Damn I'm good! (and old)

[Frog]

Back in the bad old days before computers were in every art department, we also had nothing like cad cut. When we needed to cut film to either make a plate with Rubylith, or an actual stencil with a water or solvent based indirect film, we used knives! Oh, the sissies used their fancy pants ball bearing swivel jobs, but I soldiered away, with my regular old basic X-Acto knife with a fixed #11 blade, holding it loosely, and cut fairly smooth curves.
At any rate, I'm adding names to printed left breast prints for a job due today for a local high school sending kids to a gathering of school choral groups in Disneyland.

After applying Kristin's name, I did a Homer Doh! when I realized that I had it with an "ten" rather than an "tin" 

I don't have a cutter, a buddy, out of town today, cut 'em for me. What to do?
I surgically removed the "en" and then, relying on my old skill, hand cut the "in" transplant from some scrap.
Not perfect, but not too bad either.
As my old engraving and embossing foreman used to say "good to a blind man galloping past on a horse"
No fair zooming! 

[Ripcord]

I did a lot of hand cutting too, back in the day, also with a fixed #11 blade, and yep, that's the way to hold it; very loosely in the crook of your thumb with your index finger on top. The other three fingers are on the material being cut to provide a steady base.

Nice job...but is this cut vinyl? I can't figure out how you surgically removed what was already pressed on...

[Frog]

Nice job...but is this cut vinyl? I can't figure out how you surgically removed what was already pressed on...

Siser Easyweed. I carefully dampened the area with spotting fluid and peeled (and snipped) just what I wanted to remove.

[Dottonedan]

A craftsman for sure. Very well done even at the blow up version.

[Frog]

Thanks, hopefully not a skill I need to use often, but one I'm glad to have learned.

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

We used to hand cut sprayed mask that was applied on plastic signs. It was for "back-sprayed clear acrylic faces that were backlit with fluorescent tubes...otherwise known as electric signs. It was my main gig.

I'm glad not to have retained the skill that was required for your tiny, surgical repair Andy. My letters and other graphics were MUCH larger and therefore MUCH easier.

Cudos!

[GaryG]

Talent Frog!
I used the swivel knife which was about $1.01 more, sheesh.

Also how about the "Double-Blade" Exacto which allowed to cut
parallel lines, straight or curved - Ooooo..... Still have it somewhere.

[Frog]

Talent Frog!
I used the swivel knife which was about $1.01 more, sheesh.

Also how about the "Double-Blade" Exacto which allowed to cut
parallel lines, straight or curved - Ooooo..... Still have it somewhere.

Nope, the good ball bearing swivels the guys in my shops used, I believe may have come from Ulano, and were a little closer to $10(big bucks in 1978!)  They held a tiny blade.
The Grifold (I think that's it) held a swiveling offset blade more akin to the standard X-Acto, and the handle came to to a fine taper. Perhaps X-Acto had a similar cheapie, but I don't remember ever seeing it.

I also had a couple of different circle cutters, one from Grifold, that had two pieces that went on a standard ruler or yardstick.

[Ripcord]

I'm sure everybody remembers the first time you ever cut amberlith and spent twenty minutes cutting out a design only to realize that you had gone all the way through the backing. DOH!

[Frog]

I'm sure everybody remembers the first time you ever cut amberlith and spent twenty minutes cutting out a design only to realize that you had gone all the way through the backing. DOH!

Back in the summer of '69 (sounds like a song, don't it?) I got my first introduction to "Silk Screening" in the art department of Merritt College in Oakland CA printing yardage.
We got our necessary supplies from the college bookstore. Frames with real silk, and a knifecut indirect Ulano waterproof stencil film (a precursor to their present day Stay Sharp.)
It had a wax paper backing that helped develop the light hand by showing a distinct white line indicating too much pressure even without cutting all of the way through. We learned, at least with that film, that almost the weight of the knife was sufficient, and it helped keep clean lines when peeled and adhered (of course the lacquer thinner adhering routing was not without its own pitfalls)

With materials like the various heat seal films, it's a different ballgame, and they require a lot more pressure. I cut the vinyl, off of it's backing sheet, lightly glued to a paper print of the desired shape. With light enough color films, I print in reverse, glue the paper to the color side, and cut on my light table (with a clear cutting mat)
With dark films, I have the paper right-reading on the color side, and cut through it as well.

With a glue stick, if there is any residue of glue or paper, it's easily removed with water.

As I said, good to know in an emergency, but not something to want to rely upon too often.
Not quite up to showing off skills by hand drawing or painting a phony postage stamp but at times, a valuable a payoff for the time spent.

[californiadreamin]

I'm sure everybody remembers the first time you ever cut amberlith and spent twenty minutes cutting out a design only to realize that you had gone all the way through the backing. DOH!

Back in the summer of '69 (sounds like a song, don't it?) I got my first introduction to "Silk Screening" in the art department of Merritt College in Oakland CA printing yardage.
We got our necessary supplies from the college bookstore. Frames with real silk, and a knifecut indirect Ulano waterproof stencil film (a precursor to their present day Stay Sharp.)
It had a wax paper backing that helped develop the light hand by showing a distinct white line indicating too much pressure even without cutting all of the way through. We learned, at least with that film, that almost the weight of the knife was sufficient, and it helped keep clean lines when peeled and adhered (of course the lacquer thinner adhering routing was not without its own pitfalls)

With materials like the various heat seal films, it's a different ballgame, and they require a lot more pressure. I cut the vinyl, off of it's backing sheet, lightly glued to a paper print of the desired shape. With light enough color films, I print in reverse, glue the paper to the color side, and cut on my light table (with a clear cutting mat)
With dark films, I have the paper right-reading on the color side, and cut through it as well.

With a glue stick, if there is any residue of glue or paper, it's easily removed with water.

As I said, good to know in an emergency, but not something to want to rely upon too often.
Not quite up to showing off skills by hand drawing or painting a phony postage stamp but at times, a valuable a payoff for the time spent.

Frog ! You Bring Back Nice Memories
About the same time  was invented.
My song started in '72 with "stay sharp green" and nazdar 5900 enamel printing my surfboard
laminates. The rest? That's another song!
Winston

PS. Send Us Some Water!

[GaryG]

Talent Frog!
I used the swivel knife which was about $1.01 more, sheesh.

Also how about the "Double-Blade" Exacto which allowed to cut
parallel lines, straight or curved - Ooooo..... Still have it somewhere.

Nope, the good ball bearing swivels the guys in my shops used, I believe may have come from Ulano, and were a little closer to $10(big bucks in 1978!)  They held a tiny blade.
The Grifold (I think that's it) held a swiveling offset blade more akin to the standard X-Acto, and the handle came to to a fine taper. Perhaps X-Acto had a similar cheapie, but I don't remember ever seeing it.

I also had a couple of different circle cutters, one from Grifold, that had two pieces that went on a standard ruler or yardstick.

Just razzing ya- a regular blade was easier. Yes still have the tiny blade swivel, and remember usually over cutting when it wildly swung from side to side.

[mooseman]

old enough to have used the hand cut methods but not in the biz way back then I have spent many hours with the fine cutting tools from X-Acto however recently discovered this source for stuff that cuts , picks , holds  blaw blaw blaw.

http://www.tedpella.com/supqckf.htm

we find these especially helpful for bunches of stuff we work on
http://www.tedpella.com/dissect_html/scalpel.htm

mooseman

[Sbrem]

Ah memories of days of yore, if I could only remember them. We used the #11, and Xacto swivel, and the Ulano ball bearing swivel, which in the hands of a real illustrator sepatator, was absolutely invaluable. You could call her a sissy, but she carries, so it's probably best not to...

Steve

[royster13]

When I was about 12 (late 60s) I remember my "Grammy" hand cutting screens to print pellon crests for her ball team......And even get really special at times my "flocking" them after printing them......