Choosing a Quilling Slotted Tool

Well, hello there! It feels good to be back after dedicating August and September to creating projects for a new quilling book. Finally, a bazillion photos, how-tos, and the actual projects were sent off to the publisher - yahoo! The next morning I was on my way to California where my eyes enjoyed a nice break by gazing at mountains and the sea instead of tiny rolls of paper. Special paper-y things interjected themselves into the trip though, and I'll be sharing them on Instagram (@allthingspaper) in the coming days.

While writing a chapter about quilling tools, I realized it's been ages since I last discussed them in a blog post. I've always been a firm believer in using the most hand-friendly option, whether that means finger rolling, a needle tool or slotted tool. The decision varies from quiller to quiller and each person must make their own choice. My favorite might not be yours, yours might not be mine, and that is perfectly okay! I'll be focusing on slotted tool options in this post.

Most find the slotted tool to be incredibly easy to use compared to a needle tool because it grabs the end of a paper strip and holds it firmly while a coil is rolled. However, the tiny center crimp (1-2 mm) that the slot produces is generally frowned upon by quilling purists. The crimp can be lessened by making sure to slide the strip just barely into the slot and never so far as to bend it back on itself. To produce a coil without a crimp, one must finger roll or use a needle tool, corsage pin or any other slim, stiff wire substitute.

As a former needle tool enthusiast, I'm happy to report the standard slotted tool has evolved in recent years and there are now a few types available that produce remarkably small crimps. That said, don't throw away your standard slotted tool as it is still useful when making folded roses and fringed flowers. My lime green tool came with the ever-popular Klutz book/kit Twirled Paper from Scholastic.

This image shows four slotted tools, each with a representative coil.

Left to right: Japanese super-fine slotted tool (aka Maggie's tool), ultra-fine-tip slotted tool, Quilled Creations Savvy slotted tool, Klutz Twirled Paper standard slotted tool

And below is a close up image of the four coils in the same order as above.

 

I have been quilling with the super-fine tool sold by Stripe, a Japanese company owned by quiller Motoko (also known in the quilling world as Maggie), for nearly a decade. It produces a very tiny crimp. In all that time I have purchased only three, two of which are still fine. The first one broke after several years of heavy use and a few unfortunate drops. The trick while using it and any fine-tip model, is to not push it past its limit. If your method is to roll a coil and then roll it even farther/tighter in order to snap off the crimp, you can expect a fine-tip tool to break.

If you are not in Japan, purchase the super-fine tip tool from Etsy shop Quilling Maggie. You might enjoy my earlier post about being introduced to the Japanese quilling tool when I met Maggie in person.  

[EDIT March 2023: Maggie is still shipping the super-fine quilling tool worldwide, but Covid continues to cause delays. She can ship it via EMS to the U.S. for about $28. Alternatively, less expensive regular airmail has been taking about one month and does not include tracking or insurance. Contact her at info@e-bison.co.jp to place an order.]

The wooden handle ultra-fine tip slotted tool is no longer produced, but is still available from a few online suppliers. It creates the next smallest crimp, but not a perfectly round coil. It is the lowest priced fine slotted tool at about $4 and the handle is comfortable to hold. I do wish the ultra-fine slotted needle was inserted farther into the wood as it would provide more leverage and the tip would be less likely to bend/break.

The Ultimate Savvy Slotted Tool from Quilled Creations (about $12) was released this past year. I was excited to order one thinking it would be just like my favorite Japanese tool. While the barrel looks very similar and the wide handle may prove to fit easily in your hand, the crimp it produces is not quite as small as the super-fine or ultra-fine tools, but the coil is round like the ones produced by the Japanese and standard tools.

So which tool should a new quiller purchase? There is no easy answer... for example, some say slotted tools are not as comfortable for them as finger rolling, and I know a needle tool enthusiast who has quilled with a corsage pin for decades without complaint.

I use a needle tool for some projects, the Japanese slotted tool for others, and the standard slotted tool at times... in fact, both the needle tool and Japanese slotted tool were indispensable while making projects for my paper jewelry book. Luckily, none of these tools are outrageously expensive and all should last a very long time when handled with respect. Perhaps give each one a try to determine your favorite.

 

All Things Paper is an Amazon and Etsy affiliate.