# Cutting jute mesh groundcover



## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone has advice on the proper tool (large shears, tin snips or the like) for cutting this stuff. Even my kitchen shears that go through bone don't handle this stuff very well. I have to cut a lot of small pieces (10' - 12' lengths) and don't want spend all day with it. Thanks!


----------



## Warrant2000 (Oct 8, 2008)

Maybe a box cutter? Mine seems to cut through everything.


----------



## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

we used steak knives, but still had a lot of bitching!


----------



## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

I've never used the stuff, so I don't know how practical this would be, but I would think that if you could wedge one blade of your strongest, sharpest shears into the middle of the rope, you would have an easier time, as you would cut through half of each strand at a time...Just a thought


----------



## DarkShadows (Feb 6, 2006)

this stuffs a bitch to cut! My mom brought me home some scissors that will cut through anything and they did the trick. I was using a box cutter and it was taking all day.


----------



## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

very sharp metal snips..I highly do *not* reccommend a box cutter (showing off scars on tops of both thighs from box cutter accidents).


----------



## DaGhoulies (Oct 11, 2009)

When I was working at Spirit this year, I had to cut ALOT of Jute. I used a blue handled pair of scissors. Nothing really heavy duty but they werent flimsy, they were new and worked great on the Jute.


----------



## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

I found that a pair of kitchen shears worked. I haven't told my wife about it yet...


----------



## Dixie (Feb 18, 2009)

Otaku said:


> I found that a pair of kitchen shears worked. I haven't told my wife about it yet...


MEN!

**running to hide my 4th pair of kitchen shears!!!


----------



## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

(putting shears and special fabric-only pinking shears away)

Otaku- she's gonna kill ya...


----------



## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

I would think that long handled tree pruners would work, although I've never tried it.


----------



## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

I tried that, Doc, but the blades just "froze" when they tried to cut the jute. The pruners are pretty old. I may invest in a good set of electric shears next year - I'll be cutting up more of the stuff.


----------



## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Otaku said:


> I found that a pair of kitchen shears worked. I haven't told my wife about it yet...


I advise waiting until all the cutting is done before 'fessing up


----------



## scream1973 (Dec 23, 2007)

These work awesome for cutting it

http://www.homehardware.ca/Products/index/show/product/I1119000/name/cutter_utility_anvil_cut_3in1


----------



## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

scream1973 said:


> These work awesome for cutting it
> 
> http://www.homehardware.ca/Products/index/show/product/I1119000/name/cutter_utility_anvil_cut_3in1


Thanks for the tip! I'll pass on the electrics and grab one of these.


----------



## beadyeyedbrat (Oct 7, 2008)

He who touches my kitchen shears for anything outside the kitchen dies!


----------



## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

I use a knife sharpened to a razor's edge.


----------



## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

A scalpel and a metal straight edge to act as a guide.
The scalpel will cut it without any problems, you can choose the blade style you want to meet your needs. They are a good deal sharper than an Xacto knife, and like the Xacto, the blades are disposable so once they are damaged you can replace them without the damage to your kitchen sheers (or your body from the person who runs the kitchen).


----------



## silentskream (Sep 20, 2012)

miter saw.

you joke about ppl taking kitchen shears out of the kitchen, which i get super mad about.. but i use power tools for the wrong things too.. and the power saw works great on jute, if you have enough room to keep your fingers away.

I fold it up as narrowly as possible so that the part that needs cutting is right through the middle.. fold it up so that it's essentially a 2x4 of jute, and long enough that one person can be on each end, pulling it out. then the 3rd person operates the saw and cuts the line in the middle, the two on the ends fall on their backs from pulling so hard, and your jute is cut perfectly 
easy as pie.


----------



## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

Miter saw is a different take. knowing what I know from being in the safety field and seeing the after effects of what happens when rope gets twisted in machinery, no way in Hadies would I put a spinning blade against jute. But that is just me.


----------



## silentskream (Sep 20, 2012)

yeah - i take no responsiblity for the safety of the miter saw technique. I've only done it 3 times, and dont forsee doing it again.. it worked when i was in a time crunch.. but it's definitely not on the safe end of the option spectrum.

I'm just more of a "see if it works and keep a first aid kit/Emergency Room tech nearby" kind of person.


----------



## billman (May 3, 2006)

I bet one of these would work:


----------



## Palmdale Haunter (Mar 3, 2012)

I I have not used this stuff, but I would try those shears used by EMTs and Paramedics they cut through anything jeans, leather belts boots and the like... I have seen them in the tool areas of the home centers.. They have plastic handles and short blades that are angled about 45 degrees off axis.


----------



## VillaHaunter (Jul 13, 2011)

I have used very fine tooth sawsall blades for metal to cut 3 inch ship anchor rope no problem at all and that is just jute rope on steriods.


----------

