Metallic Cardstock vs Matte • Cutting Issues

[chelle1011]

Hello to all,

I have had my Silver Bullet for a year or so now and love it! We create many wedding programs, invitations, etc. (thinking about buying another one) I do own a Silhouette as well and still use it from time to time. Especially on orders that need cut using Matte Cardstock. For some reason, my Silver Bullet doesn't like this particular cardstock. (no matter what weight I use - 65lb - 110lb) It frays and tears plus is dulls the needle out quickly! Is there something I am doing wrong? Maybe wrong blade for this cardstock? (using the 60 degree) I have decreased and increased the pressure. I have gone fast and I've gone slow. Nothing seems to help! Any other suggestion?

Which brings up another question... Is there any way to prevent the needle from becoming dull so fast??? We have to buy 10 or more at a time since we have to change them out so often. Can they be resharpened?

I appreciate any feedback that I can get as these technical issues cut into profit alot.

Kind Regards,
Michelle
http://www.OneChelleOfAMug.com
http://www.OneChelleOfAMug.etsy.com

[MeFlick]

welcome to the support forum. Glad to hear you have enjoyed your SB and it is of great use in your business. Many people buy their machine to do as you do, to create invitations, programs, etc. Perhaps some of them may be able to give you more specific answers regarding your question on matte cardstock. While I don't do this type of work, I do use my cutters to cut yardstick among other things. The brand of the cardstock and how fibrous it is, etc. will all have an impact upon how well it cuts. Some brands just don't cut well on a cutter while others can cut like butter. What brand is it you are trying to work with? Have you tried other brands or just one? I usually cut all my cardstock (which would all be matte primarily) with a 45 degree blade so you might want to get some of those and give those a try. Also how sticky are your mats, how often are you renuing the stick or using a new mat? Does it do the same if you use a new mat versus using a well worn mat that may not be as sticky and thus could be lifting some as the blade drags through? All of this factors in how well something cuts. Also, can you cut the same cardstock on the Silhouette machine without issue or do you have issues there too? Since you have had the cutter for a year and you are just now asking on the forum I am going to assume that this is not an overtime I cut issue but one you have from time to time. Is that correct? If so, then its probably some of the issues I have mentioned.

As far as the blade and how dull they become and how fast - that is again going to be user dependent. How much are you cutting in a day, in a week, etc.? The more you cut, the faster they are going to need to be replaced. Since you are in the business of selling your finished product, and sounds like it is for weddings and such, you want to be sure that you have a good sharp blade to ensure that you are getting good cuts - good cuts means happy clients. As a result, you in general may find the need to switch out blades a little sooner then the average user. Plus good blade is going to mean less wasted cardstock. Blades and mats are definitely considered "consumables" that will need to be replaced. The more you use them, the sooner they need to be replaced. As a result, if you are using it for a business and to make a profit - you need to factor in those costs when figuring out your final "cost" to the customer. Figure out in general how many invitations, programs, etc. that you can in general get from one blade, from one mat and add that "cost" into your price given to your customer. If I can get 100 invitations from one blade and the customer wants 300 invitations then I am going to go through 3 blades and that should be factored into your price given to the customer.

[Gigi]

I honestly have not heard of anyone having trouble cutting matte cardstock. Have you tried a different brand? Also blades do not normally dull quickly unless there is plastic in the product you are cutting (the friction from the heat wears the blade down quickly) or you are cutting into the mat. Again, it makes me wonder if there is something in the brand you are using. I don't cut daily, but my blades last a very long time.

Is there any texture to the card stock that is shredding. I cannot imagine matte cardstock shredding unless the blade is dull, or there is something in the cardstock that is fibrous or plastic (acetate). And cutting at a higher speed is usually the preferred way to cut unless the design is too intricate and/or the material is thicker.

You can pretty much use the 45 or 60 degree blade for the lighter weight card stock, but using the 60 degree blade is just fine. I use the 45 degree blade to cut about everything, just because I don't want to change the blade if I don't have to! The Silver Bullet blades are a higher quality than any blade you can get online, so they are made to last. That being said, if you are doing a LOT of cutting, a blade will wear out over time. You don't say how much you are cutting, but I am actually more confused/concerned by the shredding and tearing as is Sherri.

I just spoke with her and she would like you to please send her samples of the matte cardstock so that she can sample cut it. She agreed that there has to be plastic or some material in the card stock that is causing the problem as all of the "regular" matte card stock that we cut have no issues. If there is an issue with this particular brand, it would be helpful for her to know so she can advise other users to not use a particular brand. You can go to Sherri's website and click on the "Contact Us" and use that address. She will be in touch with you as soon as she receives it. She wants to figure this out just as much as you do!

As far as the sharpening is concerned, as a last resort you can run a dull blade through 4 thicknesses of aluminum foil and it will give you a few more cuts, but it will not give you that much additional cutting. But it works in a pinch if you are out of blades and need to finish a few more cuts.

Thank you for letting us know about the issues you are having. I know Sherri will have a definitive answer once she can actually test cut the card stock.

[chelle1011]

Hi!

I am so glad that you both responded back to me. This Matte Cardstock issue has been going on for quite some time. I've tried 2 different brands already. I have found one brand is a little better than the other but I still have issues. It cuts fine at first but it really wears down the blade and dulls it by the time we are halfway through the project. The blade starts shredding the cardstock. For instance, yesterday I had a rush order for 110 menu circles (110 sheets of matte cardstock was used) and halfway through the project, the blade became dull. My employee did finish the project but I did have to replace the blade. I noticed once I got home, she had the pressure really high (160) and the speed was at 800. I know she chose this because she was starting to have difficulty. (we have to hand cut the imperfections even after cutting which is more labor) When I use the silhouette (on double cut) I have to say, I have a very clean cut! So my more intricute cuts, I use the Silhouette. As for the mat, I don't use the Silver Bullet mats. We have found Cricut mats work much better! (We don't like the Silhouette Mats either) Do you think this could be the issue? I just didn't think it would be the mats because the Metallic Cardstock cuts like butter. We use a spray on the mats as well to help with "stickiness" so we never have movement issues. I've been running my little business (paper products) for 3 years now and these have been little tricks we have found along the way. I know the Silver Bullet has to do so much more than I know of! This is why I am so confused on my matte cardstock problem.
To answer your questions about how often we use the Bullet, right now during wedding season, we use it 6 days a week 6+ hours during the weekdays and 2 hours on the weekend.

Here are the stats for the cardstock I was previously purchasing: (not sure if this helps)

Acid Free Yes
Chlorine Free Yes
Lignin Free Yes
Pantone 7499 PC
Watermarks No
Vegan (non-animal) Materials Yes
Country of Manufacture USA
Environmental
% Recycled 0
% Post Consumer Fiber 30

The brand I am using now is Recollections® Heavyweight ... don't have much stats on this one.

Thank you again for getting back with me and any insight you may have. I will contact Sherri and send her a sample of the cardstock I'm using.

Kind Regards,
Michelle

[Gigi]

Well reading all of this just prompted more questions. What is the weight of the cardstock you are using? There is no way you should be cutting cardstock at a force of 160. The fact that you are increasing the force makes me wonder if your blade holder is slipping in the C clamp. Once you set the blade using the setting tool and use the test cut to determine , there is no reason to (not sure where you started but I would think a heavyweight cardstock would be no more than 100 approximately). You would get cleaner cuts if you lower your force and do a multipass - if need be - like you are with the Silhouette.

The Cricut mats actually do not work better per our experience. I have a ton of them too - but use them only if in a pinch and need to do test cuts. They have repeatedly thrown my cuts off when doing a print and cut and the SB mats are a much higher quality. Are you using the tables when you cut or something to support the mat? And the Silver Bullet can handle intricate beautifully. Depending on how intricate you many need the detail blade, but I can get some amazing cuts just using the regular blades.

Please double check and be sure your blade and blade holder are not slipping. I assume your mats are clean and the blade is not sticking on any paper scraps on the mat? Also. how far is your blade sticking out of the blade holder? Be sure also that you are not cutting into the mat.

And Sherri will be out of the office for about a week to take advantage of a long holiday (she has not had a break in years) but she is expecting your samples. Please label them so she can refer to them easily. I have not used the heavyweight Reflections, but have used the regular and it cuts very well. And have used other brands of heavyweight (100 lb) with no issues.

I just got off the phone with Sherri again and she echoed all that I already said. She has cut the Recollections heavyweight with no issues. And she agreed it could be the mat as they are thinner. When you look at the mat after cutting, Do you have etching on the mat from the cuts? That could also cause your card stock to shred because that means you could be wearing the tip down, which would cause your blade to dull.

Along with sending samples to Sherri. she would like you to take a SB mat, brayer the card stock, use a new blade and starting at 90 or 100, do test cuts until you get a clean test cut. She said with the SB mat, SB blades and the machine, you should easily be getting 500-700 cuts with no problem. And she agreed that the SB should easily out perform the Silhouette on intricate cuts. Something is amiss and she will figure it out once she sees the card stock.

I have given you a lot of things it could be - that's why we are asking a lot of questions to try to rule as much out as possible. She is confident it is not the machine but one of the many things we have suggested..... We are both committed to working to help you get good cuts with blades lasting as they should!

One last thing - I am assuming you are using white card stock. You will almost always have some issues cutting red or black card stock because of the color saturation, but there should be no issues with the white.

We will resolve this!

[chelle1011]

Hmmmm... I might have to look for our SB mat. No idea where we put it!

The weight of the cardstock is 110lb when using white or cream. I rarely use the matte colored cardstock but it is around 100lb. I do have a huge project coming up using Tiffany Blue Matte cardstock and I am scared to get started on this one since we are having the cutting issues.

As for the blade slipping, yes this is happening. The screw keeps coming loose; especially on an 800 speed. I tell the girls to always keep an eye out for this and make sure to tighten it whenever possible.

I will try out your suggestion on decreasing the pressure and doing a multipass. Not a bad suggestion when using the matte. I've done the mulipass before but I think I forgot to decrease the pressure. And yes, we are seeing cuts in the mats. I guess I'm putting the needle too far down? I've been using the setting tool though and making sure it barely scratches. Is this correct?

[Gigi]

Sherri said she will send you a new mat when she sends another order if you don't have one. No worries.

You are doing a lot of things right, but there is something that is wrong - we just have to figure it out. If the blade is slipping which will cause it to drag, no wonder you are getting drag and tearing. The screw should not be coming loose. I don't think I have ever heard of that happening just like we have never heard of matte card stock tearing! If you lower your speed to 700 or 750, does the screw still come loose? That could be one of the issues for sure.

You did not mention whether or not you use tables or supports when cutting. That could make a difference as well. And also, how far is the blade sticking out? Can you take a picture of the blade holder (which one are you using) and the blade in the clamp so it shows how it is set up and how much blade is out, with the mat in place underneath? Please email it to Sherri. info@silverbulletcutters.com. I will relay the newest info from you to her. Thank you.

And yes, many of us have had issues with the Cricut mats. First of all, the Cricut mat is thinner, and they are not polycarbonate like the SB mats. The machine performs optimally with the SB mat and SB blades. Yes, you should be using the setting tool, but you also should be doing a test cut to determine force. Because of the adhesive on the SB mat, when you cut using that mat, you will see an etched design, but it is the blade going through the adhesive layer, not the mat. If I run my fingernail over it, nothing sticks. Because the C mat is "different" in many ways, you may well be cutting into the mat and dulling the blade without realizing it. Couple that with the clamp slipping and you have the perfect storm for tearing because the blade is no longer where you originally set it. Make sense?

Could easily be several issues, but we will tackle them one by one and get you back to perfect cuts!

PS - the clamp needs to be replaced for sure, but Sherri would still like to test the cardstock. Thanks!

[mmhockeyfan]

Hi,

I'm still learning, but I thought I might offer a suggestion. Have you considered trying a 60+ blade, a brand new Cricut mat (I highly recommend the SB mats though), and lower pressure? An etched mat kills your cuts (I know from experience! ). Also, cleaning mats between multiple cutting sessions helps tremendously.

Checking blade depth is worth considering. Blade depth (the part that extends from the holder) should be no longer than the height of a dime (quoting from SB instruction manual/videos). The depth may change, however, depending on the thickness of your material. I've ripped paper because the blade was sticking out too far .

The test cut feature is wonderful and a savior. I had a breakthrough with my machine after taking advantage of it and my cuts have greatly improved. For example, to test 80# paper, I maintain a velocity of 800, use a 60 blade, set initial pressure at 40, and increase pressure in increments of 5 until I achieve a successful test cut. I save the test cut and record the following in the My Personal Guide booklet (this came with your machine):

[*]Type Of Material
[*]Brand of Material
[*]Blade (e.g. 60 or 45)
[*]Click holder (if using)
[*]Velocity
[*]No. of passes
[*]Notes

Good luck!

[Gigi]

Great suggestions except for the 60 degree plus blade. I would not recommend that for the weight of card stock being cut.

One of the first things that needs to happen is for the clamp to be replaced and the card stock to be test cut by Sherri. Once the clamp is operating correctly, and then cuts can be made properly, it should be much easier to determine what needs to be adjusted.

Thanks for the other great suggestions.

[MendyRap]

I would agree on the clamp. I have had on go bad and realized that was why I was getting inconsistent cuts. Once I replaced it it was smooth sailing again! But, in a pinch you can use a lock washer to limp through. Good luck with your big job, I'm sure you will get it running fine!