We R Memory Keepers $27
If ever a tool deserved the proverbial WTF!?, it’s this thingamajig. Like a hole punch on steroids, the Crop-a-Dile has two heavy-duty punchers that can burrow into material as gnarly as chipboard, and as hard as metal. It installs snaps, eyelets, and decorative buttons, and comes in eight different colors.
Wonder Cutter $13
Insulation foam makes a reasonably dense, strong, yet lightweight material for sculpting, modeling, and decorating. But it can be hard and messy to cut, especially if you want curves. Foam Cutter to the rescue! This inexpensive gadget holds a hot wire that’ll cut through foam like buttah.
« Rotary Paper Edger Fiskars $8 Working on a desktop-produced CD, the art designer told me to get a “perfing tool” for folding the covers and tray cards. So I found this widget, the Fiskars Paper Edger. It has a 45mm toothed wheel that perfs as you roll. Perfect for neat folding, especially on thick stock, and to create tear-off sections.
Zona Tool $7
A pin vise is a holder of small-diameter drill bits that allows you to manually twist holes into wood, plastic, soft metals, and more. When I first saw one, I couldn’t imagine it was effective, but The Zona, especially, with its large wooden handle, allows you to apply plenty of torque.
« Ultra ShapeXpress Fiskars $18 It may look like some kid’s science toy, but the ShapeXpress is a devilishly sharp cutter that can be used with stencils and plastic templates to cut out various shapes in paper or other thin materials, or you can use it freehand. Either way, it’s much easier than using a hobby knife or swivel-blade cutter. ×
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