What is crimping?

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Nesting Crane
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What is crimping?

Post by Nesting Crane »

Yes, that is my question.

What is crimping? I have some projects that the instructions say to crimp, however, there are no clear instructions as to what that means. They do try to explain that, but they are too vague with their explaination. There is no clear picture as to what they mean by crimping. :-k
Joseph Wu
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Post by Joseph Wu »

This is actually a debated term. There are two different definitions for the word crimp, and a number of variations. If someone doesn't beat me to it, I'll write up a description when I'm not so sleepy. G'night!
MeadowMuffin
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Post by MeadowMuffin »

The best way that I can explain a crimp fold is as a combination of two reverse folds. Many times, the reverse folds share a common vertex (although not always) and folding a crimp is the same as folding two reverse folds one after another (although sometimes you have to do them simultaneously due to the nature of the point being folded). Usually, when a diagram says "crimp fold", it is implied "inside crimp fold", although sometimes, the next step may dictate otherwise.

*Normally*, the easiest way to do a crimp fold is to precrease the folds with simple valley and mountain folds, reverse fold on the mountain fold line and then reverse fold on the valley fold line.

I hope that makes sense.
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wolf
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Post by wolf »

Alternatively, you could describe it as a pleat whose two folds aren't parallel, but meet either in the spine of the flap being crimped, or at the edges of the flap. That's the other way of doing a crimp - do a parallel pleat across the flap, and then slowly ease either the centre or edges of the pleat apart.

But yeah, it's somewhat tricky to describe it in words; it really requires photos to show this.
Nesting Crane
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Post by Nesting Crane »

wolf,
But yeah, it's somewhat tricky to describe it in words; it really requires photos to show this.
Yeah, I see what you mean. A picture is worth a thousand words. :)
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