Deckle cutter—who sells 'em?

[resummerfield]

I'm looking for a Deckle Cutter, to make that vintage deckled edge on small prints.

I would prefer the lever/guillotine type, instead of the rotary cutter, as I've heard it gives a cleaner edge. However, I would appreciate any and all comments.

[bsdunek]

I wanted the same thing, and could not find a lever type. I settled for deckle scissors which you can find at scrapbooking supply places. They work OK for small prints, but are hard to keep a straight line on larger ones. I just use care and fine a little weaving doesn't look bad.

[Curt]

Michaels craft stores sells deckle scissors and other deckle equipment. By the way, I went to school with a guy named Deckle Cutter.

[resummerfield]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys! But I've seen the small rotary cutters at the scrapbook shops, and I've even looked at the Fiskar deckle shears, and neither are what I'm looking for.

If you remember seeing photos from back in the 50's, I'm sure you've seen a perfectly cut deckle edge. Nice and sharp, with no fraying or torn edges (at least on a new photo!). I'm guessing that most labs in that era had some type of guillotine cutter to make that deckle edge. But I've searched and searched online, and so far I can't find anything like it.

I'm still open for suggestions!

[jnanian]

amazon sells rotary blades
with a deckled pattern.
i have poked around visual of the pattern
( the " victorian edge pattern" looks about right ?)
maybe a crafty store or
joanne fabric store near you has
a display with the rotary trimmer
that takes these blades ... AND the blades

if you google vintage deckle cutting blades
and hit - images - on the side
it gives visuals of what some
other products that cut the edge look like ...

metal rulers with a deckled edge to tear paper with a pattern ...

there is something called a xyron-creatopia
that is like a cheap crafter's dream workstation
that allows you to emboss and do crazy deckled edges
with a rotary trim system ... looks kind of interesting
if you are into that sort of thing.

have fun !

john

[George Nova Scotia]

Is this what you are looking for? I found it in a box of old darkroom stuff I picked up, a lot of it dating from the 1940s and 50s. It still has the original price on the back. Nope it's not for sale, I plan to shine it up and put it use. In all the searching I did, all I found were various rotary type cutters on the market. Sorry I can't be much help, just a tease I guess...

[Mick Fagan]

I have a deckle lever cutter, similar to the one in the pictures above.

It has the name ISING ORIGINAL Bergneustadt Germany, it looks about the same size as the one in the pictures, I'm guessing late fifties to mid sixties, I picked it up at a photo flea market in Melbourne some years ago for a dollar or two.

It is an annoying size as the longest piece of paper it will take is 240mm, just a bit shorter than an 8x10" long side.

The cutter has seen an enormous amount of work, but still works quite well. I use it for family stuff on RC paper, works a treat.

Mick.

[resummerfield]

George and Mick—Yes, that’s exactly what I’m looking for!

Perhaps I could modify a common paper cutter? On these models, the moveable blade is notched for the pattern, but is the stationary blade (on the platform) also notched to match the moveable blade? Or is the stationary blade straight, as with a normal paper cutter?

George—Thanks for the pics!

[George Nova Scotia]

Both the blade and the base are notched to match each other, sort of positive and negative. I think it it would be quite a challenge to modify a straight cutter.

[agGNOME]

You could experiment with just a straight edge to see if it gives you an effect you like. I've used purposely built 'deckle' edge tools, they work great, but so does a standard straight edge. I picked one up for this purpose at a hardware store for about 8 bucks; 48", metal flat.