My boss in Phoenix watched me cut a seam and just shook his head

I was trimming the backing off a piece for a seam and he stopped me. He said I was holding my knife at a 90 degree angle and it was tearing the fibers instead of slicing them clean. He showed me how to tilt the blade to about 45 degrees and let it glide. The difference in the seam was night and day, no more frayed edges. How many of you were taught the right knife angle from the start?

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charlie2696mo ago

Read that in a woodworking book once.

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bethh206mo ago

Yeah, the "woodworking book" thing makes me think of that old saying "measure twice, cut once." I heard a guy on a podcast say it's not just about being careful. It's about slowing your brain down to see the whole project. Like, if you rush to cut a board for a shelf, you might forget to check if it's the right wood for holding weight. That extra look can save the whole piece.

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