Curly punches for scrapbooking

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

For those who like to do something with their own hands, the presence of a figured hole punch opens up great opportunities for creativity. Hole punches are used in the manufacture of various crafts, mainly from paper of various densities. A certain amount of imagination, and you will no longer have to spend money on greeting cards, invitations, envelopes and other small gift accessories, there would be time and desire. With this device, you can easily and quickly make all kinds of flowers, hearts, butterflies, snowflakes and other patterns. In addition, there are more and more varieties of hole punchers every day, and therefore, the scope for creativity is expanding.

Types of hole punchers

Recently, several main types of curly hole punches have been used:

• for cutting holes of various shapes;
• for embossing (with 3D effect);
• for edge (border);
• for corners;
• circular;
• with interchangeable nozzles;
• multifunctional (up to "8 in 1").

Most often, a hole punch is a small metal cutting mechanism that is placed toconvenience in a plastic housing. Their sizes range from 1.5 to 8 cm, but there are also more powerful ones. Each of these types of hole punchers can come in many different patterns. In this regard, a figured hole puncher with interchangeable nozzles is convenient. Multifunctional models have even more possibilities.

What materials are used

Mainly shaped punches are used to make patterned holes on paper up to 220 gsm. m. But in principle, its capabilities are not limited to this material. You can use foamiran, foil, corrugated paper, wax paper. Excellent work is obtained using kraft paper.

It is not recommended to try to cut with a figured hole punch more dense and rigid materials, fabrics or leather. Scrapbooking masters do not advise trying the work of a hole punch on loose materials such as napkins, toilet paper, various films, polyethylene. There is a possibility of damaging the cutting mechanism.

What are curly hole punches for

Easy to use, requiring no special skills or training, even children from 4-5 years old can easily participate in creative experiments.

Mostly curly paper punchers are used in the design of postcards, invitations, envelopes and other various paper crafts. They are actively used in various types of decorative art, such as scrapbooking, where, usingwide possibilities of punches, you can elegantly decorate notebooks, albums, photo frames, boxes and much more. But for children's creativity and normal home use, it will be enough to purchase, for example, two types of curly hole punches: for the edge and for the corner.

Features of use

To prevent the cutting properties of the hole punch, you can do a simple sharpening procedure from time to time. To do this, you need to fold thin foil in several layers and cut it out 3-4 times. This will help prolong the life of the punch.

If you want to make curly holes on a material such as foamiran, then it will be more reliable to put paper over it. Provided that the foamiran material itself will not be thicker than one millimeter.

Like any other metal mechanism with rubbing surfaces, it must be regularly lubricated with machine oil used for sewing machines, or grease. Experienced craftsmen also use waxed or parchment paper for baking to preserve the cutting properties of the hole puncher.

Attention

Don't use vegetable oil for lubrication.

If you are careful, do not drop the hole punch, do not try to use materials that are not intended for perforation, then it will last a long time and will be a reliable assistant in creativity.

Avoid getting hit. A hole punch that has fallen to the floor may be unusable.

To prevent dust or other small particles from getting on the surface of the blade, it is recommended to store hole punchers in specialcases, boxes or bags.

Repair

If your hole puncher stops working as before, pieces of paper remain when cutting out, not everyone is cut off or everything is stuck in general - do not throw it away. It might still be possible to fix it. In principle, all hole punchers are based on the same mechanisms, in which there is necessarily one large spring or several small springs, a blade, a main metal body with holes for the blade, and an outer plastic body of the hole punch. Although there are more complex models.

• Disassemble the hole punch. First you need to carefully remove the plastic case with scissors, a screwdriver, a nail file or a small knife. It is important to remember the disassembly sequence, as you will have to assemble in the reverse order. If there are serifs, pay attention to them and remember their position.
• Remove, if necessary, pieces of paper that are inside, clean from dust particles. The springs can be fixed with the appropriate adhesive, lubricate the metal surfaces of the blade with a brush, needle or toothpick with machine oil or grease.
• Put all parts together in reverse order.
• Check the operation of the mechanism.
• As carefully as it was removed, put on the plastic case and press it until it clicks.
• Checking the operation of the hole punch using thin foil or plain paper folded into 2-4 layers.

If you are fascinated by decorating with such a functional device and youthere are a lot of ideas, it will be difficult to manage with one copy of the curly hole punch for scrapbooking. Even in one product, up to three or four types of perforation are sometimes used. Therefore, in the arsenal of experienced craftsmen, there are dozens of different figured hole punchers and other devices. Which, in turn, gives them even more scope for imagination and expands the scope of this simple, but such a wonderful mechanism.