How to Use Polymer Clay Cutters for Clean Shapes

Polymer clay cutters look like the easiest tool on the table: press down, lift, done. In practice a cutter can leave dragged edges, a shape stretched out of true, or a piece stuck firmly inside the cutter. Almost all of those faults come from the same three things, which are the surface you cut on, the state of the clay, and the way the shape is removed afterward.

The method below works for any thin-walled cutter, whether it is metal or plastic, plain or shaped. It keeps the cut piece flat on the tile from the moment it is cut until it has been cured, which is what protects its outline.

Choosing Cutters

A cutter is judged by its cutting edge. A thin, even wall slices the clay; a thick or blunt wall pushes it aside and rounds the top edge of the shape. Look along the edge for dents, seams and rough spots, since each one prints itself into every piece you cut.

Cutter type	Strengths	Things to watch
Thin metal	Fine edge, crisp cut, lasts well	Can bend out of shape if squeezed; may have a visible seam
Molded or printed plastic	Wide range of shapes, light, inexpensive	Edges are often thicker, and layer lines can mark the clay
Plunger cutters	Push small shapes out without touching them	Detail clogs quickly and needs cleaning between cuts
Tissue blade and a paper template	Any shape you can draw	Slower, and curves take practice

A circle, an oval, an arch and a teardrop in two sizes each will cover most jewelry and decor projects. The article on polymer clay tools sorts the rest of the kit into what you need now and what can wait.

Prepare the Slab

Roll conditioned clay to an even thickness directly on a smooth ceramic tile. Even thickness matters more than the exact figure, because a cutter pressed into an uneven slab meets the tile on one side before the other and leaves part of the outline uncut. Rolling between two depth guides solves this.

Then let the slab rest. Clay that is warm from your hands is soft and sticky, so it grips the cutter and smears at the edge. A short rest on the cool tile firms it up. Burnish the slab lightly onto the tile with the roller before cutting, so the clay holds on to the tile more firmly than it holds on to the cutter.

How to Cut a Clean Shape

1. Position without touching. Hold the cutter just above the slab and move it until the placement is right. This matters most on patterned slabs, where you are choosing which part of the pattern to keep.
2. Press straight down. Use even pressure across the whole top of the cutter until you feel it meet the tile. Do not rock it from side to side at this stage.
3. Make a tiny circular wiggle. With the cutter still down, move it in a very small circle. This separates the shape from the surrounding clay all the way round.
4. Lift straight up. The shape should stay on the tile. If it rises with the cutter, the clay is too soft or the slab was not stuck down.
5. Remove the scrap, not the shape. Peel the surrounding clay away and leave the cut pieces exactly where they are.

Why You Cut on the Tile

Lifting an uncured shape is what distorts it. A circle picked up by one edge becomes an oval, and an arch spreads at the legs. If you cut on the tile and cure on the same tile, the shape is never lifted while it is soft, and the back cures flat and smooth against the glazed surface.

When a piece does have to be moved, slide a tissue blade flat underneath it and transfer it on the blade instead of picking it up.

Cleaning Up the Edges

Even a good cutter leaves a slight ridge where it met the tile, and sometimes a thin frill of clay around the base. It is far easier to deal with these before curing than after.

• Soften the top edge. Run a fingertip lightly around the upper edge to take off the sharp corner left by the cutter.
• Smooth the sides. Draw the side of a ball stylus or another small rounded tool along the cut edge, working toward the tile. This presses the frill back into the piece instead of tearing it off.
• Deal with inside corners. A needle tool laid flat reaches into tight curves, such as the inside of an arch, where a fingertip cannot.
• Remove fingerprints. Lay a piece of plain paper over the shape and rub very lightly with a fingertip in small circles.

Any roughness that is still there after curing can be taken off by sanding the cured edges.

Common Cutter Problems

• The shape stays in the cutter. Push it out gently from the back with the pad of a finger, spreading the pressure so you do not leave a dent. Next time, rest the slab longer and burnish it to the tile.
• Dragged or furry edges. The cutting edge has dried clay on it or is too thick. Clean the cutter, and wipe it between cuts.
• One side not cut through. The slab is uneven or the pressure was off-center. Press with a flat palm or a small flat block across the top of the cutter.
• A line or notch in every piece. That is the seam or a dent in the cutter. Turn the cutter so the mark falls where a hole or a finding will hide it.

Cure, Then Care for Your Cutters

Cure the shapes on the tile they were cut on. Curing requirements are set by each manufacturer and vary between product lines, so use the instructions that came with your own clay. The guide on how to cure polymer clay describes a setup with a tile, a foil tent and a separate oven thermometer. Leave the pieces to cool before sliding them off.

Wipe cutters after each session with a dry cloth or a baby wipe, and clear corners with a soft brush or a needle tool. Dry metal cutters completely so they do not rust, and store all cutters where nothing heavy can bend them. A bent cutter can often be eased back into shape by pressing it gently around its own outline drawn on paper.