A Perfect Fold.

Post by **origami_8** » September 19th, 2005, 10:07 am

You could also try to fold with only one hand, but I think weÂ´re going off topic...

Post by **TheRealChris** » September 19th, 2005, 10:33 am

Or, if you want a challenge, I encourage everybody to fold in a darkened theater.

yeah, and if your lass catches you doing this, you can also learn to fold with a black eye

Christian

Post by **origami_8** » September 19th, 2005, 11:01 am

No, I think your boyfriend will catch your paper before you are able to begin...

thegnome54 · Post by **thegnome54** » July 6th, 2006, 4:52 am

I feel like a caveman, but I usually just grab a sheet of copy paper and make a horizontal valley fold from a corner, bisecting it, then make another fold along the edge of the resulting triangle that has paper sticking out, crease that really hard, and rip it. Usually this makes a perfect square with very little fringe, and it's easy to get, cheap, and larger than conventional origami paper from craft stores. Am I doing myself a disservice or does it not really matter for models that aren't ridiculously complex?

wolf · Post by **wolf** » July 6th, 2006, 6:23 am

No, a lot of us use that method too, especially when we're stuck in boring meetings.

It does give a fuzzy edge though, so if your finished model is such that there's a raw edge showing, it might, or might not be aesthetically appealing.

There's actually a name given to models that don't mind a bit of imperfection in the starting square. I don't recall who coined the term, but they're called 'forgiving folds'.

Complexity isn't always an indication whether a model is unforgiving though. I've found that a lot of modulars, particularly those by Tomoko Fuse, require perfect squares and perfect folding if you want to be able to assemble them neatly later on.

thut · Post by **thut** » July 6th, 2006, 8:50 am

A messy or ripped edge can look great in some models like Lang's lion http://langorigami.com/art/gallery/gall ... ?name=lion

origami93 · Post by **origami93** » August 8th, 2006, 7:51 am

i am trying to cut a square out of wrapping paper. how would i know if all the angles are 90 degrees if i'm cutting from the center of a big piece of paper?

Post by **Daydreamer** » August 8th, 2006, 10:44 am

You can find some hints about cutting paper to squares in the topic about making tissue foil: viewtopic.php?t=764

Brimstone · Post by **Brimstone** » August 15th, 2006, 3:17 am

I looked through the 5+ pages of this thread and didn't find an answer but if I skipped it, my apologies.

Is there any advantage of using a rotary cutter over an Xacto knife?

wolf · Post by **wolf** » August 15th, 2006, 3:45 am

Yes - there's less risk of dragging and tearing the paper with a rotary cutter. If you hit a particularly tenacious fibre with a knife, it could get stuck on the blade, and then rip the paper as the blade travels. With the rotary cutter, since the blade just goes round and round (sort of a put down-roll cut-lift off), this kind of ripping is less likely to happen.

Brimstone · Post by **Brimstone** » August 15th, 2006, 4:39 am

wolf wrote:Yes - there's less risk of dragging and tearing the paper with a rotary cutter. If you hit a particularly tenacious fibre with a knife, it could get stuck on the blade, and then rip the paper as the blade travels. With the rotary cutter, since the blade just goes round and round (sort of a put down-roll cut-lift off), this kind of ripping is less likely to happen.

I was hoping the answer was the other way around, that the Xacto was better than the RC. I have never seen a RC in my life but now I want one!!!

Joseph Wu · Post by **Joseph Wu** » August 15th, 2006, 4:59 am

Ah, but it's easier to stay straight with an X-acto blade than with a rotary cutter. Of course, your mileage will vary.

wolf · Post by **wolf** » August 15th, 2006, 6:09 am

It helps if you have a thick steel ruler. That way, you can slap the edge of the rotary cutter against it to minimize straying.

Anyway, in the end it probably boils down to practice and familiarisation with your cutting tool of choice.

Cupcake · Post by **Cupcake** » August 15th, 2006, 3:15 pm

wolf wrote:No, a lot of us use that method too, especially when we're stuck in boring meetings.

They don't have to be boring! Now, whenever paper (or napkins, or even plastic bags) touches my fingers, I automatically start folding... all this origami is really getting to my brain, and I think that might be a problem when summer break is over and school starts again!

Tjips · Post by **Tjips** » August 16th, 2006, 8:30 pm

I have found that a plain old knife is the best cutting tool in existence, or a sharp one at least

. I'm sure all of you have used the old slap a fold with a ruler from the inside trick. It work well enough in places like classrooms, but the tear is ugly, what to do? Use a sharp knife instead of a ruler!!! The sharper the better, and you don't have to worry about it not being straight, because it only cuts on the fold, which of course is perfectly straight.