Trying to figure out your blade length and pressure is almost an art. Getting it right takes practice and the more experience you have the easier it gets. I know when you are first starting out not being able to get your settings right can be really frustrating. On our forums we have a pressure guide list to help you, and there are also a lot of instructions in your manual about how to go about finding the right pressure and blade depth. Make sure you look at both the manual and the guide, they can be really helpful and save you a lot of time.
What I find myself getting stuck on when I am cutting and don’t know what settings to use is which one to adjust. If my project did not cut out right, is it the pressure or the blade length or both? This can make things very difficult because if you guess, and guess the wrong one, then you can ruin more paper, waste more time, or try so many settings that didn’t work that you aren’t even sure which way is up anymore.
So here is my favorite trick for finding the correct blade length. Once you have that figured out, then you know the only thing to adjust is the pressure. Being able to take the blade length out of the equation makes things much easier! This trick is also in the manual but it is so good it bears repeating. If you aren’t sure what blade length to use, take the blade holder out of your machine. Then take a small scrap or corner of the paper you want to use and fold it in half. Put that folded piece of paper on a flat, hard cutting surface (something you don’t mind if it gets a little scratch in it). Then hold the blade holder and with the blade still inserted, try to cut your folded paper with even moderate pressure. Then unfold your paper. Ideally, you want the blade to have cut through one layer of the paper and not even scratched the second layer. If it cut through both layers or scratched the second layer, lessen your blade length and try again. If it didn’t cut through either layer, increase your blade length. Just do this a few times until you find the perfect blade length. Depending on your material it is possible that there is no setting that cuts through one layer and doesn’t scratch the second layer, in that case just pick the setting that cuts through the first layer and scratches the second layer the least.
Once you figure out your blade length it is so much easier to figure out the right settings because you don’t have to worry about your blade length anymore. You know the blade length is right, so if it still isn’t cutting then it must be the pressure. This will take a lot of the guess work out of your settings. I hope you find this trick useful!
Thanks for the reminder, Tatum. This is a great tip and I use it when all other options have run out.
Thank you Tatum. Hope you don’t mind me adding my “two cents” to your post. If the blade and pressure is correct, but the paper continues to tear, check the blade to make sure paper isn’t stuck around the blade. After I figured this out, I “whizzed” through my project.
Thank you Tatum for the reminders.
Here’s yet another suggestion along with rbc’s.
After it rains non stop and the humidity is high or it’s just plain hot and humid and all the above suggestions fails. What do I do??? I spray a fine mist of paper glide on the paper I’m cutting. This product is a gem when all else fails. Do follow Tatum’s suggestions first.
Thanks for the tips. I have been away from my machine for awhile, and need refreshers like this!