Customer Reviews

Carl 12200 Bidex Professional 10-Sheet Rotary Trimmer, Metal Base, 12 x 11

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A basic paper cutter, I have found so many uses for this! It cuts through several pieces of paper at once - maybe 10 sheets, and the rotary blade is precise and much safer than the guillotine style. I use it to cut photos I've printed from the computer, school projects, cutting strips for paper chains, cutting paper for crafts, cutting recipes to fit into my recipe box, etc. It's small enough to store easily too - and even to bring it with me if I'm crafting away from home.

This trimmer is very definitely worth the price. It cuts smoothly every time. Because of the clear plastic edges, there's no guesswork involved in setting up the cutting line for small pieces. There is a grid on the bed of the trimmer, marked for setting up bigger pieces without having to examine the path of the cutting blade. Amazing amongst trimmers, this one is actually true to the right angle between horizontal and vertical. The trimmer weighs more than plastic ones, but I still use it on my lap for last minute adjustments in card-making. This trimmer is by Carl, whose website gives the impression that Carl is a serious company, producing quality products. I use the trimmer daily, and am very happy with it.

I had this on my wish list for Christmas this year & my mom bought it for me. I had not actually ever seen this product except for online. Just before Thanksgiving I borrowed a friends Fiskars brand rotary trimmer & decided I'd like one of my own. I chose this particular one because of size & pricing. I am very, very pleased - it is a much better quality than the Fiskars. Very solid metal & hard plastic construction. Easy removal of small interchangeable blades with handy blade storage on underside of trimmer (have to love anything that's self containing :). Highly recommended !!!

I was looking for a paper cutter to trim digital photos from my new printer, and took the title of "professional" perhaps a bit too literally. The paper cutter came in a plastic case, and the construction of the item was about at that level. The cutter essentially pushes a rolling blade, somewhat like a pizza cutter, through whatever material you're trying to cut against a hard rubber strip. The "patented" holder doesn't hold pictures very well. What results is a curvy, poorly cut photo. In addition, the pictures would then stick to the rubber strip (which Carl's website said was due to some kind of suction effect), and would take a good tug to get off.

After being thoroughly disappointed (it's $29.95 plus about $10 shipping from Amazon/Adorama), I asked my local art store what they used, and they showed me their 6 year-old German-made Dahle 507 Personal Trimmer, which with self-sharpening blades, was still cutting sharply and precisely after all these years. They apparently use it for all their small cutting needs in the store. I bought one for $50 after a bit more research, and have just finished retrimming all my photos so that they have straight edges (and it worked perfectly). If what you're looking for is a digital photo cutter, go for a Dahle or one of the better ones at Amazon. I'd avoid this product. Personally, I'd avoid the Carl brand, but have no personal knowledge of their higher end products.

Clearly "rkm001" has had some difficulty in using this equipment. I have one that I used as part of my job. I have probably cut over 1000 photos/labels/etc. Other people in the office have cut more than 2000 photos. It does exactly what it is supposed to do - it cuts a straight line along the edge of the guide.

Where this problem arises is when the cutting surface, underneath the cutting wheel, becomes worn from use. I grove will slowly develop and since the cutting surface is not fixed in position and can slide from side to side, the grove will not be straight nor will it be parallel to the cutting guide.

To solve this problem, you should not use extreme force when cutting. Gentle pressure is adequate for cutting a photo. You can also remove the cutting surface and rotate it 90° or even flip it over. This gives you four cutting surfaces to work with. Ultimately you will need to replace it. Carl makes those too.

For $20, it works well and unless you plan to cut thousands of times a month, it is fine for home or light office use.

I do a *ton* of crafts - I sell origami on the web and create paper presents for family and friends. The cutter I use is this Bidex cutter. I have been doing crafts with paper for many, many years - since I was very young. I've gone through a number of cutters in that time. I am really VERY happy with the Bidex cutter. The blade is tucked in behind a plastic shield and despite years of use I've never been cut once. I've used this thing on a ton of paper types - origami, thick weave, flower-embedded, card stock. It's never had a problem. I even use it on laminated items and it slices right through it. The lines and guides on it make selecting the exact length you want to be quite easy. Highly recommended.

The cutter is practical and precise, but the blade is not that sharp and sometimes I need to double cut the same art... I am cutting presentation cards...

It performs as you'd expect. The bar holds the paper in place, and the cutter cuts the paper. I also got the perforating and scoring blades, and those also work very well. Using the cutter and perforator, I've made several custom-size notebooks with tear-out pages.

I'm not sure why "rkm001" had so many issues with this product. I have owned one for about two months now and use it very heavily. It cuts a straight line for me everytime and I have never had something "stick" to the cutting strip. I actually bought this one to replace a very worn (and more expensive trimmer/cutter) I had for years, and wish I had done it sooner!

I love this cutter! I like how the blade is hidden to prevent anyone from cutting themselves. Easy to carry, great product!