If you've ever folded a thin piece of cardboard, such as a cereal box, you know that heavyweight card stocks must be scored before folding to avoid cracking along the fold. Making a crease in the stock before folding also makes folding much easier and more accurate, and gives your design a crisp, clean, professional appearance.
You may be wondering how to score your own card stock. There are numerous tools for card making and paper crafts, ranging from basic to advanced, which we have reviewed below. Read about each one and then decide which one is best for you and your paper crafting needs!
1. A Butter Knife. Yes We’re Serious.
To score paper, all you need is a thin tool with a smooth surface that can apply enough pressure to make a crease. As absurd as it may sound, a butter knife meets this requirement (just steer clear of the serrated edge).
How It Works
You'll need a ruler or other straight edge to get a crisp, clean, straight score with a butter knife. Simply place the ruler and the smooth edge of the knife on the paper where you want the score, pressing firmly as you go. You may want to repeat this step once or twice more to ensure that the crease is defined.
2.Bone Folder
A bone folder, when used in conjunction with a straight edge, performs the same function as a butter knife but is more socially acceptable in the craft world. Some bone folders are made of bone, but many are smooth, hard plastic with no serrated edges to worry about.
3. A Scoring Board (We Like the Scor-Pal)
Scoring boards, such as the Scor-Pal, usually come with a bone folder and make scoring much easier. They include built-in measurement as well as a series of grooves to guide a bone folder through, making scoring faster and more convenient.
How it Works
Place your paper against one of the board's straight edges and use the built-in measurement to determine where you will score the page. Guide your bone folder along the paper with a straight edge parallel to the score line/groove in the board below. Because the paper will be forced into the groove below, you won't have to press extremely hard or go over the score numerous times.
4. A Rotary Trimmer with a Scoring Blade
Oh, the handy rotary strikes once more. Simply remove the cutting blade, insert a scoring blade, and you've got yourself an incredible scoring instrument!
How it Works
Rotary trimmers, also known as rotary scorers, have a circular blade that is directed along a track. They contain built-in measurement and swing-out arms for aligning the paper, making it simple to produce straight, accurate scores. Simply insert the paper beneath the track in the right area and roll the blade along - it's that simple!
