CARL Heavy Duty Rotary Paper Trimmer 25 inch. - 12250

I bought this, thinking it would pay for itself after a few projects. It’s 10 YEARS now and going strong. Using it all the time. Has cut through cardstock, chipboard, and other tough material. A go-to item in my studio. Paid for itself multiple times over. Indispensable, highly reliable, easy to use. One of the best art items I’ve ever bought. I may eventually move up to the 25 inch size, for large watercolor and print cuts, but this is fine for now.

I waited a few months to write a review. I have tried several cutters that I liked at first then found as I used them they lost favor with me. I wanted something to cut straight and leave clean lines. I was a bit worried that some of the reviews said it wouldn't do cut even after awhile. I found that true. HOWEVER, I had used it lots and realized with the volume of cutting, it might need a new blade. I replaced the blade and was good to go again. Since I work with paper in 4-5 hours per shift 4-6 days a week, I find that a blade lasts about 5 weeks. When the paper starts to get uneven cuts, I know it is time to change the blade. I am very happy with this purchase. It cuts thick, ultra thin and all the in-between thickness leaving that sharp clean cut I want. I have had a couple of trimmers equal in price that just seemed to wear out (one with a never replace blade, don't believe that tale, the one I had was tearing paper rather than cutting in two months). For the money, for the results, this has been my best results. The loading is sort of awkward at first (it has a lockdown step), but once I got used to it, it is great and I like it because once locked the paper does not move. Multi thick layers can slip (again especially if the blade is older), but it still cuts clean and with help the slip can be avoided. I would say it does not do sliver trim (like thread width) well, but I have never found a trimmer that does that well. Even with that I can say when I need to straighten a line cut it is the only one I have found that gives a cut that doesn't show a partial trim most of the time. I read some reviews on photo cutting, which isn't something I do. I have cut glossy photo paper and it did fine for me. In my experience cutting a lot of glitter paper seems to cause the blade to wear down faster (a lot to me is 75-100 cuts). I would buy this again, and have a stock of blades so I expect to use it for a long time. The cutting runner is usable 4 different ways, I turn that each time I change blades, just because I think it is good form to do so. Fresh blade, fresh runway seems like a good idea. I also like that the overall weight is not flimsy, yet not so heavy it takes everything to move it. It appears to be constructed well, I see no indication after months of use of any give or separation of parts anywhere.

Excellent accurate and strong! I use this cutter for cutting book board in my paper arts business for making both books and boxes. It is strong and accurate, two or three passes cuts through heavy bookboard and is much safer than using a utility knife. It is tricky for narrow or small pieces but there are good work arounds for that and it hasn’t proven to be much of a challenge. Great price, great cutter - and replacing blades and cutting mat is simple and economical, especially with the extra pieces stored within the tool itself. And both the blades and cutting mats last a good long time, especially being able to reverse and use the cutting mat four different ways. Highly recommended!!!

It's not generally difficult for me to make purchasing decisions, but a paper trimmer became a glaring exception. I needed it primarily to create labels for a product we make by hand, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make the labels by hand that were up to the standard of the product. With their generous one-item coupons in mind, I checked the on-line catalogs of Joann Fabrics and Michael's Crafts, gave eBay the required cursory look just for price comparison, and concentrated on Amazon for reviews & Prime. I was prepared to drop $25 or $30. I bought this trimmer from Amazon, and that was the right decision for me. Here's why. I needed to see the exact place where the cut would be made. I print tiny registration marks in the labels to help me keep them lined up properly as I change the item specifics in each, and also to show me precisely where to cut. For whatever reason, my printers haven't always placed a print in the exact same place on a page from copy to copy. Once I cut that first line, then the rest can be cut in a stack. That brings me to a second point. The old guillotine cutter I bought years ago only manages a few pages of this 32# 100% cotton stock at once. It takes 2 passes of the cutter head, but with this trimmer, I can cut 20 pieces of that paper at once. The cuts are perfectly clean, straight, and square, and effortless to make. The locking mechanism is both brilliant, and the reason this trimmer works so well, cuts such straight lines. If the lever is raised, the mechanism is unlocked, and paper can be moved around under it. Once lowered, it holds the paper absolutely still while you cut. Many of the trimmers in the $25 to $30 range, and well into the hundreds, have some part of the contraption built into the base in such a way that the scale and/or grid is missing which makes cutting a narrow strip from a narrow strip impossible. You can do that with this trimmer, and the entire base is both intact and visible, though the portion directly under the locking mechanism is somewhat obscured by it. The only other trimmers I saw with metal bases like this were made by X-Acto, but they lacked a sophisticated locking device for the paper, and they only cut a few pages at one time. I didn't want plastic. The single con is the magnetic bar that's intended to be used for making multiple cuts of the same size, and the way it relates to the Slimer-green "light-gathering acrylic" guide. First, since my labels are about 1.275" wide and the guide is about 2" wide, the magnetic bar can't be brought close enough to use. Second, the magnet is quite strong, and that's good; it prevents accidental movement. It's also not so good in that the bar doe not have any mechanism to stay square, and must be manually squared each time it's moved. It takes a little effort because you need to fight with the magnet. I solved that by removing the magnet. I like well made tools, and I have some of my grandfather's who passed more than 30 years ago who also invested in good tools during his life. I've skipped meals to buy well crafted tools, and I scrimped to get this one. Quality tools last, and they pay back much more than they cost over their lifetime of service. There weren't any shortcuts taken in the fabrication of this tool so far as I can see. Seams & corners meet perfectly, and the craftsmanship in general is impeccable. I feel comfortable in recommending this trimmer to anyone who's serious about their work. I wish I had another star to give out every hundred reviews. If I did, this would get it.

I bought this trimmer primarily for cutting and scoring handmade greeting cards. It performs about 50% of the duties I was expecting, but is still a step up from my old paper cutter. PROS: • Smooth, clean cuts • Blades are replaceable (and not too expensive at around $5/ blade) • Handy storage area at bottom of the trimmer • Includes 2 straight blades, 1 perforating blade, and 2 cutting mats • Can use each cutting mat 4 times by turning/flipping • Feels solidly built • "Locks" paper in place so it doesn't shift during cutting • Rubberized base keeps the trimmer steady CONS: • Not great for card stock (only cuts 4 sheets of 100lb cover stock (270gsm) at a time) • Magnetic paper guide doesn't fit correctly, is difficult to position, and sometimes shifts while cutting • Can't use for scoring (the scoring blade--sold separately--does not score card stock correctly) • Plastic guard makes it difficult to cut smaller paper sizes (under 4") The magnetic paper guide is neat, but difficult to position correctly. It doesn't fit the rail exactly, so it ends up at a slight angle whenever you try to position it. (See attached photo.) Not good if you want to cut your paper in a straight line! I have to double-check the position every time I move the guide. It would be better if it either fit that rail exactly or extended the full length of the cutting board to slot into both the upper and lower rails. The magnet is also a bit weaker than I expected, and the rail sometimes shifts while I'm cutting, leaving me with uneven paper sizes. On to scoring. I make large amounts of greeting card blanks at a time, and 15+ minutes of scoring by hand (with a bone folder and scoring board) leaves my hand aching and sore. I was hoping that the rotary trimmer--in combination with the CARL K-30 Replacement Scoring Blade for the DC-210/220/238/2503 --would be a great solution for me. However, it doesn't score wide or deep enough to even leave an impression on the back of the card stock, much less create a smooth fold. (See attached photos for comparison.) Very disappointed. The scoring blade is not wide enough or heavy-duty enough to score heavy card stock. I've tested several different paper weights, and construction paper is the heaviest thing it will score correctly. This is currently the only scoring blade available for this trimmer. So in summary, cutting is very good in general, acceptable if you use card stock. Scoring is a non-starter. If you're planning on using this paper trimmer for cutting computer paper or small amounts of card stock, it'll probably suit your needs perfectly.

Seriously, if I could give this thing 10 stars in the Amazon rating, I would! This is a REAL rotary trimmer! !8" capacity width and the blades are S-H-A-R-P! the cutting head is smooth and even when I was cutting sheet after sheet of Hahnemuhle’s new 350gsm Canvas Metallic fine art canvas, I barely new I touched it! Carl put extra blades, (1 straight and 1 perf, as well as 1 additional cutter strip), in this trimmer! The instructions are meant for those who've used a more advanced, professional quality rotary trimmer. Unlike some of the less advanced systems, the instructions for the Carl 18" trimmer don't spend much time reminding you of how to line up, watching for ripples in your paper, and best standing position, etc. I've seen some reviews complaining about how the cutting strip didn't last, or moved on every cut or that the blade went dull after one or two cuts. I have a pretty good idea of what they're probably doing to get that result but because I wasn't there, I won't express any of my guesses here. The bottom line is that this cutter is a good, flat, metal-based trimmer. The measurement lines are dead on, and don't get me started about how well and accurately the side guides are mounted 90 degrees to the cutting rail giving a very dependable 90 degree cut! I store my rotary trimmers in the box they came with to keep them from dust and to avoid accidentally dropping something of the Cutting Head rail. I also use the foam supports when I store them as well. If you accidentally drop something on that cutting rail and inadvertently bend it, there goes the ball game! Be sure to avoid lifting the Trimmer from the box by the rail whenever you take it out. I always lift it from an edge under the table surface. At first I looked at this like the smaller the blade diameter, the less the circumference, (remember: π x diameter), and that means lower edge life per inch. Then I realized that the smaller diameter blade is likely to be the reason why the Carl Heavy Duty Rotary Trimmer is so consistently accurate and the cuts are so straight. There's a magnetic guide that comes with it but if you plan to use it as a stop for multiple, repeated, production cutting, don't count on it for squaring up your sheets. Always use the side guides for that. The magnetic attachment is great as a stop because it has a powerful magnet and it takes a lot to move it once it's in place. However, it’s got enough play to make it undependable as a 'square guide' tool. I don't think it was even meant for that unless you square it up to the side guides with a square first. I use it to help hold down the paper. It certainly can keep the paper from buckling or if you have a curled edge, this magnetic attachment would keep it flattened. When you lock down the paper, the high visibility you get from the paper lock is incredible! The lock holds that paper tight, whether it’s a sheet of standard 8 ½ x 11” paper or 350gsm+ high quality, canvas, that paper stays put until you unlock it. Really, this is the ‘cat’s meow’ of 18”, affordable, quality trimmers so stop reading and buy it. If I had one thing to say that may be called a ‘con’ it would be about the blades diameter. The cutting blades are 1.1” in diameter and my old, definitely not nearly as good or accurate, trimmer had a 1.77” diameter cutter. That smaller diameter blade won’t “walk” as easily as a larger one and therefore, I can’t even call the 1.1” a con. The entire Trimmer is a Big Plus! 5 Stars, hands down! Now go buy it!

I have only had this cutter for a couple of days, but I have cut several hundred squares with it in that time. While not without some flaws, this is the best trimmer I have used. After a couple of negative experiences with some cheaper trimmers, I bit the bullet and got this one. Yes, it is more expensive, but it is also better designed than the other ones I have used. It cuts very consistently and is accurate even when cutting through 20 sheets of 120gsm paper. Basically, this seems like a great paper cutter, so I will just outline the cons. CONS: * cost * the guides, while square with the blade and usable, are made from molded plastic and so they have a couple of small spots where they pull away from the guide edge by <1mm or so * the movable magnetic guide could be a little bit better made both in form to fit the side guides and in they way it is constructed (also molded plastic) * the light gathering plate, while useful, makes it very difficult to make cuts that are less than 3.5 inches wide, particularly if the amount you are trimming off is small * the ruling marks could be a little finer to make it easier to measure accurate cuts * the cutting mat strip seems like it may wear a bit quickly, but I did cut quite a lot of paper with it so far Aside from these minor issues, this paper cutter works very well. I had read one complaint about the way the blade has to be locked and unlocked for every cut. This is true, but in the same way that my manual transmission car requires me to put it into gear and use the clutch every time I want to go anywhere. In both cases the upshot is better control. When locked down the guide held the paper securely and the blade cut effortlessly, requiring no downward pressure at all, although cutting many layers requires more than one pass.

So far, this Carl 15" heavy duty paper trimmer is working great for cutting cardstock, Kraft board, cardboard and light to medium weight chip board. It cuts a single sheet of 110 lb. cardstock without a problem. For the heavier weight papers, I have to make several passes with the rotary blade, but that is not a problem since this trimmer has a locking rail that holds the paper firmly in place. This might be my favorite feature. Other trimmers that I considered buying did not have this feature. The product description says you can cut 36 sheets of 20 lb. paper, but I have not done that since I don't need to cut multiple pieces of cardstock or paper at a time. I imagine that will work, but you will probably have to make a few passes with the blade. It cuts accurately- but you have to "square up" your paper, since most paper is NOT square, even quality cardstock. Very important. If the paper isn't square, you can't get accurate cuts. It also has an adjustable magnetic paper guide that can be put on either the top of the trimmer or the bottom. Or you can use the trimmer without the magnetic paper guide. Other nice features are the metal base board with a measurement grid and a storage compartment for extra blades and cutting mats. It comes with an extra cutting blade, perforating blade and extra cutting mat. None of the other trimmers that I considered buying had a perforating blade so that is a plus. I also like the fact that I can easily replace the blade when it gets dull. As far as the weight of this cutter, it is not heavy. It is not very light, but I have no problem moving it around. I am very happy with this purchase. I recommend this trimmer if you need cut heavier weight paper.

Excellent massicot… malheureusement, il est plus petit en profondeur que son prédécesseur et m’empêche de couper des pages 30x30cm malgré que ce soit un 15 pouces. Il fait bien 15 pouces en longueur mais pas en profondeur vu qu’il s’arrête à 29,5 cm.

Muy práctica, corta diversos materiales, por ejemplo la tela como si se tratara de papel.

I invested in this to perfect the colouring book I'd made for my littlest sister 🐾 It certainly did what it said on the tin! It sliced through 10 sheets of thin card plus 2 sheets of 300gsm gloss card with no issue at all. It takes a few slices up and down but it's not physically difficult whatsoever and it made quick work of this book, plus a couple other books I'd made with the same thickness! I popped the book in as is, which is 4mm thick when closed. I'm pretty confident it could handle thicker stock, too! The magnetic ruler is pretty awesome and the whole guillotine didn't slide about on my smooth wood table. The way you clamp the blade ruler down before use holds your work strongly in place, but I'd recommend holding it down yourself too to ensure maximum precision. I've only used it 3 or 4 times thus far so I can't comment on durability over years, but I should hope for the price and based on how sturdy it seems right now that it's gonna provide years of smooth.like.butter 😂

Easy to use. Cuts well - even the thicker board. Well designed paper holder. Would have been good to have the 13" paper guide length included on the markings rather than stopping at 11-12" as the 13"x19" paper sizes are well used by photographers and art printers. But well done to the designers of this product and their quality control. Only used it for a few weeks but exceeds my expectations as a fine art photographer wishing to reduce 24" roll paper down to 13x19" and other sizes for printing. The other amazing thing you could do.... include a fold-out extended measuring guide on the left side to help measure longer paper pieces so we don't have to measure and mark separately before cutting longer sheets.

After using inexpensive Fiskars cutters for years the CARL is in a different league. After using it for a few weeks I’ll never go back to the cheap ones. The build quality and functionality is pro all the way.