Corner Rounders

February 16, 2009

I sometimes cut and bind small sheets of heavy paper to make a disposable, mini notebook. Recently, I got a small corner rounder to see if it made a worthwhile difference. I was actually surprised at how much rounding improved ease of use for something to be put in the pocket.

There are a variety of brands and sizes available, but they can be hard to find and it may not be obvious what size you should choose. So I've tried to compile a useful guide.

Corner rounders are sized by the radius of their cut. These are the common sizes:

1/8 inch (3.5 mm) -- This is the size of the corner on your credit card. The only punches I have found in this size are heavy-duty ones for trimming laminated ID cards. The cheapest one I know of is the Brady Corner Rounder.

3/16 inch (5 mm) -- I see this on some small Moleskine notebooks and the small Pen & Ink Sketch. The Creative Memories Corner Maker small is also widely sold in the USA as the Angle Eater and in Europe and Asia under many different brands. The direct order company Stampin' Up also has a 3/16" punch.

1/4 inch (6.5 mm) -- I see this on other small (and large) Moleskine notebooks and small sketchbooks. Maybe the best 1/4" punch is the EK Success Paper Shapers small.

5/16 inch (8 mm) -- I saw this on the large Moleskine sketchbook. I can't find a cheap cutter in this size.

3/8 inch (9.5 mm) -- Haven't seen this used on serious stationery, but it might look OK with letter-sized sheets. The Marvy Uchida is sometimes advertized as 1/4", but I measure it as 3/8". There is also the Angle Eater large in 10 mm. Both are highly rated by users.

1/2 inch (12.5 mm) -- Strictly for arts & crafts. It also seems to be the most popular size in craft stores. The Paper Shapers medium is 1/2".

There are some by Fiskars, but I've heard only bad things about their quality and durability, so I'll say no more. There is also one by Carl, which is advertized as a 1/4" cut, but I haven't seen one.

Finally, all the punches I've tried make clean cuts, but you need to spend some time practicing on scrap paper before attacking something you care about.

February 16, 2009

I have the Carl on my desk right now. It's held up well after about 4 or 5 years.

Zoe

February 16, 2009

Thanks for that information, Wendall and Zoe. I've been contemplating whether i needed one. seems it would be useful. [i make spiral bound journals/notebook.]

February 18, 2009

How intriguing. I hadn't known that such a useful tool existed. Thanks for the details.

February 23, 2009

Note: I've found that the 3/16" punch advertised by Stampin' Up is actually the 1/4" punch from EK Success in a different color of casing. Just an honest mistake, I guess. Those two sizes are very close.

So, the only option for that size is the 5 mm punch which is sold under many brand names around the world.

September 17, 2012

I have found these inexpensive corner rounders made in China by Jetyoung. They are ugly, but very sturdy and make a clean cut. The available sizes are 2, 3, 5, and 10 mm.

The ones I got had factory grime, so I had to disassemble and clean them so they wouldn't leave marks on paper. Be warned, that was not an easy job.

You can order direct from Jetyoung, but shipping is expensive.

The only importer to the USA that I know of is Oregon Laminations Co.

October 1, 2012

these remind me of the automatic numerator, quite common in the past but no one uses them anymore.

October 1, 2012

Nice to see another fall for the charm of the rounded corner lol. I've been busily rounding corners on all kinds of things for years, but it's only been in the last couple years that I've begun to do it on all types of writing paper. At first I did it because I liked the look, but like you, I quickly discovered what a difference it makes in terms of preventing wear to stuff you keep around for a while. That's what made me decide to do this systematically rather than just when it would look pretty. I got a punch labelled 'heavy duty' in the spring of '11 and haven't looked back since! hehe

One thing to note: If you're doing this to your writing notebooks and papers, it means you do a lot of punching in one session (can't very well have half the pages in the same book rounded and half pointy lol) so it really pays to have a 'heavy duty' style punch, rather than the more common type used for paper crafts or light office use; the former style holds usually about twice the paper or more than the latter, so it saves you having to do just a couple sheets at a time. It is easy to recognize them because the heavy duty styles are shaped like pliers (see the ones in the picture Wendell posted, but they don't have to be this hefty to work just fine). The typical scrapbooking ones are designed like any other paper punch, with a button that you press with your fingers or the heel of your palm for extra power . But the jaws are smaller and thicker stacks don't fit. The marvy uchida and the angle eater Wendell linked to are good examples of this style.

The one Wendell posted seems pretty awesome, it looks like it could chew through a stack of credit cards or something like a champ But if you're after something more compact and don't mind a small loss in cutting power, here is a couple I have found:

- EK success heavy duty rounder punch. This is the one I've got. It's no bigger than a pair of jewelry/beading pliers, although heavier, and it's got a slider to keep it shut for easier storage. I did a little experiment with some 220gsm drawing paper (the only one I had around where I knew the weight but the corners weren't already cut, lol) and I could cut a whopping 8 at a time! That means about 20 sheets of weighty writing paper, which is about 90gsm (22 sheets if you settle for 80gsm, like Moleskine use). The disadvantage is they only do one size, and it's not the widest angle.

- the zutterround-it-alls, in the 1/4" and 1/2". These actually look stronger than mine, but also bulkier. I don't know how they perform, as I haven't tried them, but I think I'm starting to itch for an upgrade and these are said to cut through acrylic and clipboard wood, which should make for some pretty interesting possibilities so I soon might

These also have the benefit that they are easier to get a hold of and cheaper than Wendell's, so they might be nice if you want to try it out.

October 1, 2012

If you want to do a bunch of sheets at a time, the PhotoMax works well, and I have used one for years. Multiple die cutters available. Obvious downside is $200 cost.

Edited October 1, 2012 by SamCapote