If it’s corrugated, you may need to cut through the same line 2-3 times to get all the way through it. The non-slip cutting mat protects your work surface from damage. Keep your off-hand at least 6 inches (15 cm) away from the blade while you cut.
Like the utility knife, you must use a non-slip cutting mat if you use a rotary cutter. The rotary cutter is a great option if you want to cut curves. You may be able to use a pizza cutter if it has a really sharp edge.
If you have gardening or trimming shears at home, those might be a better option. It depends on how sharp the blades are, though. If you have a whetstone or honing rod, sharpen your scissor’s blades before cutting especially thick cardboard.
You may be able to find one of these in a craft store. You’ll probably need to buy it online, though. This is a great investment if you’re a teacher or you have kids. These cardboard-cutting knives are much safer than other options. They really are quite dull compared to a regular knife. [5] X Research source
This is another great option if you’re going to have older kids cutting up some cardboard.
There’s a cutting guard that covers the majority of the blade, so these things are generally pretty safe. These cutters are also a great option if you regularly need to cut mesh, foam board, wrapping paper, or cardstock.
You must wear a dust mask and protective eyewear if you’re using a circular saw, since the blade may send shards of cardboard flying into the air. You can also use a band saw, electric cutting knife, and table saw if you know how to use any of these tools. [10] X Research source
Laser cutters typically have different settings for metal, wood, cork, plastic, and other materials. Make sure you change the settings so the laser is set for cardboard if you want crisp lines. Many universities have laser cutters for students to use under the supervision of professor.
You shouldn’t use wood or plastic as a straight edge. If your cutting tool catches on a non-metal object, it may cut through it.
Don’t press the tape down super hard if you don’t want it to peel up some of the cardboard when you take it off.
You can use a drawing compass to sketch out perfect circles. Alternatively, you can also trace a bottle cap or some other round object.
You can’t do this if you’re using a circular saw or electric rotary tool, but the good news is that you really don’t need to. Those tools won’t need any help getting through the cardboard.
You can try cutting halfway through cardboard with a utility knife to score it, but that can be kind of tricky to do without cutting all the way through the material on accident.
