Embossing Tools; What Do You Use

[CharlieC]

I've got a couple of ball ended tools with different sized balls I bought ages ago in scrapbooking shop. Recently though I've been trying the old "dead ballpoint pen". The standard ballpoint pen ball is too small and tends to tear the card but I found one with a 0.5mm ball - says so on the pen - this seems to work well.

The ball in old pens tends to be frozen with dried ink and won't roll - overnight in alcohol seems to fix this.

Regards,

Charlie

[mbauer]

Originally Posted by CharlieC

The standard ballpoint pen ball is too small and tends to tear the card but I found one with a 0.5mm ball - says so on the pen - this seems to work well.

The ball in old pens tends to be frozen with dried ink and won't roll - overnight in alcohol seems to fix this.

Regards,

Charlie

I knew there was a secret! Thank you! Tried the ball point pens in the past and they always tore the cardstock.

Mike

[psf]

I have an embossing stylus set (3 count) that I got at the local Michael's (US arts & craft store). It was very inexpensive, probably not more than $3 or so. I found that the smallest tipped stylus tends to cut/tear the paperstock if I press firmly, and the depression the larger one leaves behind isn't adequate. In a very Goldilocks sort of irony, the mid-sized tip is the one that I use most frequently. Yields an extremely crisp fold without any cutting/tearing whatsoever to the cardstock.

[FRD]

I'm, "old school" 30 years ago I was given a technique by Lou Dausse, to "score" the fold line by using the knife blade to, "slice" the lines to be folded, not through the cardstock but lightly, just enough to break the surface tension resulting in razor sharp folds.

It's a trade-off because this technique, although very precise leaves the inner stock exposed at the fold.

[lancer525]

Originally Posted by rickstef

move the ruler down from the line, the embosser needs space to make the line

If you are using a ball type embosser, check to see how much you need to move the ruler

if you are using a blade type embosser/scoring tool, check if you are on the line with the tip of the tool or riding the ruler's edge

also check to see if you are holding the tool vertically, and not to an angle, that will cause the score line to be off

Rick

Given that most of us use a ruler of some sort, I thought I'd add to my post regarding the seam ripper as the ideal scoring tool by also letting everyone in on the secret of its use.

I don't use a ruler.

I also don't freehand score lines, because its impossible to do so and keep the line straight if its more than 1mm long. So that I don't get the score line off the line I need to fold, I don't use a ruler, but rather an old drafting erasing shield.

These are stainless steel, and a little larger than a business card, and about 1/2 the thickness of said card, so that there is almost no offset necessary to get a good clean score line right where one needs it.

Here's what they look like:




They work wonderfully, and can even be used for cutting out those infinitesimally tiny fiddly bits that drive one totally nuts. One can still see the line, without the ruler getting in the way.

YMMV

[FRD]

These are some good techniques/tools, I never thought of using a seam-ripper or an eraser shield, I'll have to give them both a try sometime...

[Kim YooNa]

Hello!
I'm a newbie and I'm ready to ask a lot o questions, because I've received many messages of encouragement. Generally I know the principles for building a paper model, but I need a few clarifications.

1. For cutting the pieces I have a self-heeling cutting mat and cutting stylus, so everything is in place.
2. For embossing the line... do I need an embossing pad or is OK if I do it on the cutting mat? I've read a lot about the problem with the accuracy of the trace line and I want to know if I need a special pad for embossing, because I admit that many time I can't draw the line identically with the printed line.
3. For embossing I've used since now a Stadler roller 0.5 mm, but sometime is ripping the paper even if you do not press very hard. This week I will purchase a Pergamano Embossing Fine Stylus 0.5 mm, but I wish to know if is so thin, I will risk to cut paper? Or is better to acquire a 0.7 mm stylus?
4. For better embossing do I have to use a paper wax to make the stylus role more smoothly on the paper?
5. What kind of embossing form do I have to obtain... which is better for folding without problems?

I know there are a lot of questions, maybe some of the questions have already been answered and I'm not able to find the forum threads ... please do not throw tomatoes!

[SCEtoAUX]

Cutting mats are usually too stiff to allow a good indentation on the folding line. Try using some of the types of pads referenced earlier in this thread.

I use a small crochet needle to score the fold line so the indentation would be sort of a combination of those two examples you posted. The size is around 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm. The 0.5 mm seems a bit too small. The 0.7 mm or a 1.0 to 2.0 mm size seems to be OK.

It does not seem like the shape of the indentation would make much of a difference.

[airdave]

Lancer....
"erasing" shield? for Drafting?
Is that what this is?
I have one of these, been laying around for 40 years, I always thought it was just
a useless stencil for drawing small lines...I never could figure out how to use it.
Its for erasing?
hahaha you learn something new every day.

............

Kim....TOMATO!....duck!!!!

I don't actually "emboss" but I think its the same thing.
I score my fold lines with a dulled Hobby knife.
Works like an embossing tool to push a crease into the paper.
I do this on top of my cutting mat.
Good self-healing cutting mats are somewhat squishy so they give a little
which is probably what you need for this procedure.

Doesn't actual "embossing" require a mold under your material?
...free hand embossing could be done on a Lino mat (which is soft and spongy, like rubber)

If you rip paper with an embossing tool, then you must be applying too much pressure
or your under surface is way too soft.
What "paper" are you working with?

Scoring fold lines is all about creasing the paper but not cutting through any of the
paper fibres.
I personally would not use a soft mat underneath...just my cuttting mat will do.
To crease the paper, I basically want to stretch one side of the cardstock (along
a defined and precise line)...and this will make the card fold easier and more cleanly
along that prescribed line.

I reserve the term "embossing" for things like adding surface rivets
- using a tool to push bumps into the paper, from the backside.
Or adding a raised panel line.

[richkat]

I use a file handle tool that I got from Micro-Mark. Took a 1/16 brass rod and made a tapered, rounded point. The brass slides on paper very well.......Rich






last one kind of blurry, my camera wont do close-up well