The new Paper Trimmer by Stampin’ Up!

Hello and welcome to today’s special blog post featuring the new Paper Trimmer by Stampin’ Up! This highly anticipated replacement trimmer is currently available to demonstrators now thru October 31, 2019 and will be released for customer purchase by the end of the year! Since the release to demonstrators coincided with an order I was already planning to place, I took the plunge so that I could share with you what the new and improved trimmer is about!

Let me first start off with the old Stampin’ Trimmer, which I have loved since I purchased it 3 ½ years ago, and it was replacing an old Fiskars trimmer that I had had FOREVER. I know that one of the biggest issues was the trimmer blades, but I was pretty fortunate in that department. Of course, the more you use something, like a cutting blade, the faster it will wear out or “not cut as nicely”. I also learned that cutting Glimmer Paper took a big toll on the cutting blade. So, I purchased a guillotine paper cutter, nothing fancy, at a local office supply store. I find this is very convenient for cutting large amounts of cardstock (like Whisper White and Very Vanilla that I used a lot of for the inside of my cards) and cutting down glimmer paper. I still have my “dull” cutting blades and use one of those when I am cutting smaller pieces of glimmer paper.

Old vs. New: Size

When you have a side by side comparison, you will see the new trimmer is longer, but not as wide, which is because the new trimmer has straight edges on the sides, whereas the old trimmer is curved on one side and the other side has the curved lip to pull out the extendable ruler. 

The new trimmer is also thinner and lighter than the old trimmer. The new extendable ruler also slides into a locked place and does not need that little “kickstand” to steady the arm, there is a built-in footing for this.

Old vs. New: Measuring

The biggest difference with the new trimmer is that it measures in both imperial and metric. There are three places that mark the measurements, top, middle, and bottom, whereas the old trimmer just had them at the top and bottom. The new trimmer still measures to 6 ¼” across the top, but only goes to just over 4 ¾” across the middle and bottom to accommodate the extendable ruler. This is ok for me, but if you measure and cut from the bottom, this is a change that will need some adjusting to. The old trimmer had a “stop line” across the top so that you could see the measurement lines at the paper and above, whereas the new does not, only at the paper. This may take a little getting used to, but not a big deal. The measurement lines on the right side go to 1 ½”, whereas the measurement lines only go to 1 ¼” on the old.

The new extendable ruler is actually longer, up to 17 ¼”, whereas the old extendable ruler went just over 14 ½”. The new extendable ruler is also flush across when extended, whereas the old was not, making it easier to measure in smaller increments. 

Old vs. New: Handle

To lock the handle in place with the old trimmer, there is a button at the top that you slide to lock, but with the new trimmer the handle automatically locks into place when closed. This is pretty convenient, how many times have you grabbed your trimmer only to have the handle fly open and the cutting mat fall out? Yeah, been there many of times! Lol

The measurement lines on the handle are now on the right side, whereas the measurement lines on the old handle are on the left. I do like this, along with the fact that the grid lines on the trimmer base are bigger, making it easier to see the lines on the handle.

Old vs. New: Cutting and Scoring

Another big difference is the cutting and scoring blades, they are completely redesigned, so no, they will not work with the old trimmer. I feel that the glide in the handle is a bit smoother with the new trimmer. You can easily remove the cutting and scoring blades, there is a little area towards the bottom that you can easily pop them in and out in. If you are using the handle to cut or score, it is much easier to see where the blade is at along those measurement lines.

I have taken a close-up of the new cutting blades and the blade is so much bigger for the new trimmer!! Hopefully, this will mean getting more cutting out of the new blades, but if you notice, you can also flip them around in the handle. What I mean by that is, if you are one that favors cutting from the top or bottom normally, you can flip the cutting blade in the track and use the other side. The old trimmer only fit the track in the handle one way, thus you would have to adjust the direction you cut the paper. Also, maybe these ones can be sharpened, I never seemed to be able to accomplish this with the old cutting blades.

There is also no mat that goes in the track of the new trimmer, so no additional replacement parts to buy. The track in the new trimmer seems a bit deeper, so only time and usage will tell how often you will need to clean out those tiny bits that get stuck in there.

Old vs. New: Storage

The old trimmer has a handy storage area for your blades and other small items, whereas the new trimmer does not. That is just a matter of preference, so that just means that if you craft on the go, bring an extra trimmer with you to be safe!

Old vs. New: Price

The cost of the new trimmer is $25 (USD), whereas the old trimmer was $30 (USD), so the new is a few dollars less. The replacement blades now come in a pack of four for $12 (USD), which the old blades only came in a pack of two for $6 (USD), basically the same price. There is currently no option for replacing scoring blades, but that may be released at a later date. I still use my original scoring blade, so I’m fairly confident that the new scoring blade will last some time. I also wanted to add that if you are one that hangs or would like to hang your trimmer up, there is a notch at the top for this. I currently keep mine on my desk, underneath my Mega Stamp Case Shelf from Stamp-n-Storage, right next to my Stamparatus.

Hopefully I have covered the basics and have given you a good idea about the changes with the release of the new Paper Trimmer by Stampin’ Up! Whether you have the old trimmer or are looking for a new paper trimmer, I don’t think you will be disappointed! Once Stampin’ Up! provides a release date for customers to purchase the new trimmer, this information will be updated on my blog, so stay tuned!

Live in the USA? I would love to be your demonstrator! Contact me today to learn more about purchasing Stampin’Up! products, hosting a party, joining my team or if you would like a complimentary catalog! 

You can head over to my online store by clicking the Shop Now! button at the very top to see all available products.

I hope today’s project inspires you to get creative! Please contact me if you have any questions about the products used on this or any other project. I hope you enjoyed today’s blog and thanks for stopping by!