My bone folder snapped clean in half mid-fold on a commission last Tuesday

I was working on a custom leather journal for a client in Portland, pressing down a stubborn fold on some thick handmade paper. Heard a sharp crack and the wooden handle just gave way. Had to finish the job with the back of a spoon, which actually worked okay in a pinch. Anyone have a go-to brand for a really sturdy bone folder that can take some force?

3 comments

3 Comments

park.robin1mo ago

My buddy had that happen with a cheap plastic one. It split right down the middle while he was scoring a line on some cardstock for a wedding invite. Made a sound like a twig snapping. He ended up using the edge of his metal ruler to finish the batch. It was a mess.

kevin_dixon1mo ago

Heard the same thing from a craft forum, those plastic ones just can't handle the pressure.

gray624d ago

Had a wooden one split on me on a Tuesday too, but it was a cheap brand from a craft store. I switched to a Charles Brand bone folder about three years ago and it's taken some serious abuse since then. The solid cow bone ones don't warp or crack, and they have that nice heft that lets you really lean into a fold without worrying about it snapping. It costs a bit more upfront, but it'll outlast a dozen of those painted wood ones.