I got this as part of an eBay lot of drawing/drafting equipment. It looks like a cutting board but it has a hard insert (feels like a very hard plastic).
this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2026
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What is this thing?
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It’s a cutting strip made of phenolic resin that could be replaced. It was a precursor to self healing mats. More consistent cuts and easier on the blade.
So it's a kitchen chopping board? Nothing to do with drafting?
No, it was used for cutting paper not food, like with an exacto knife, or rotary cutter. The wood is the work space, you would only cut on the resin.
Genuinely, does anyone actually use the term "rotary cutter"? I feel like it's such a common sense thing to do to just call it a pizza cutter
A pizza cutter and a rotary cutter are different tools used for different applications, so yes, the term is used very commonly.
What I meant is colloquially, of course. I use a rotary cutter myself, but if I need someone to pass it to me, I just call it a pizza cutter. Less confusion and people just understand what you're referring to. So my question is, do people actually call it a rotary cutter in common usage
(I'm asking in a serious context, by the way. I feel like I can't be the only person who just calls it "the pizza cutter tool")
I've worked in sewn products for >15 years now. I've never heard them called that, by anyone.
More cosmetic than functional. Like a charcuterie board for presenting/serving meats & cheeses.