Customer Reviews

Fiskars 9698 Euro 12-Inch Portable Paper Trimmer

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

 

 

I've had one of these trimmers for about 4 years. I'm still using the first blade, so if it ever gets dull I still have the replacement blade that came with the package. Only problem I can think of is storing this thing -- I cut the plastic blister pack in a way that I can put the paper trimmer back in the original package for storage. It's ugly, but it works, and it keeps the instructions and the extra blade together with the trimmer, and keeps the dust away. It's safe and easy to use; I suppose you could cut yourself if you really tried, so don't try.

When I needed several small photos of students in a class, I used Adobe Photoshop Elements to merge them all into two 8x10 sheets. Then I had those 8x10's printed for a couple of dollars, and cut them all apart to wallet-size photos, using my Fiskars trimmer.

this trimmer is great for us everyday people. i am not a tool snob. i love whatever is fast, efficient, and mobile. i scrap at home and at workshops. i usually have clutter when i am in a creative mood. this trimmer holds up WELL! i chuck it around through my mess and crop like a mad woman! i have used this and the smaller one for years but have recently gone to just this one because the 8.5 inch one sucked. it never cut straight. this one cuts straight because the arm/tracks are much more sturdy. i thought there might be something better out there so i went on a mission for 12 inch trimmers. i am a big creative memories customer so used theirs at a workshop and did not like it at all. i was disappointed that i did not like it. must have flipped open wrong, or didn't hold paper well. i just know it cut paper crooked. i also recently purchased two other new trimmers. the green and pink one from provo craft is ok but the arm is in my way because it only lifts up and the arm feels cheaper and wobbles. the other one is the new orange 12 inch trimmer from fiskars and i returned it the same day. the main reason is because the arm is made to swing on the other side, it opens up on the small side of the trimmer. IT SUCKS! there is no room to work with the paper or scraps with the arm open over the small side. i loved everything alse about the orange one, but that arm was a big deal. none of the other fiskars (euro) open this way. so now i am back to using the classic gray one and am perfectly content. i will just stock up on replacement blades for the future. and another thing, i think the blades last for a LONG time. i think in the last 8 years i have replaced mine 2 or 3 times.

My experience with this has been overall very good. I've got one that's going on four years old, and use it for more of my scrap booking projects than I use my big rotary cutter for...it's much more portable for crops, and easier to just grab it to use for cropping a photo, etc., than the big one!

Cutting UP rather than pulling it toward you helps if you're having trouble with wobbly cuts, although I rarely have a problem. Keeping it pulled to the inside also helps. And, most importantly, make sure you replace the blade when the cuts start to be ragged and less clean. The blades aren't made to last forever, but they are very cheap! (Usually less than $5 for two).

Overall, this is an extremely portable, super cheap, and very easy to use cutter, fairly safe for children (can't cause any deep cuts) and if you use if with care (and practice), and change the blade regularly, it makes clean and straight cuts.

I rate it so high, mainly because I think you're getting a pretty good quality for the price.

If you want the best, and don't want to have to be careful, get the cutterpede. It is a superior product. It's the next thing that'll go into my scrapping bag!

i have had this cutter for at least 3 years. i am into scrapbooking and mainly cut photos and cardstock, which really dulls the blade. and sometimes i cut regular paper. it does cut 5 sheets of reg. paper at a time. but if you do plan to do this, you have to put more pressure on the blade as you slide. i have replaced the blade 3 times since owning this cutter. so far i am really happy with this device.
where i am fustrated is when i am trying to measure something 5inches. 5 inches get lost in between the board and the swing arm ruler. Also,i hoped in the future models of the cutter that fiskar can design a place on the cutter itself to store the extra blade.

This is my 2nd Fiskars trimmer in about 15+ years. I didn't hesitate buying a Fiskars replacement. I accidently dropped the thing and lost the orange blade unit. I inserted the replacement blade and it just does not cut the same; not even making contact without several swipes. By that time, I'm not getting a clean edge. The blade unit can only go into the track in one way so I don't get why it's not cutting. Time to look for another more sturdy model...

This little item works very well, as long as you put enough pressure on the blade while youre sliding it. it will trim 2 pieces of cardstock at once, and very well at that.
*SIDENOTE*-
I just discovered today that the cutting slider button has broken off, and I have no idea where it's at, so I guess now I already gotta replace it. Only had it around 6 months. Bummer!

I have had this paper cutter for about 5 years. I use it for projects every few months, and it really hasn't held up to that much use. The blades aren't that sharp, and the shuttle that holds the blade is able to be angled/wiggled a little within its holder, which can easily lead to slightly crooked cuts if you're not really careful. This has been frustrating and wastes paper. The cutter is also unsuitable for scrapbookers or card makers who use 12"x12" paper regularly, as it's only large enough for 8.5"x11". I would recommend saving your money and purchasing a larger, better made guillotine or rotary cutter.

So sleek her skin, so faultless was her make.--Dryden. I love the glossy aluminum plate with accurate and crisp measurements. This cutter is very thin and compact. Maximum single cut is just over 12" (about 31 cm) and the fold-out rule will allow you to cut lengths of material up to 15 3/4" or 40 cm. Material may be trimmed with reasonable accuracy to 1/16th of an inch or 1 mm for metric. At first glance this unit looks flimsy; the surprising rigidity comes from the raised plastic ribbing on the back and the generously thick metal plate mentioned above. I was able to cut up to 4 sheets of standard printer paper with a single pass and up to 6 sheets with two runs of the blade with moderate force. If you need to cut any more than that amount, I'd suggest a rotary cutter, but this is perfect for trimming pictures or just a few sheets. This cutter has 4 rubber feet to secure it to a work surface. The blade is just a sliver of sharp metal protruding from a piece of plastic that runs along the cutting path. Compared to rotary cutter blades, these replacement blades are expensive ($8.21 for two, at time of review), but I find that the added accuracy, the sleek design and portability of this trimmer is well worth that reasonable cost for consumables. I am picky about the design of plastic products with an emphasis on how easy they are to clean. If I had to mention anything negative about this cutter, it would be the placement of the rubber feet on the bottom; they are positioned exactly at the corner on the bottom, not allowing the plastic ridge surrounding them to be cleaned thoroughly. Little things like this bug me, because this design flaw is so easily avoided by mounting the feet about a cm away from the edge with no discernable loss of stability or function. I hope you find this review helpful.

At nearly double the price of a knockoff at Wally World, this Fiskars product is about 10 times the value!!!

Heavier made gives better control and faster cutting. I print my own photos and trim them myself to fit standard frames, and this device is as good as some of the cutters I have used in business at much higher prices than this.

This is a good, safe device for home and hobby use.
[...]

This trimmer cuts well, however there are not enough measurement marks. If you are trimming a 4*6 picture down to a 4*3 picture you have the guide at the bottom, but nothing in the middle to make sure you really have it lined up straight. I found I had to really pay attention to the bottom edge of the photo holding it securly against the edge. If you had one that wasn't a straight edge guessing is the only option.