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3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 2nd, 2020, 10:34 pm
by hoodsmommy
https://michal.kosmulski.org/origami/en ... usage.html

MichaƂ Kosmulski says that people are now 3D printing cutters similar to envelopeners. Does anyone know where to get the plans for such a thing? I looked at Thingverse and couldn't find anything under paper cutter or envelope or letter opener.

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 4th, 2020, 5:29 pm
by steingar
They're really cheap. Don't know why you'd want to bother printing on them, unless you want your logo on one or something.

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 4th, 2020, 9:07 pm
by hoodsmommy
The Dutch co. that used to make them stopped doing so years ago when the owner died and his sons decided not to continue making them. The only place I know to get one now is Origami Shop (limited supply) for $5 + shipping, so not cheap at all. I currently use a Midori letter opener ($13 and has to be ordered from Japan via Amazon - even the Mido shop in San Francisco's J-town quit selling), have taken to attempting to sharpen the blade in my envelopener on a sharpening stone and have played with Jo Nakashima's blade on a card solution with mixed results. Nothing is quite as good as the envelopener.

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 5th, 2020, 7:21 am
by origami_8
Yes, they used to be really cheap, but apart from a few fast emptying stocks of some Origami organisations they are almost impossible to get nowadays.

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 5th, 2020, 6:08 pm
by steingar
Ahh, so I see. What a shame. I've only a couple, so I suppose I should start reverse engineering them and hit up one of my pals with a 3D printer. I suspect the biggest problem will be sourcing the blade.

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 5th, 2020, 6:24 pm
by origami_8
I couldn't find the exact same blade on the internet, but you can easily get blades for x-acto knives. Given that you would have to draw the 3d-files of the design anyway, it should only be a small adjustment to fit in the other blade.

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 5th, 2020, 8:17 pm
by hoodsmommy
On top of everything else, the Midori cutter is getting hard to find and I wonder if Midori is going to discontinue it. In playing around with Jo Nakashima's blade on a card cutter youtube.com/watch?v=KMOJJHtQeko I discovered that the two things that make the envelopener really work are 1) guide for paper so that blade intercepts the paper at the right angle (no guide and the blade can deviate from the crease) and 2) (this is what I think will be tricky) something to hold the paper together just before it reaches the blade. If there is nothing holding the paper together, you don't get a clean cut. Jo accomplishes holding the paper together by putting a thumb right next to the blade (too dangerous for my taste!!) and an enveloper accomplishes this with two thin plastic strips that hold the paper together just as it reaches the blade. I suppose you could write the folks at the EMOZ museum to see if they're willing to part with plans - when I started the thread I just assumed they'd be posted somewhere.

Edit: I found the dutch patent for the envelopener
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis ... 02638A.pdf

and a couple Midori patents
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis ... 01046U.pdf
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis ... 115568.pdf

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 6th, 2020, 10:22 am
by origami_8
Right now I have very limited time, but at some point I want to draw the necessary files and try to print a paper cutter. I already have the blades and I also own a 3D-printer. Shouldn't be too hard to come up with a design.

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 8th, 2020, 5:54 pm
by steingar
origami_8 wrote:Right now I have very limited time, but at some point I want to draw the necessary files and try to print a paper cutter. I already have the blades and I also own a 3D-printer. Shouldn't be too hard to come up with a design.
Anna, you go for it. I like the envelopener, but to be honest I can get really good cuts with my knife. But I bet if you're successful you'll be able to sell lots. I figured with the Coronavirus running around you'd have more time than usual...

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 9th, 2020, 8:40 am
by origami_8
steingar wrote:I figured with the Coronavirus running around you'd have more time than usual...
On the contrary, I'm one of the few people who have less time through Corona than usual.
In a little over a month my current semester will be over and I hope that I can then do some of the things I've been waiting to do. Until then I have to write four computer programs, two technical papers, two exams and do three group works, next to the usual weekly tasks like writing learning diaries (each around 5000 words) for courses we have to do ourselves (like the Udacity Kotlin lessons) or preparing possible presentations for lectures where we get a list of questions and have to check at least 60% where we can be called out any time to present them to the class.

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 10th, 2020, 2:20 pm
by steingar
Sucks for you. I'm off for the summer. I should be working on my Stem Cell course, but I need the University wifi for that (academic subscriptions). Sorry to hear you're slammed. I was slammed. hard last semester.

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 10th, 2020, 4:26 pm
by origami_8
I'm not familiar with the word "slammed" in this context. Would you mind explaining it to me? (Pretty please!)

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 10th, 2020, 4:39 pm
by OrigamiasaEnthusiast
I believe his wording in this context means that you given so much work...You get slammed with a lot of work, for example. Steingar can probably explain better than I.
I understand the context but my wording is bad... #-o :?

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 10th, 2020, 9:19 pm
by origami_8
Thank you, that makes sense. I try to improve my English, so I'm happy to learn new words.

Re: 3D printed "envelopener"

Posted: June 10th, 2020, 10:39 pm
by OrigamiasaEnthusiast
No problem! Your English is already pretty good though.