Logan LOG2000 Jn Mat Cutter Retractable Blade, Multicolor

This worked great and gave professional results. I practiced on a piece of mat board a few times before doing the final product. Key things to remember when using it to avoid the complaints of several other reviewers: 1. as with all skills, practice makes perfect. 2. be sure to have your board against something to stop it from moving in the direction of your cut. I clamped a straight edge onto my work surface. 3. be sure to use foam board under your board when cutting. I tried a cutting mat and it gave too much resistance so I ended up pushing too hard to keep control of my cut. 4. don't have more blade exposed than you need. Just barely through the mat board is what you are trying for. 5. I used my left hand to steady the tool while pushing the blade into the mat board at the beginning of the cut. 6. focus on pushing the tool down and forward, not pushing against your guide. Unless you have your guide clamped down also (which becomes cumbersome), you will end up moving off line as you progress. I used a metal ruler with cork backing as a guide and just held it down with my left hand. 7. When I lined up the tool for the beginning of the cut, I stayed toward the outside of the line just a tiny bit (see picture). Every board I cut the center stayed on the surface when I lifted the mat. Practice with your tool to find the perfect start. Hope this helps some of you. Happy cutting!

I used this tool to cut mats to frame about 30 posters of various sizes. I did read the instructions and watch a few videos of how to properly use it. They came out great.Now it’s been used by my nephew, who is studying to become an architect and he finds it very useful when has to build scale models.

--Overview--This piece of equipment is very low-tech and that can be a good or a bad thing. I've had it for a couple weeks and done two mat jobs with it. The description was accurate, and a lot of the reviews helped me understand which product I was going to need and how to use it.--Cons--It does very little to help you:- stay straight (you need a solid straight edge, clamped down is best)- apply sufficient pressure (a fair amount is needed to cut through even regular matboard), forget about cutting anything thicker than the standard thin matboard- start and stop at the right place (you have to be vigilant about where the blade is and keep it from going too far)- cutting whatever is underneath the mat your cutting. Protect your floor/table/etc. with some cardboard, self-healing mat, whatever you have since you need some blade actually sticking out the bottom to get it to cut all the way through.It took a couple passes on some of the sides of the mat to get all the way through and even then, I had some scary moments where the front of the mat could have torn. Luckily, it didn't go that way, but applying enough pressure the entire way and going all the way to the corners are important.--Pros--That said, it's easy to change the blade out, and intuitive to use so I can't complain very much. The solid extruded aluminum base and plastic rotating blade assembly feel like relatively high-quality parts that should last multiple uses at least.--How to learn to use it--The instructions were less helpful than the Amazon reviews and YouTube videos I used. I have very little experience matting and I still got a good enough result (see picture).--Price--Seemed a little high for a glorified exactoknife-on-an-angle, but I think it was ultimately a good value, especially considering the alternatives are all worse in their own ways:- fancier cutters (even more expensive)- having it professionally done (yikes, we're probably buying this product to avoid this one)- using an actual exacto knife and trying to maintain the angle with your hand (laughs out loud)

I found it really easy to set up and use, it is sturdy and did a good job on trimming a small amount off a mount I had that was too small, even for a newbie such as myself. The included blades are nice and sharp.

The original mat cutter I had was a cheap X-acto one from the local sewing/craft store. I've probably had it 25 years and use it very occasionally. I've always struggled to get decent results and always though the problem was me.Well I had a rare poster that I looked for for a long time and I wanted to do it justice. What a difference this cutter makes over my old one. Following the instructions and a couple of videos online I got excellent results the first time. Game changer. The tools make the craftsman.Wish I'd made the upgrade decades ago!

Pros:- easy to install the blade and easy to use. I looked up one Youtube video and got going.- It did a fantastic job of cutting through a standard matt- created clean and smooth angled edges- when not in use, the blade retracts into the cutter for safety and to preserve the blade- I have 3 matts that need cutting. Getting them professionally cut would have each cost the price of this cutter. I think this is a good value.Cons:- the description was not clear if blades were included in the package. I looked through every word in the listing. I had to pay for an extra pack of blades that I didn't need because the cutter comes with a 5-pack of blades.- the visible line on the tool that gauges where the blade is currently cutting is off by a couple of mm. This caused my cuts to go just a little bit further than I wanted at the corners. It is not visible once the frame is tight and installed, but it bothered me. I recommend practicing and maybe adjusting the blade to correct for this.Quick how to:- measure twice (or thrice) and use a light pencil to draw the lines, as a grid, where you will cut- set a clean piece of cardboard under the matt to protect the table or other surface- use a ruler, set precisely along the line you drew, to hold the matt down, in place, and flush against the surface- run the cutter along the edge of the ruler in a slow and smooth motion while you press down on it.