One of My Favorite Tools: The Bone Folder

What exactly is a bone folder you ask? Let me enlighten you...

A bone folder is a tool used in paper crafts for folding, scoring and burnishing. Yes, it's made of bone (sorry to you veggies out there), typically of deer or elk. Bone is an ideal material because it is sturdy, smooth and grainless.



For scoring, the edges of some bone folders are sharp enough to score paper. After scoring, comes folding. For folding the straight edge of a bone folder also makes it ideal as a paper folding aid. The crafter can hold the bone folder against a scored line and fold the paper along its edge. The pointed end of a bone folder can also be used to square off a corner from within the folded area. Many crafters use a bone folder as a means of giving a folded page a more professional-looking crease. The friction between a finger and paper may create problems over time, but a bone folder's smooth surface can be drawn across the fold time and time again. The bone material allows the crafter to apply constant pressure while finishing a crease.