Phonebook paper: Some pages won't pushcut

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KennyB

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Jan 19, 2010
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Has anyone else ever noticed this? I can take a page of phone book paper and try to push-cut it. KNOWING that it should be able to, when it just folds over, I try a different piece of paper and it's fine. But then sometimes if I even turn the page to the bottom side, it won't work on that SAME page anymore.

What's going on here? Is this an edge defect or something wrong with my phonebook paper? Just always wondered what's up with this.
 
paper has a grain and will fold more easily in one direction than another. But that's definitely odd.
 
Paper has a grain direction, and what's known as the wire side and felt side. These describe the side of the paper that was up or down when it was manufactured and will influence in which direction it has more beam strength (in this case the ability to hold its own unsupported weight extended from a fixed point, or resistance to being folded or drooping as it is cut). Also it was manufactured, stored, and eventually printed off a roll that could be anywhere from 40+" diameter down to a 3" core. As the roll gets closer to the core it will naturally have more of a curl set into it and somewhat less beam strength than the paper on the outside of the roll. Where your sample sheet came from on the roll can influence how it responds to a cut test. I try to do all my paper cut tests at slow speeds - speed of the knife can greatly overcome weak paper and make the edge appear sharper than it really is. When done slowly this factor is minimized quite a bit but will still be evident.
 
HeavyHanded said:
Paper has a grain direction, and what's known as the wire side and felt side. These describe the side of the paper that was up or down when it was manufactured and will influence in which direction it has more beam strength (in this case the ability to hold its own unsupported weight extended from a fixed point, or resistance to being folded or drooping as it is cut). Also it was manufactured, stored, and eventually printed off a roll that could be anywhere from 40+" diameter down to a 3" core. As the roll gets closer to the core it will naturally have more of a curl set into it and somewhat less beam strength than the paper on the outside of the roll. Where your sample sheet came from on the roll can influence how it responds to a cut test. I try to do all my paper cut tests at slow speeds - speed of the knife can greatly overcome weak paper and make the edge appear sharper than it really is. When done slowly this factor is minimized quite a bit but will still be evident.
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You are exactly correct, HeavyHanded. I grew up in a newspaper family - and worked with large rolls of newsprint on a daily basis for many years. All the paper on newsprint rolls are oriented the same direction - for strength as it is being pulled through the press. That is why is it easy to tear newsprint straight down the page, but when you tear it crossways, it doesn't tear in a straight line. Likewise, cutting newsprint top to bottom is a lot easier than push cutting across the page.

TedP
 
HH and Ted, GREAT input. I'm learning a lot, yet again. Thanks for that. :thumbup:

My favorite test for newly-sharpened edges always relies on phonebook paper slicing and/or push-cutting. I have noticed some of that variability from page-to-page, which can be confusing and mis-leading if not aware that the paper itself isn't consistent.


David
 
I use the printed circulars from Harbor Freight cut into squares for testing my knives. There is a definite grain to it as it will cut fine in one direction, and not so fine in the other if the knife is not super sharp. I cut it up with scissors in a certain way so it will cut easy in one way (down the page) and not so easy in the other. Great test if you know about this in advance. I always knew there was a grain, but not why. Thanks for the explanation. Hang around here long enough and you can learn about all kinds of World Mysteries.

Blessings,

Omar
 
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