Cutter Description/Owner Interview:

I would describe this tool as a sleek millennium version of the standard pistol grip cutter. The design engineer for Gryphon is “Tung Tran”. I spoke with Tung briefly about the new cutter and became very interested. I also spoke to the company’s owner “Bob Baumbach”. I had the opportunity to ask a few questions of Bob and satisfy my curiosity. 

Q: What was Gryphon’s motivation in designing this new cutter?

A:      #1: To produce a cutter more comfortable to hold and one that is ideally ergonomically developed to reduce stress and fatigue on the arm and wrist.         

#2: To give the components of the housing longevity by placement of the internal oil feed tubing.

Q: What advantage does this separation add to the life span of the tool?

A: Oils can react on the interior of the plastic casing; by breaking down the adhesive that joins the two half’s of the handle together.

Q: Why is the cutting head shaped different from other heads?

A: This design allows the cutter to be held perpendicular to the glass and with the tail of the handle almost on the glass thus allowing more shallow cuts and thereby relieving stress on the arm and wrist of the craftsman.  

For my reviews Gryphon was kind enough to supply me with the three new cutters they have in current production. This review will focus on the.“Studio Cutter” pistol grip design.

New Package:

Nicely packaged in a yellow box with Styrofoam support, the tool comes with a handy plastic oil dispenser for applying oil into the internal tubing within the cutters handle. A standard instruction sheet is also supplied. First I held the cutter to inspect it for quality or flaws. My initial thought was that the studio cutter really is designed to fit your hand. The handle was shaped as if you had griped and squeezed a log of clay. Your hand will fit to the contours of the handle and holding it becomes easier by way of the thumb stop and underside finger indents. The thumb stop serves all sizes from large to small hands and eliminates your slipping. Right or left hand artists need not worry; this cutter will perform ideally for either hand.

Parts/Appearance:

After a closer examination I noticed the striking color, what you’ll really see is not just another pretty face. In other words say you are looking for your cutter among a clutter of tools and objects, you’re gazing over a plywood working surface and looking for a traditional clear or transparent cutter, they almost blend in with the wood, not the Gryphon, its dark purple with shiny brass fittings and pretty hard to miss.

Cutting:

Looking past the obvious I paid particular attention to the shape of the cutting head and noticed a more angled taper than most heads usually have. I wondered what advantage this will have during common everyday cuts. As a commissioned studio artist and supply outlet owner, I do a lot of straight cutting, and as such I need a cutter that I can depend on and one that won’t cause fatigue to my wrist and grip reflex over long cutting sessions. With this thought I set up my work surface and pulled out some sheets to be cut. My normal way of cutting using this type of cutter was to hold the tool almost perpendicular so as not to allow the head to scratch along the glass. With the Gryphon I was able to perform faster while my shoulder and down through my elbow felt more relaxed. I also lowered the back of the handle toward the glass which reduced stress on my wrist. The thumb stop allowed a more accurate follow through, while I scored the glass. On arched or curved cuts I genteelly twisted my wrist right to left and following through with the thumb stop as a guide, there was a noticeable improvement on my cutting accuracy in this area.

Cutting Head:     

The swivel/pump action is pretty standard on a lot of today’s cutters. By pushing down on the cutting end it pumps oil out onto the wheel thereby lubricating the wheel while the crafter runs out the score. One attribute the Gryphon Studio Cutter has to offer that sets it in a field of its own, would be the parts they use. No skimping on costs here, only high quality brass fittings are used which will ultimately extend the life span of the tool. Precision tooled brass will wear very well with the friction of the up and down movement. Changing the cutting head is very easy to do. You simply unscrew a small screw on the tapered head and slide it off a small shaft. Another head is just as easy to re-install. The life of the cutting head will depend on the type of glass cut, if the crafter is heavy-handed, the amount of oil kept in the chamber or on the head, and re-scoring over the same area which will pit the wheel of any head and render it useless in no time. As stated earlier the cutters design allows for both large and small hands to benefit from the ergonomics and overall comfort. To prove this point I needed a second opinion to be fair and thorough. For this review I had my wife test out the cutter with her smaller hand size and more feminine grip. Her initial thoughts were as follows.

From a ladies perspective:

All my life I have loved to work with my hands, and have always been frustrated by tools that have obviously been built specifically for men. Recently I tried The Gryphon Studio Cutter, Rob said it was designed for men and women, and would I give it a try. To my delight I found it not only fit my smaller hands perfectly, but added an increased degree of dexterity and precision to my glass cutting ability. What I liked most about this cutter was the thumb rest, it seemed to be something other cutters didn't’ have and actually proved to be a benefit in holding the tool. For ladies starting out try out this cutter I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Way to go Gryphon.

Now when you cater to men and women, large and small hand sizes, right or left handed people you’ve pretty much covered the spectrum of users. Oh yes for the beginners and seasoned crafter's try using the Gryphon Studio Cutter, you are going to like the look and feel of the tool as well as the obvious outstanding performance. The Oak Tree gives this cutter 4-legs and our crafter's choice pick, for Best New Design of the Year.  Thanks Gryphon!