V-grooves on suedes

Emily

Grumbler
Joined
Dec 30, 2003
Posts
30
Loc
Beresford, SD
Recently an "experienced" framer told me to use Crescent suedes, not Bainbridge when the piece is to have a v-groove. She said that the Bainbridge cuts harder and Crescent Moormans turn out better. Have any of you experienced this? I use the Wizard for my mat cutting, if this matters.

Thanks,
Emily
 
Crescent suedes are thicker.

That could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what you're after.

I've always leaned toward the Crescent suedes, but I can't remember the last time I used a v-groove - in a suede or anything else.

Someone recently said they preferred the Bainbridge suede with their CMC 'cause it wasn't necessary to adjust the blade depth. I thought that made a lot of sense, even with a manual cutter.
 
The Bainbridge suedes are "floppy". That is all they used a Michael's. On occasion we had to substitute with a Crescent and I always found them much better to handle because they don't flop around as much. Especially the 40x60 ones, I defy anybody to get a 40x60 Bainbridge suede to lean against anything without curling up or flopping over. They are exactly the same colors so they must have different substrates they are adhered to.

For some reason I don't like the idea of a v-groove in a suede. I always do the 3-D double bevel thing instead.
 
I like the Cresent better because they are thicker.

The wizard will also leave markes where the wheels run on the face of the mat. I've found that you can usually take a brush (stiff brisle, knuckle type) and brush those marks out.
 
I've done V-grooves in suede mats, pain in the tuchis that they are. Of the two, the Crescent mats seem to be a bit more cutter friendly (I use a manual and ancient Keeton) Here's a handly little trick for you...The cut seems to get lost in the suede, so what I do is to take a (new) exacto blade, and with the board face up, bend it back a bit and shave a smidgeon off the line where the groove will be cut (supposing that you're using the surface V-Groove method I wrote about in PFM). This will make it a whole heck of a lot easier to see your start and stop points when you cut the actual groove.
 
Seth ;That's a great idea ,but all I do is to lift the corner and rub my finger on the inside edge which causes a sort of dog ear in the suede ( I do the same for all mats) and then I know exactly where to place the POINT of the blade to start the perpendicular cut.
If any remains are left THEN I use my Exacto knife to trim away the little square that is left in intersection of the two cuts. But make NO mistake "You Da Man of V-Grooves"
BUDDY
 
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