Ok so I've been trying to cut photos down to smaller sizes for my LO's with cutting mat and large ruler. Problem is either the mat lines, the picture edges or my ruler isn't straight. My photos are just slightly off of square. Its becoming very frustrating.

I'm sure I've seen a post on cutters but I can't seem to find it.

Any opinions on what I should look for before I go buy something else for cropping pictures? What type and brand would be a huge help!

At least the ones I've ruined aren't original so I can reprint them. But thats going to get annoying too.

Could really use suggestions! Thanks!

I use the Fiskar's rotary cutter - 12" size.

I cut photos all day and mats, never a crooked line or uneven mat or crop.

You just have to remember to push the photo or paper all the way against the little guides on the size (they stick up so its easy) and your cuts will be perfect.

It's much easier than lining up photos with rulers are against a grid. I can't do that either and get it right.

I got mine at Michaels but the sell everywhere and blades last forever!

This is a link to a very recent topic that was discussing both scissors and trimmers.

http://www.scrapbook.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/15735...

I think there are a lot of opinions on which are the best but one thing most of us agree on... pick something that can handle at least 12 x 12 paper. Most (but not all obviously) do.

Personally, I've tried a Fiskars portable version, like the grey one shown here. I loved it, but after years of use, it finally started cutting crooked lines for me and had to be replaced.

I then tried the Making Memories trimmer because of stellar reviews. I decided almost immediately that I did not care for it very much though. It did cut very straight lines (and still does). But the blade won't lift up to allow to allow for the cutting of frames (center cuts) like the Fiskars swing blade style does. I really like that feature and missed it in the rotary blade. And it is also bulkier and less portable. And to top it off, the self-sharpening, never needs replacing blade is getting dull and starting to cut jaggedly. I think that people from the topic mentioned above also note this.

I think very, very soon I am going to try Fiskars again. I think I might look into the "premium" style.

Hope you have good luck finding the right one for you. A good trimmer is a quintessential scrapbooking tools.

I had the same problem and recently purchased a Fiskars trimmer. Love it!! Makes paper cutting n photo matting so much easier n less time consuming

for cropping photos I love my CM personal trimmer ... In general, I find a guillotine type cutter to be the easiest for smaller pieces and photos

I have a fiskars trimmer like the one pictured above n love it, but now want one with interchangeable blades for deckle or wavy cuts...its on my CM wish list. I also have the CM personal trimmer n LOVE IT! Its great for small papers n pics. Definitely get a large trimmer for 12x12 papers.

make sure your printer is printing the pics straight on the paper. i kept having cockeyed cuts until i fixed that.