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Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni Creative Crew SU Design Team Alumni
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Chicagoland
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Coluzzle Cutting System Question
I really love the snowglobe card with the A Holly Jolly Christmas stamp card and am thinking of getting the Coluzzle so I can make the circles (Big Shot would be nice, but I'm too poor, haha). But I've had a shape cutting set from Fiskars before and I hated it, couldn't get it to work for me. So does anyone have this system and would you recommend it? I don't really want to spend $20 if it's hard to use or doesn't work well. But I'm sure I'd use it if it does! Thanks for the help!
I have a BigKick and I still use my Coluzzle all the time. It's so easy to center the image before you cut it, since you can see thru the cutting template.
I know some people have trouble getting the cutting knife to follow the template tracks. Practice on scrap paper first, and if you don't get the hang of it, try holding the knife like a little kid holds a pencil - clutched in your fist. That will help you get a feel for the way the cutting track needs to guide the knife.
I just used mine last night! It is so easy to center images. Just be gentle with guiding the knife, the lighter your hand the better -when you are doing it right it just glides.
I have the circles, squares, rectangles, oval, diamond, and on and on. I love using the coluzzle for cutting out. The trick that I have found with the cutting tool is hold it straight up and down, the cutting piece is on a swiveal and will turn as you move it around the shape. I agree with one of the other posters, practice on cheap cardstock or paper in order to get the hang of using the cutting tool. Also make sure you use the cutting mat that comes with the kit, it saves your table.
I have a cuttlebug with nesties and a cricut, but I bought the coluzzle the other day for convenience (plus cheap!). I love it! Sometimes its easier to use that than to get the tools out! I plan on getting the ovals this weekend!
I have several die cut machines (use BIGkick mostly), and I also have lots of templates from the Coluzzle system. I love it!
You do need to get a swivel knife (just like an exacto knife, but the blade moves all around) and you do need the special mat for cutting. There is no substitute for those items (in my opinion). I purchased most of mine from the Coluzzle website. I felt their prices were very good and they have a huge selection of templates.
I find the trick to cutting with the swivel knife and using the templates and staying in the channels is to keep the knife in a straight up position, not on an angle. Hold the template down firmly with your other hand, but don't put your fingers on the channels you are cutting.
You can cut cardstock, paper or chipboard. You do need to replace the blade as it gets dull. When you start having difficulty cutting, you know it's time to change the blade.
I have some of the Coluzzles and like them for having so many sizes for each shape so I can get just the right size I need.
I also have the Fiskar's Shape Cutter and I REALLY like it once I played with it and got the hang of using the cutter. It is so fast and I don't have to snip anything when I'm done. The trick is to make sure the template is right side up (will not work if it is not), make sure the blade is in the right direction when you set it down to start and keep the pressure on the cutter to the outside of the shape as you move it around.
I enjoy using the Coluzzle system...now I had something of a learning curve at first. But at my LSS they showed me that the most important thing, when starting your cut with the swivel blade, was to hear that "pop" as the blade pierces the paper/cardstock. That way you know the blade is secure in the channel before you actually start cutting.
I have the Coluzzle cutting system, and have loved using it! My first Coluzzle purchase was 9-10 years ago, when I started scrapbooking. I have tried other systems (that others own) since, but haven't needed to purchase another system, for the reasons posted above: you can see through the templates to see exactly where you are cutting, and once you get the hang of it, it cuts smoothly and accurately. One thing not mentioned in the above posts, is that each template comes with a protective film which must be removed prior to cutting. I have seen people try to use their templates without removing the film (because they didn't know they needed to), and become very frustrated. Once the film is removed, and the user holds the knife correctly, cutting is easy. Another tip some people have used is to trace over each concentric shape of a template with a different color (or alternating colors) of permanent marker to help you view the tracks.
Coluzzle Cutting System Question
