issue with Martha Stewart border punches
 

I have 5 or 6 of the MS border punches, I am having a terrible time, I am trying to use them with card stock, it is not like I am trying to use chipboard. The punch gets stuck in the down position trapping the paper inside. I end up tearing the paper and ruining it , trying to get them u locked and getting the paper out. I am frustrated, as these punches were not cheap. Does anyone have any suggestions??
If I have to start replacing them with another brand, I can't do it all at once, but I would like ideas what brand to buy
Thanks for any help

They can be a bit difficult. If they get stuck turn over to bottom and tap the metal with the point of your scissors or just bang on the counter. Perhaps punching a few layers of wax paper might help.

Thanks so much, will try your suggestions, thank goodness I still use wax paper on occasion, in this zip lock bag era.

I've never had much luck with any of Martha Stewart's detailed punches on Card stock. The ones with simple lines work fine though.I have banged my punches on the counter to get them free again but over time I found myself just not using them because I have so many others that do a fantastic job of punching card stock without them sticking.

I have a hand full of her punches. I have always had problems with every single punch. I will no longer invest my money in these punches.

Spray the punches with a release agent like WD40, then wipe them off. That helps, but I can't use them on heavy cardstock either. I have a lot of paper in different weights and have found they work on 60lb cardstock or lighter text weight paper.

They're best used with thinner cardstock. I find the SU cardstock at 65 lbs is too thick for my Martha punches.

I agree. I have quite a few Martha punches and use them a lot. I mostly use the Recollections cardstock from Michaels, and never have a problem with it in the punches.

I don't have any SU paper, but have tried to use the punches on Bazzill cardstock, which is thick, and the punches don't work well on it.

I thought SU was 80 lb. weight. It's very good cardstock, but sometimes too good for the punches. It depends on the punch and how detailed it is.

I just bought the MS Chevron Fence punch because I had to have that pattern! When I first tried it, it stuck on me, too, mainly on the thicker card stock. It says on the package if you're having a problem to press on the top of the punch while operating the lever, so I stood up and did that, and the punch went all the way down and I got the paper unstuck. That's a heck of a lot of aerobics at the craft table, though :o Hate to hear that this is the problem with all of them because I think her patterns are some of the prettiest around.

Okay, here's an odd thought...Karen Burniston has a video that talks about using dryer sheets for the metal dies that are run through non-electric die cutting machines (i.e. Big Shot, Cuttlebug or Spellbinders)...I wonder if 'punching' dryer sheets would help similarly?

I haven't tried it, but I doubt it would work. The fabric sheet is more like fabric and might not be stiff enough to punch. If you give it a try let us know if it works.

I agree that the SU cardstock works best in these punches. If it's thicker, it won't cut through. If it's thinner it won't stay taut and ends up getting stuck. I've also noticed it gets stuck if I try to punch too close to the end of the paper or previously punched areas. However, if you have edger punches you have little control over that.

Another thing I've found - kind of by accident:

I never had a problem with these when I used them at home (well, they didn't work well on copy-weight paper, but they were fine with my cardstock). But when I used one at a friend's house, I had a terrible time with it. Then I realized that she crafted on one of those plastic-top tables. When I moved to her dining room table, the punch worked fine. It was like the punch needed surface that didn't flex in order to work well.

I have found that MS punches...particularly the detailed ones...need to be punched on a firm table surface, not "up in the air" like we all want to.

I've attached a picture of what I do with mine. I line up my paper in my punch, turn it over and place it on the table. I hold it down with my left hand while working the punch with my right. It needs just a small amount of downward pressure.

I can only use them on thinner cardstock as others have mentioned. I'll give Diane's method a try - thanks for sharing that, Diane, and a photo and everything WOOHOO :)