Techniques drop from my brain when they are not used consistently and it’s been over a year since creating a full luminaria. After cutting 3 panels on the self-healing mat and finger joints in pain, I recalled the use of glass. The above image shows a glass cutting board I purchased years back as a quick inking slab for printmaking. It’s been a great inexpensive multi-use addition to the studio. In addition to it’s printmaking life, it doubles as a paper cutting surface. Cutting on glass allows the blade to be easily moved through paper, even thicker stuff like 111 lb cover stock in the above photo. Downside is that the blade dulls a bit faster. Blade tips eventually break off, but it seems to happen less quickly on glass. If I happen to remember to pull out the glass slab, it saves my hands and joints a bit of extra pain.
All 4 panels are now cut and it’s on to cutting the additional paper and wood to cover each screen.
Sticks, Stones, and Paper Stew Blog 
Interesting. I’d have thought it would have been harder on the hands. I’ll let Mel Ezra know, she does a lot fo cutting 🙂
I love Mel’s work! She does so much cutting I can’t imaging how her hands manage. I think it might be a conditioning sort of thing. I learned about using glass from another paper cutter but I can’t recall who it was. 🙂
She’s suffering at the moment….
I’ve had a chat with her on her site. The glass won’t help her situation. It’s too bad the mat board can’t be cut with a mat cutter. That work is so hard on the hands. Has she done any massage?
That’s an idea – I have sme Chinese balls. I’ll see if she wants to borrow them 🙂
I’ve copied your blog to her 🙂