Safe Hand Tool Options for Slicing Thin Wood Strips
Using a table saw to rip narrow wooden strips for crafts is hazardous, so hand tools offer a safer and cleaner alternative. Most thin wood can be sliced with a utility knife, diagonal pliers, or even scissors. Special veneer tape can be trimmed with ordinary paper-cutting tools.
By Casey Green
Utilty knifes cut strips cleanly.
For craft projects that require narrow wooden strips, turning to a table saw is risky. Ripping thin, slender pieces on such a machine can be dangerous. Hand tools provide a better approach: they tend to leave cleaner cuts and pose far less risk than power equipment. A utility knife, a pair of diagonal pliers, or even scissors can slice through most thin wood without much effort.
Using a Utility Knife
A utility knife can handle wood up to 1/4 inch thick. Its blade is razor sharp, and its tip is narrow enough to track a straightedge precisely. Place the straightedge on the wood—clamping it down is ideal, though not required. Score a line with an initial pass along the straightedge, cutting only about 1/32 inch deep. Then make repeated passes, each one deeper, until the wood separates cleanly.
Cutting with Diagonal Pliers
Diagonal pliers are not a conventional woodworking tool, but they can cut strips efficiently. They operate much like large scissors, yet they generate more torque. This allows them to slice through plywood up to 1/4 inch thick with ease. The downside is that the cut is rough, and the pliers may slightly crush the edges of the strip. When a perfect finish is not essential, diagonal pliers can produce strips quickly.
Scissors as a Woodworking Tool
Scissors are often overlooked in woodworking. Industrial versions, which can resemble a weapon, sometimes exceed 12 inches in length. Such large scissors can cut through plywood up to 1/8 inch thick, or even hardwood if it has been planed down to 1/8 inch. They make perfectly straight cuts with clean edges. One drawback is that cutting thicker material requires strength, so wearing gloves is recommended.
Working with Veneer
Veneer is a thin material, typically 1/32 inch or less. It is genuine wood, glued over composite material to create the look of solid wood. You can buy veneer in almost any species already cut into strips, known as wood tape. It comes in rolls resembling masking tape, but much larger. It is available with adhesive on one side or plain. You can cut it as you would paper, using any paper-cutting tool, including the old-fashioned guillotine-style paper cutter.
