Just wasted $45 on a cheap bone folder from a craft store

Picked up a bone folder from Michael's for making book creases. Thought it would save me from ordering online. Thing snapped in half on my third book. The plastic core inside just gave up. Lost the money and had to wait for a real one from Hollanders anyway. Anyone got a brand they trust that wont break the bank?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_emery23d ago

Did that bone folder have a plastic core running through it? I had the same exact thing happen with a Michael's folder a few years back. It's so frustrating when you think you're getting a good deal and it turns out to be basically a toy. The real bone folders made from actual cow bone are completely different, they'll last you a lifetime if you take care of them. I ended up buying a single one from a bookbinding supplier online for about twenty bucks and it's still going strong after five years of heavy use. The thing is, some of those cheap ones are just painted plastic or resin, they'll never hold up to real pressure. At least you learned your lesson early, lots of folks buy three or four before they wise up.

young.kim23d ago

Don't think Michaels sells bone folders, they're more of a craft store thing.

shanelee23d ago

Totally agree on the painted plastic thing, I had a "bone folder" from an Amazon bundle that literally started flaking white paint after one session folding cardstock. Actually ended up using a wooden chopstick for months after it snapped, which worked but looked absurd every time I pulled it out of my bag. The real cow bone ones feel completely different in your hand, almost like they have a bit of weight and warmth that the fake ones just can't mimic.