you can use either the inside or the outside of a cut. No need to make a hole in the inner circle. or a cut in the outer circle

Cutting shapes requires a little practise, But if you use a ‘concave blade, a few minutes practice will see you through.

With very little practise, can progress important cuts, a millimeter at a time

To ensure that you makea totally controlled cut, your arm muscles should only supply enough muscle to almost move the knife. your thumb should be in control

This is your stanley Concave blade

Cutting in sheet vinyl is not difficult. Go about it in the right way, and have no miss-cuts.

With the vinyl positioned, curled up the wall a few centimetres; place the square close to the wall.

Position the square on the vinyl close against the wall. The shape of the square will  enable you to place your foot, using your weight to hold the vinyl flat. (see above image)

There should now be a finger-free area in front of you, with just enough gap on the far edge of the square to penetrate the tip of the concave blade.

 The concave blade will become wedged between the wall and the steel square. The width of a knife blade,

Occasionally I show customers how to “cut in” D.I.Y domestic vinyl. I needed a round object I could use when I showed the occasional customer how to cut around odd shapes..

An old biscuit  tin proved to work quite nicely. I would find a scrap of Domestic sheet vinyl. Lay it beside the tin that I had previously filled with a floor leveller. The extra weight was required  to make it solid and not slide across the floor easily.

This created for My temporary trainee an excellent round shape. This simple tool proved to be a perfect tool for practice “cutting in.” 

Success cutting around the tin consistently increased my trainees confidence. So I added two more square containers. Later, I swapped over to a fifteen-litre plastic glue drum because it was heavier than the previous tin. It was already made.  This drum was previously used  hold a display banner.  

My objective (as always) was to sell another short end of a roll, a remnant. I was occasionally getting a much bigger sale.

A few months later, I added two biscuit tins. This combination made a complicated shape; This was the sort of shape that a sheet vinyl layer would only rarely encounter.

Success cutting vinyl around this gave my trainees confidence

 “If I can cut around that, I can cut around anything”  I heard these words uttered on a good few occasions. 

A few months later, I added two biscuit tins. This combination made a complicated shape; This was the sort of shape that a sheet vinyl layer would only rarely encounter.

Success cutting vinyl around this gave my trainees confidence

“If I can cut around that, I can cut around anything”  I heard these words uttered on a good few occasions.

The  blocks were heavy, So I rescued a small childrens     play cart, repaired it.  so they can be moved easily. 

I found a small piece of non slip commercial vinyl and I stuck it on a piece of old plywood that arrived as a part of a pallet.

They made a pefect adjustable shape, I could imitate a toilet bowl, odd corners in caravan areas, I could imitate Island features in a smaller scale.

And the most usefull of them all

The Imitation toilet

(1) These blocks can be shuffled around, to make multiple shapes that might be found in caravans, toilets. kids Cubby houses etc.

(2) The commercial non slip (quite grippy surface) base, ensures they do not move easily.

(3) Perfect for the D.I.Y. to perfect his or her skills.

Using the square as protection against being cut(the square)is between the top layer and the backing of the vinyl)

Once again the square is acting as a guide. At the same time  actively protecingt the sheet viny from the inexperienced hands holding the knife

It will only take this young player  a few hours of practise and he will find the buiders square cumbersome.   And he will comfortably slip into freehand cutting.