KEENCUT 080
MEDIUM DUTY
Know your Blades
THE SLIPMAT is used under the matboard when bevel cutting, this ensures crisp clean cutting Make it from
standard matboard. Avoid using dense matboard such as black core.
Size - approximately 15cm (6”) wide and either the full cutting length of the Ultimat long, or at least 5cm (2”) longer
than the longest mat you are going to cut.
When using - ensure the white side is uppermost and replace it when the surface damage becomes obvious.
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BLADES are one of the most critical parts of the machine, in all cases the blade used should be the one most suited
to the job in hand - when bevel cutting a precision ground and honed blade is required with an oil free surface (many
blades are packed with an oil film to protect them) and the surface should be corrosion free.
The hardness and toughness of the blade is also critical.
All these factors add to the manufacturing cost of quality blades, however, the option to use inexpensive blades
leaves quality to chance and can increase wastage.
BEVEL CUTTING blades used on the Ultimat are rectangular and come in three varieties:-
Please Note:
when using the Tech S.012 blades you can only use the one tip as indicated on the blade.
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BLADE DEPTH is critical when bevel cutting. Too deep and hooking will occur, too shallow and the blade will not
penetrate or meet at the corners. The tip of the blade should cut through the matboard and score the slipmat
about 0.5 - 1 mm (1/64” - 1/32”) deep. The method of adjustment is explained later.
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HOOKING is when a curved cut is produced at the beginning of a bevel cut. This is caused by the blade bending or
moving sideways when being pushed into the matboard, the blade then springs or moves back to its correct position
as it begins to travel down the cut.
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PREVENTION is covered in the “Fault finding“ section on page (12).
VERTICAL CUTTING is carried out using a standard trapezium shaped blade, these are thicker (0.017”) and tend to
distort less than the rectangular blades for vertical cutting.
Generally (clip frames excepted), providing the edge is straight, square and clean the quality of finish of the cut is
less critical than with bevel cutting therefore the less expensive “medium duty utility” blade can be used, for better
results use “Keencut 080” blades.
Blade depth is important. The further the tip of the blade extends through the matboard the more difficult it is to cut.
English
SLIPMAT
TECH S 012
KEENCUT
TECH D 015
KEENCUT
TECH D 012
KEENCUT
TECH D
012
TECH D
015
TECH S
012
double ground edge 0.012” thick
(knife edge)
double ground edge 0.015” thick
single ground edge 0.012” thick
(chisel edge)
For general purpose cutting on most matboard (some are sup-
plied with your machine)
Both can give better results on some of todays thick and
dense matboards only trial and error can prove any benefit.
If you require sample blades contact Keencut direct and a
small quantity will be sent F.O.C. We would be pleased to
know your results!
3.2
Preparation
3.2
