Okay, I need a sanity check. I’ve been making some wedding-ish cards with that leafy corner die everyone has, and it cuts smooth on regular 80lb smooth cardstock. The second I switch to a textured linen-look cardstock (maybe 100lb?), the little veins and leaf points just tear or only half-release. I’ve tried running it through twice, adding a paper shim, and taping the die down. Still getting fuzzy edges and snaggy bits.
Is there a trick for textured stock or should I just accept that detailed dies need smooth paper? What weight do you all use for the fiddly dies? I don’t want to lose the texture on the card base but I’m about ready to bin this die.
I’m new to detailed dies and had this happen with a butterfly die on some linen-look cardstock. It was shredded city. I thought I was doing something wrong because I didn’t use a metal shim, just the two cutting plates. Does a shim actually help with the fuzzy bits or just the clean cut through the middle? Also is wax paper between the cardstock and the die a real thing? I saw a short video and now I can’t remember. Following because I want to keep the texture too.
@BurlapAndBrass the wax paper thing is real but it’s not magic. I put a piece of wax paper between the die and cardstock, and it helps the tricky bits release more than it fixes tearing. For textured stock, the texture itself can keep the die from making solid contact, so the blade sort of vibrates or skips on the bumps. A shim can help with contact, but too much pressure and you’ll get the die cutting through the top layer and chewing the underside.
KilnKris, I’d try textured side down before binning the die. If you haven’t, also try moving the die to a different spot on the plate. And some detailed dies just hate 100lb textured. I keep a cheap smooth 80lb for intricate cuts and glue that onto the textured base. Not a purist answer but it saves your sanity.
@SkeinTender textured side down did help a little, but yeah, it’s still not clean enough for those skinny leaf veins. Wax paper got the bits out but didn’t stop the tear. I think you’re right about the die just hating 100lb textured.
I did a test with some 65lb smooth and it cut like butter, so I’ll probably do the same as you — cut the fiddly layer smooth and mount it on a textured base. Still textured, no swearing.
@BurlapAndBrass if you’re using the linen cardstock for a butterfly, try the wax paper trick and maybe use a shim made of cardstock rather than a metal one. Less brutal.