Dexter-Russell Mat Cutter

I can see how people would be frustrated with it, as it is a bit difficult to get the hang of. My first mat cut with it has a bit of a curve at the end of the straight section (at the corners) so it looks a bit goofy if you look at it closely. Mats are supposed to accent and draw your eye to the picture so I don't think that's very detrimental. After a few more mats I have found that following the instruction to start and stop slightly past where you want the hole to be does really help; it makes the flawed curvy bit get hidden in a part of the mat that doesn't get cut fully through. I had been afraid that it would look unprofessional with a too-long cut at every corner, but that's not a problem in the end.Since I wasn't following the instructions exactly, I think my early problems were my fault, but it's definitely a good product, rides easily against the straight edge, has a consistent blade angle, and looks good overall. I would rate my ability to use it at 4 stars at most, 5 if I really take my time, but the product itself is good for a consumer, handheld mat cutter.

Be prepared to spend quite a lot of time experimenting and setting up before using this product effectively! It comes with very poor instructions that didn't answer any of my questions. In the beginning, I was very frustrated and distraught until I found the help online to effectively work this mat cutter. Then I was pretty happy with it! It fits easily in the hand, the blades are super sharp, and slides smoothly along a straight edge to give the best cut.To try to save someone some time: First, you really need to set up your table with a long, thick straight edge with table clamps to keep the straight edge secure while cutting. The blade needs to be set to extend 1/8 of an inch beyond the width of the mat board. Use scrap board or cardboard under the mat to create a cleaner cut. Don't worry about lining up the sharp edge of the blade with the edge of the cutter- use a scrap piece of board to determine how much space is between the straight edge and where the actual blade cuts. For example, say you want to cut a mat board to fit an 8x10 picture, and that the amount of space between the blade and the straight edge is 3/8 of an inch. You'll want a space opening that is 7 1/2 by 9 1/2 inches. Draw guide lines on the back of the mat for this size. Then, while clamping your straight edge down, clamp it so that it is 3/8 of an inch beyond the guide line, to account for the space between the straight edge and the blade. After the guide has been set, be sure to check that the blade is cutting in the right direction and will create the correct bevel edge. When cutting, insert the blade directly into the guide line, and when flat, it should lay right up against the straight edge. I have found that for corners, I can get close while using the mat cutter, and then free-hand with a blade after all sides have been cut to create a crisp corner. I hope this helps! It's surprisingly difficult to describe how to use properly (maybe that's why they didn't include clear instructions with the product!). Good luck!

Why did you pick this product vs others?:Great at first but wore off very quickly.

After 15 years, my old Dexter finally gave out. So I got a new one. There's no other mat cutter I would buy.

This was very difficult to use and I couldn’t get a clean cut. Also, there were no directions! I looked online hoping that I would find a video but did not find one for this product. I’ve been meaning to return it but just haven’t gotten around to it yet.

Great cutter- I was making professional mats on my 3rd attempt. You need to make sure to hold the cutter and ruler steady to get a straight cut, but after a short amount of practice it was easy.

Great tool to start with if you are beginning to learn matting. Many beginning 'matters' use this tool in art class. The blades are easy to install and adjust. You do need to be careful that you don't accidentally adjust the blade as you apply pressure and slide the matter. Glides smoothly and fits comfortably in your hand..like anything it takes time to get used to it. It took me a few tries. Therefore, you really should practice on scrap pieces before you begin on a project. you need to used a straight edge that does not have jagged edges on it. I used a cheap and free plastic ruler that I received as a teacher. The blade is sharp but also fragile if it gets caught. I broke the first blade initially because I did not realize the edge was not perfectly straight and had edges on it. You need a straight edge made of metal or a T-Square with the plastic edge and use these only for matting. I would recommend for beginners that you get a ruler that has the plastic edge so you can view your line. You need to compensate for the tool by about 1/8" when you measure and matt for the cutter and blade placement. You need practice to use this...but so worth the money..we probably saved an easy $80-100 matting some of our favorite pictures from past trips and creating our own works of art!

I haven't tried the cutter yet so I won't comment about it, however; I was to receive five free cutting blades with the cutter but didn't. The cutter package I received had been pulled open and the blades removed! Nice .... huh?