Cutting Slippery Fabric?

[Tendertoe]

Scissors?
X-acto?
Rotary Cutter?
Bandsaw?
Laser?
Teeth?

I've tried the top 2 tools and have had limited success.

I'm talking uncoated ripstop, sil, etc. and long lengths - 50-120 inches

Methods, techniques, and tips are also appreciated.

[raiffnuke]

SHARP scissors or a good rotary cutter and a straight edge.

[JaxHiker]

Sawzall. or what raiffnuke said.

[burleyolebear]

Carefully fold squarely, use a straightedge that goes ALL the way across and then some. Use a rotary cutter and a cutting mat. That's what I used for my tarp and poncho(uncoated ripstop til I sil-ed them), worked great.

[JohnSawyer]

I used a sharpie to mark my lines, and blue painter's tape to hold it to my tile floor, though the tape really doesn't stick to Silnylon...

A good set of scissors that are sharp will cut without scissoring, just follow the line...

[JaxHiker]

I also purchased a small butane soldering iron with a cutting tip. It cuts through sil and seals the edge.

[gmcttr]

72" straight edge, hot knife/soldering iron/soldering gun with tile cutting tip (my preference) and a sheet of tempered hardboard for the work surface.

[hppyfngy]

Scissors work fine but you need to get a good pair and then do not cut anything other than fabric with them.

That's the key to keeping them sharp. Oh, and you can sharpen them too but that's another story...

These Fiskars are great!

[WhollyHamaca]

I use VERY sharp scissors that I reserve (hide) just for cutting fabric.

Also helps to tape the fabric down to table/floor. I use several 2" bits of masking tape, rolled into little loops with the sticky side out. Put the tape loops under the fabric just a little in from the edges (or else tape the edges down directly, no loops) and add some more tape loops between fabric & table/floor in spots further in. Keeps that slippery stuff in place while you mark & cut it.

[exdiver]

The rotary cutter is the way to go. I'll NEVER go back to scissors!! Laser was out of my price range!