While a regular utility knife is capable of cutting a matboard, such a tool will not give the finished piece the same clean, bevelled border of which a dedicated mat cutter is capable.

The following article outlines the most common brands and styles of mat cutter for both home and commercial use.

SUMMARY

• Handheld: For home and light commercial use; $50 or less

• Tabletop: For regular home and mid-range commercial use; $100-$1,000

• Wall Mounted: For mid-range commercial use or space restrictions; $500-$3,000

• Computerized: Called CMCs (computerized mat cutters), these machines are self-standing with a built in computer; $9,000-$45,000

Though these cutters work well for small jobs, they can be difficult to use for extended periods of time. This is because they are designed to run along a straightedge or ruler. As such, manual pressure must be applied to both the ruler and the blade, and any slipping will damage the mat.

Perhaps the most appealing quality of these mat cutters is the price, and the ease with which they can be stored. Because most are no more than six inches long, a dedicated tabletop is not required. A handheld mat cutter is certainly a step up from a basic utility knife, and as long as the blades are regularly changed, a clean, sharp edge is possible every time.

BRAND	MODELS	DESIGN	MAX. SIZE	SHAPES	PRICE
X-ACTO	Handheld	Cuts matboard and foamboard 90° cut, attachment for bevel	Unlimited	Rectangular Square	$12
LOGAN GRAPHIC	Handheld	Compact, lightweight Push or pull along mat 90° and 45° cut	Unlimited	Rectangular Square	$20-$30
DEXTER	Handheld	Adjustable for depth Adjustable for angle	Unlimited	Rectangular Square	$30
FLETCHER	Handheld	Adjustable for depth, up to 1/4" thickness 90° and 45° angle cuts Double-sided blade can be pushed and pulled	Unlimited	Rectangular Square	$40
LOGAN GRAPHIC	Oval and Circle Mat Cutter	Compact, handheld design Simple, 3-step system Multi-opening, double, triple mats	4" to 20" diameter	Oval Circular	$50
LOGAN GRAPHIC	Tabletop, Model 301-1	Long, rectangular design Manual sliding blade	32"	Rectangular Square	$80 - $100

Dexter	X-Acto	Logan

These mat cutters feature stop guards that can be set to exact measurements, forcing the blade to start and stop exactly where the cut needs to be. In this way, each mat is certain to be exactly the right size, every time. Though the blade is still pushed by hand, the rolling track on which it is mounted eliminates some of the physical effort.

Mid-range, tabletop and wall mounted mat cutters can cut small to very large mats, including a range of border widths and board thicknesses. Wall mounted cutters can be easier to use because the blade slides up and down, instead of side to side, with a vertical dimension of up to 65". Some of the higher quality cutters can also cut foamboard, gatorboard, plexiglass, and even glass.

BRAND	MODELS	DESIGN	MAX. SIZE	SHAPES	PRICE
LOGAN GRAPHIC	Tabletop: Compact, Artist, Simplex, Framer's Edge, Platinum	Rectangular, tabletop design Cut foamboard and up to 8 ply mats Up to 8" border width	From 32" to 60"	Rectangular Square	$150 to $850
FLETCHER	Tabletop: F-60, GeminiPro, 2200, Titan Wall mounted: 3000, 3100, FSC	Rectangular design Some models cut PVC, foamboard, glass, etc.	From 40" to 65"	Rectangular Square	$700 to $2400
ESTERLY	Wall-mounted: Starter, Standard, Production, Advanced	Cuts glass and foamboard as well Multiple stops mean no marking the mat Attachment cuts oval/circle mats	40" width	Rectangular Square Circle/oval	Leased at $80-$200/month
KEENCUT	Tabletop: Artist Plus, Ultimat Gold	Stop guards and detachable squaring arm 45° and 90° blade heads	Up to 62"	Rectangular Square	$950-$1,700

Logan Platinum Tabletop	Fletcher 2100 Tabletop

In addition to basic rectangular and square, straight edge mats, many CMCs feature a 360°-capable blade head that can cut circles, intricate corner designs, and even shapes derrived from complex digital images. Some also include a stylus, which moves an ink pen in a pre-programmed design around the face of the mat to create French lines, and other line decor. Very specialized cutters even have a deboss feature. The opposide of embossing, this creates slight indents in the mat - designs, letters, or other images.

Because the blade head moves up and down and back and forth, the mat does not need to be rearranged for each cut. Rather, multiple mat openings can be made from one stationary piece of matboard. Though this does limit the length of board that can be used, most matboard is not available in sizes greater than 60".

BRAND	MODELS	DESIGN	MAX. SIZE	SHAPES	PRICE
ESTERLY	Esterly CMC	Cuts 20" per second 45° cuts Up to 6 ply matboard	40x60"	Software allows for many shapes	$9000 to $10,000
WIZARD	8000, 8500, 9000, Eclipse	Debossing and drawing capabilities 45° and 90° cuts	32x40"	Software allows for many shapes	$13,000 to $25,000
TRUCUT	Elan, Excel, Alpha	Cuts double and triple mats 45°, and 90°, reverse bevel cuts	48x66"	Software allows for many shapes	$22,000 to $40,000
GUNNAR	AiOX, 4001, F1, SPT32	Cuts 20" per second 45° and 90° cuts	49x74"	Software allows for many shapes	$24,000 and up
VALIANI	Plus, Geminus, Libra, Gto, Supreme, Pro Ultra	Also cuts gatorboard and foamboard 45°, 50°, and 90° cuts Stylus for drawing	up to 40x60"	Software allows for many shapes	$22,000 to $50,000

Wizard	Gunnar 601	Valiani Mat Pro

At KeenART Media, we use a high quality Fletcher tabletop mat cutter to create matboards with sharp, clean edges and beautiful bevels for all your picture framing needs. To see our full selection, visit our Matboards product page.

We also offer uncut, 32"x40" matboards, which you can find in our Product Store.

If you have any questions about our services or products, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our knowledgeable staff is always happy to help.

A division of USAOnCanvas.com Houston prints on canvas - Gallery Picture Frames SanAntonio Laser Engraving & Cutting Services