Introduction: Paper Cuttage
Okay, so we all know the nifty ancient art of...CUTTING PAPER! That's right...using a pair of 1st class levers with sharpened edges, to slice at a thin (or not so thin) sheet of paper. We have all grown fabulously spoiled to this way of doing things...BUT! What happens when you don't have a pair of scissors? Well...pray to god you have a ballpoint pen handy! It won't be as clean or precise...BUT! it can be done!
Attachments
Step 1: First, Things Required...
Things you will need...
A Sheet of Paper, or Pad of Paper.
1 Ballpoint pen.
Nifty little desk....
Step 2: Markage....
Okay, now you are going to take the ballpoint pen...and mark on the paper. Press down enough so you leave an indentation on the other side of the paper. and mark out the area you wish to remove...
Step 3: Removage!
Okay....so far so good? Spiffy...now...the "difficult" part. Okay, take the paper where you've marked with a line, and inset a groove on the paper, and pull apart, or make a tearing motion. It won't be a perfect cut, but it'll work for something so nifty and on-hand! It should come across cleanly. if not, stop and remake your marks.
Step 4: End.
The reason this works....
So you notice how you leave that little groove in the paper? It's common sense of course, "Put a groove in the paper...and tear it! The groove compresses the paper, and weakens it!" but! the ballpoint pen adds liquid to the mixture, thus the line on the paper becomes a perforation on the paper to tear along! Spiffy no? Yes....thought so!
First Instructable..sweet and simple...
*Note* - See the fact that I made a new rectangle? yeah..didn't make my line properly....so it tore..and I wanted it to look kinda spiffy...BUT, I was too lazy to start over....
9 Comments
14 years ago on Introduction
I did this a ton to my agenda in 7th grade study halls. I made little people pop out of holes and stuff. I remember making something where by pulling a tab, a character would be struck by lightning.
16 years ago on Introduction
Have you ever used "ruler-rip"? It's a very quick and effective shear process that takes seconds.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
You could also just crease it repeatedly and moisten the crease a little with some saliva, works great and you don't need a pen or a ruler.
Reply 16 years ago on Introduction
ahahah, I don't always have a ruler on me, but chances are always good I have a ballpoint pen.
Reply 16 years ago on Introduction
any smooth or laminated card works, hell even the pen laid horizontally if the paper is creased enough. but ive used this technique a bit lol in my science class. bitch wouldn't let my group use scissors, i swear she was a bigot. but anyways lol.
Reply 16 years ago on Introduction
ah yeah, there's all sorts of stuff you can use, the pen technique just caught my eye.
15 years ago on Introduction
I've been doing this for ever
15 years ago on Introduction
everybody knows that
15 years ago on Introduction
Heh, I"ve been doing this for years.