A Bone Scorer is a dulled edge tool commonly used in bookbinding. It may be foreign to many new and aspiring bookbinders. And not many know of its usefulness.
The number 1 question that we get from new or aspiring bookbinders is: ‘Can we use a ruler instead?’.
And thus, we have decided to lay out 3 differences of between bone scorer vs a ruler when it comes to scoring paper in this blog post.
Ease of use
Once you have used a bone scorer to score paper, you will never look back again, ever. Because of the material and design of a bone scorer, scoring paper only requires 1 sweep across your paper to get it folded nicely.
A ruler usually requires one to sweep across the paper several times to get the paper folded properly.
Possible damage to paper
With it’s dulled edges, a bone scorer is highly unlikely to damage your paper craft.
A ruler may have sharper edges which may tear your paper if too much force is applied during scoring.
In addition, some rulers tend to retain pencil, pen or marker markings along its edges. These can stain your paper during the scoring process.
Cost
A bone scorer (also known as a bone folder) costs between SGD$8.45 to SGD$13.80 (at Art Friend), depending on its size. While a metal ruler costs just SGD$2 to SGD$5 (at Art Friend).
Its price may deter many new bookbinders who are not sure if it’s worth the investment.
In fact, a bone scorer can also be used in other handicrafts such as cardmaking, or any art that requires you to fold paper.
It can also be used when you are trying to fold a thick cardboard or thick stack of papers.
Conclusion
As bookbinders, the bone scorer is a lifesaver especially when we have to score 40 over pieces of paper for a book project.
However, depending on your needs you may not want to invest in a bone scorer and only use it a few times.
If you are into papercraft that requires folding, do consider getting a bone scorer.
Where to Buy A Bone Scorer in Singapore?
Bone scorers can be found in some art supply stores in Singapore. Art Friend carries a range of bone scorers. Do call them to check if there are supplies as these go out of stock frequently.
For a cheaper alternative, you can email us at contactus@bookbindingworkshopsg.com.
Time to time, we do bulk purchases of bone scorers and can get good discounts on our purchase. We can pass these savings on to you, so do check with us if you are interested in purchasing one!
[goal id=”156″]