars and tried the same strength on its gaurd, and lo and behold....a perfect edge! GO FIGURE.
Anyone have advice on preventing carpel tunnel without sacrificing perfection???
I've had a Carl Cutter DC-200 and its never given me any problems.
Perhaps you should take it back to the store? Does Staples accept returns? Maybe there is a defect? We don't have a Staples in my area so I've never gone there.
I bought at Carl PRT 100 12 inch cutter and, like you, wasn't satisfied. The arm that holds the paper is not flush with the surface where the cutter is, so that makes getting a straight cut more difficult. Also, the arm keeps falling off. I wish I had bought another stamp set instead.
If anyone can advise us on how to use it better, I'd appreciate it.
However, I also have a heavy duty DC210 Carl Rotary Cutter that I couldn't do without. I use it to cut lots of cardstock at once when preparing for workshops and stamp a stacks. It works like a charm!
The slope problem seems to be a problem with any cutter system that has a plastic guide. No matter how hard the plastic may feel, it just plain bends. I have gone through about 4 cutters because of this. I recommend you get the new Fiskars Craft cutter. It has a metal guide and it also has 3 or 4 easy to insert plastic line guides that make it easy to cut 4 x 5, 1/4 inch etc. One of the guides even makes it easy to cut paper at a certain angle like 30 degrees, etc. You can get it with a Michael's coupon for about $24 and I have seen it on sale at Michael's for $27.
I always keep the old cutters though because if you are using a fancy edge, not a straight edge or scoring blade, the slope isn't noticeable. So, I don't have to change out blades because one of my old cutters has my deckle edge blade on it, one has my victorian edge, one has my scallop edge, one has a scoring blade, etc.
Good idea to keep the cutters and not constantly replace blades! That makes me feel a little better about having spent the money. Thanks too for explaning the slope issue...it makes complete sense.
I already threw away all the packaging so taking it back is probably not an option.
My solution is very low tech but one that seems to be working. And think if I understand you problem might work for you.
Will try to explain...
I take an object with a good straight end like a paint stick or a ruler and some painters tape.
I use the guide on the rotary cutter and place my cardstock at the measurement I want, lock the guard down to hold the paper and then line up my straight-edged object on the left side of paper vertically and tape in place.
This prevents the cardstock from creeping to the left (other side of the guide.) This has worked for me and I haven't had to replace my tape so far and it was back in the summer that DH made the "guide" for me.
Note this isn't pretty but it was free and it works!
The Fiskars cutter that I recommend does have a swing out arm. There are several new Fiskars cutters out, but the only one that I have seen that has the METAL guide is the craft one, so be careful to purchase that one. I believe that it is actually called the "Fiskars Craft Cutter".
I liked the solution posted by Crazy4Stampin, but the problem with the cutters with the plastic guides that I have always had is not the paper moving, but the actual guide itself bending (although you normally don't notice it with the naked eye), but the cut definitely comes out skewered. I figured it out similarly to the original poster. While I was firmly holding down the paper so it didn't move, it would still cut crooked, but when I firmly held down the guide (the part holding the blade), there was no crookedness. So then I purposely tried cutting while applying pressure to the left and when I was doing it on purpose and trying to make it move, I definitely could see the plastic guide sliding to the side slightly. I agree with the first person though, who wants the carpal tunnel hassle.
Carl Cutter FRUSTRATION...Please help!
