question on cutting

[WenchLadyKate]

Okay, little mom and pop fabric store in hackensack here has soem great stuff... Rolls of wrinked cotton at 2 bucks a yard and all kinds of wool gabs and twills and well, this is not my question. They have all this great boning that's priced well. I bought a bunch. Now, I have this roll of covered quarter inch and half inch steel boning. I've got a great pattern (thanks to Psyche who posted that site with all the patterns) and I'm dying to give it a go. I've made the muslin pattern and it seems like it's gonna work. I've got this great black and green fabric and it's all cut. So, how do I cut this boning? I've got plenty of that tool dip stuff for the ends, but I can't cut the stuff. Help...

[Ysobelle]

From everything I've read, you'll need a pair of tin snips. Best advice, take the roll to Home Despair and ask them what they recommend that'll last you a while, and not chew up the ends of the bones while cutting them. And get a file, too, to round them off!

[Jeannie Fitzgerald]

From your description, it sounds like you may have hoop skirt boning (two small flat wires encased in buckram or molded plastic). If so, tin snips will drive you (and your hands) nuts unless you are really strong. Try a small pair (12" to 18") pair of bolt cutters. You can use both hands on those.

[justLori]

From everything I've read, you'll need a pair of tin snips. Best advice, take the roll to Home Despair and ask them what they recommend that'll last you a while, and not chew up the ends of the bones while cutting them. And get a file, too, to round them off!

I concur with Ys. When I bought a roll of hoop boning, I ended up taking hte whole thing to Home Depot and batting my eyes at the guy in the Tool Corral. He knew exactly what I needed, we tried out a pair right htere to make sure they worked (he tried them and then insisted I try them, to make sure I was strong enough), and then he got me an unused pair off the rack to take home instead of the pair I had just used.

One of the best experiences I've had there. :)

just Lori

[WenchLadyKate]

Wow, thanks guys... How's this stuff work anyways, good? Nice and strong? I bought the whole roll of the stuff. It was on the junk table becaue someone spilled some red stuff on it. Got the whole roll for 5 bucks.

So, I'm off to Home Depot to flirt with the cute tool dude who sold me my drill. Woo HOO!!! Gonna get me some bolt cutters and files!

Thanks again!