this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2026
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What is this thing?

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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).

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[–] myspecialpurpose@lemmy.ca 55 points 4 days ago (1 children)

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.

[–] Slashme@lemmy.world 7 points 4 days ago (2 children)

So it's a kitchen chopping board? Nothing to do with drafting?

[–] myspecialpurpose@lemmy.ca 48 points 3 days ago (1 children)

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.

[–] Contramuffin@lemmy.world -1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

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

[–] myspecialpurpose@lemmy.ca 13 points 2 days ago (1 children)

A pizza cutter and a rotary cutter are different tools used for different applications, so yes, the term is used very commonly.

[–] Contramuffin@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

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")

[–] Semester3383@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

I've worked in sewn products for >15 years now. I've never heard them called that, by anyone.

[–] tburkhol@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago

More cosmetic than functional. Like a charcuterie board for presenting/serving meats & cheeses.

[–] phtheven@lemmy.world 15 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

I think that's epoxy resin with some glitter in it. So very hard plastic is spot on. My guess is that this is a cutting board with a "decorative" resin poured into a routed dado. The previous owner may have used it as a makeshift drafting table or drawing surface.

[–] Droechai@piefed.blahaj.zone 11 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Is the plastic ferro-magnetic?

[–] Slashme@lemmy.world 11 points 4 days ago (1 children)

No, it doesn't respond noticeably to a magnet.

[–] SpikesOtherDog@ani.social 0 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Guess you could replace it with resin that had iron fillings added. Not that you need to, but I find the idea interesting.

[–] KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 days ago (2 children)

For those times you want to pin your meat down with a magnet?

[–] SpikesOtherDog@ani.social 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I figured it was being used as a drawing surface, so magnets could keep the paper in place.

[–] KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 3 days ago