Cutting leather is tricky for most people who are not accustomed to it. However, for those who know the in’s and out’s, leather cutting is easy. Though it might take some practice to perfect the skill of cutting leather, you also need to equip yourself with the most powerful tool: a leather cutting machine.
While some may cut leather with a pair of the strongest scissors that they can find, it is still not a wise way to cut leather. Scissors leave rough edges and require a lot of strength from you, especially if the leather is thick. Getting yourself a leather cutting machine is highly recommended. Not only will you be able to free yourself from any unnecessary struggle, but you will also have a perfectly smooth cut as a result.
How to Choose the Best Leather Cutting Machine
Do you know how to choose the best leather cutting machine? Many cutting machines on the market do not only cut leather but can cut other materials as well. You might choose one of these versatile machines. However, in doing so, you must still learn the do’s and don’ts of choosing the best leather cutting machine.
Know What Types of Leather You Need To Cut
There are four basic types of leather. You can choose from full-grain leather, top grain leather, corrected grain leather, or bonded leather. Each of these types has its own purpose and common usage. Aside from the basic leather types, leather can also be classified based on its material, durability, and finishing touches during production. Therefore, you need to know the type and classification of leather you need for a particular project to pick the best leather cutting machine.
Check for the Cutting Machine’s Ability to Cut Thick Leather
Machines have their own limits when it comes to functionality. When purchasing a leather cutting machine, one important factor you need to consider is the thickness that it can cut. There’s no point in purchasing a machine that cuts less than an inch thickness if you have leather that is 1.5” thick. You have to double-check the machine’s specifications and features.
Ease of Use
Ease of use is an important factor when it comes to purchasing a leather cutting machine. For starters, it is highly advisable to get a less complicated leather cutter. This way, you can get the hang of cutting leather without the complexities of understanding intricate machine mechanisms. Even professionals who use leather also prefer to get a machine that is simple and convenient to operate.
Automatic vs Manual Operation
Most leather cutting machines nowadays are automatic. Some are even Smart Machines, making it even more appealing to use since the machine does most of the work for you. However, you still need to carefully choose whether to get an automatic or manual machine.
While automatic machines may have their own satisfying features, manual machines give you more control over the work. Just like with cars, there are still those people who prefer to drive manual transmissions over automatic ones. Consequently, you have to carefully choose between a manual and automatic leather cutting machine too.
Machine Flexibility
The flexibility of the machine is essential for every leather project that you do. Some leather machines are versatile enough to allow other fabrics and materials to be cut in the same machine. Moreover, you have to look for a machine with more qualities other than just cutting.
Today, there are leather cutting machines that do not only cut but also do embossing and piercing. Some machines are also adjustable when it comes to the pressure applied, cutting speed, and even the depth of the blade you use. These additional attributes make the machine flexible enough to produce quality leather cuts.
Versatile Leather Cutting Machine: Cricut Maker
One of the best leather cutting machines and one that we highly recommend is the Cricut Maker. Most Cricut machines can cut leather from genuine leather to metallic leather to faux leather.
However, the best among them is the Cricut Maker because it is the only model to use the knife blade. The knife blade can cut thick and dense materials like leather, wood, and chipboard. Since it does not only cut leather but other materials as well, it is a great cutting machine to have.
Specifically, the Cricut Maker can be used to cut garment leather and tool leather. For the garment leather, the Maker can cut thicknesses that range from 2-3 oz and 4-5 oz. Meanwhile, if you are using a tooling leather, then you can cut thicknesses of 2-3 oz, 4-5 oz, and 6-7 oz. The ability to cut varying thicknesses because of the knife blade makes the Cricut Maker an indispensable tool for leather cutting.
Additionally, the Cricut Maker also boasts other attributes aside from cutting leather and other materials. The machine can also write, score, deboss, and even engrave! Surely, you can do many craft projects with just one tool.
It also comes with a free design app that is compatible with devices like iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows. You will be able to unleash your creative streaks in more ways than one. You can also connect it via Bluetooth technology or USB to your device, making leather cutting and other projects easier to do.
And speaking of easy, it also has the “print then cut” feature! You can get your design ready, get it printed, and then cut all in one flexible and multi-talented machine. The Cricut Maker is, indeed, a friendly tool that all crafters and people who love DIY activities should have. Once you get your hands on it, you’ll never want to stop making more amazing and creative leather projects!