Easy Cutter Ultimate — Cut at an angle with accuracy & confidence

Reviewed as follows by Adam Savage in the latest edition of Cool Tools:

Most people might not know about this lovely tool — unless you're a model maker. It is for precisely cutting things on a bias. The Easy Cutter has guides that make sure you get your angles correct and consistent. It can handle styrene, wood, foam core, and plastic stuff. For model making, when you're making tiny parts, this is a terrific way to make sure you're cutting small pieces precisely.

Reviewed as follows by April Canady in the August 27, 2007 edition of Cool Tools.

This tool allows miter cuts from 45°-135° of small pieces of wood, plastic, rubber, and even metal. As a miniaturist and model maker, I have found it invaluable for cutting one or a myriad of small parts at various angles and sizes.

To change the angle, you slide a self-indexing metal guide attached to the blade. I design and build furniture, accessories, and sometimes houses of the 50s, 60s and 70s in 1:12, 1:16, and 1:24 scales. When I'm in the middle of a project, such as the architectural model I'm working on currently, I use the Easy Cutter constantly — a few hours on at least a couple of days each month.

I have been using my cutter about three years now and a friend has been using hers well over five years without any trouble. You can buy new blades for this tool, but neither of us has found the need thus far. It's also worth mentioning that I have some arthritis in my hands and many tools are simply too difficult for me to use — not this one.

With one hand I can easily clamp the Easy Cutter down enough to cut through three layers of laminated Popsicle sticks. It's solid (hardened steel, rubber coated handles, stainless steel blades) and virtually silent — about the same noise as a pair of fingernail clippers, but without the annoyance of cuttings flipping through the air. Using it while talking or watching a film is completely unnoticeable. The Easy Cutter allows me to continue working while talking and sitting on the couch or on the porch with friends.

I have also handed this tool to my young friends (10 and up) when they're helping create miniature worlds alongside me, and although the spread of the handle is not geared to small hands, they have nonetheless found the Easy Cutter quite usable. I must caution, however, that the blade is VERY sharp and that this and any other cutting tool must be handled with respect for its damage capability.

I don’t know of another tool that addresses the need for an accurate, hand-held mitre-cutter at such an affordable price.

$23.01.