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I finally figured some things out, and thought I’d share. Maybe everyone else already knew all this, but from reading the forum, I don’t think so. I was getting part of a shape to cut, then part not. Also getting tears and shredding. So – what causes the blade not to cut all the way through? Here’s the part I was missing: The blade has to be free to swivel as it works its way along a path. And it has to have a flat surface to work on.
- Make sure your mat is flat. I switched out to a newer one that wasn’t as beaten up. It helped.
- If you’re cutting paper, it HAS to be securely stuck to the mat. It can’t be ‘floating’ in the middle. I’m still searching for an adhesive that will give the right amount of tack here in the humid south.
- Get your blade exposure right, like Sandy shows us in the videos and manual. Fold some scrap material — whatever you’re cutting — and fiddle with the blade until it will cut the top layer freely and completely, yet not affect the bottom layer. If it’s cutting the bottom layer it will try to cut the mat when your cut your project. That will stop the blade from swiveling, and cause it to try to cut parts of your project with the back of the blade.
- Same thing with force. Back the force down until it’s just enough to make it cut cleanly and completely. If you’re pushing too hard, the blade can’t move freely and can’t make tight turns.
- Shredding and tearing can be reduced by slowing things down. You can go fast on simple shapes, but for intricate designs, you’ll need to go slow.
These are all things Sandy has been telling us for years. The ‘why’ of it all just now dawned on me. I’m a happy and successful cutter now! Love my Zing!
One other clarification: Is “force” downward pressure? or is it the force with which the blade cuts through the material as it moves through the path?
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