Key organization isn’t one of those things many of us think about. We usually keep keys in a pocket, on a peg in the kitchen or sitting on a counter. If you manage a fleet of vehicles, construction equipment or even multiple rooms in a building, a security key cabinet can be a lifesaver. Carl, a leading manufacturer of office equipment, makes 3 different secure key cabinets.

Having worked as a custodian myself (keeper of the keys), I have used a key cabinet for key organization. The cabinet I used, however, was open-faced and had no front door. It was easy to reach in and grab a key. While this wasn’t as big a deal for me at the time, security is a growing concern. If keys aren’t meant to be used, they shouldn’t be easily accessed.

Carl has developed a unique key management system. Their line of secure key cabinets use a special color coordination system, combined with numbers. A color-coded tag is attached to each key, which coincides with a color coded hangers. Keys can easily be removed and added without much thought.

The best feature of the Carl secure key cabinets is that they can be locked. The cabinet can actually be closed and locked with one of 2 included keys. When locked, access to contained keys is near impossible. Once needed, an authorized person can open the cabinet and access keys. It’s that easy.

Carl currently offers 3 different models

1. Carl CKB-32 Secure Key Cabinet (32 total keys)
2. Carl CKB-48 Locking Key Cabinet (48 total keys)
3. Carl CKB-64 Security Key Cabinet (64 total keys)

These cabinets can be easily mounted to a wall for stability and security. These cabinets are also portable, featuring an easy carrying handle. The build quality on these cabinets is excellent, designed to hold up for years. Not only are they functional and affordable, but they look also great.

Time permitting, stop by and check out our entire line of security key cabinets here.

When people ask me what paper trimmer I recommend for scrapbook operations, I almost always recommend a Carl paper trimmer. This isn’t because Fiskars, Purple Cows and other brands are necessarily bad, it is because Carl goes above and beyond what you would expect in a paper trimmer. One recent addition to our site, which will probably be a huge hit with the scrabookers, is the Carl DC-300N premium 12″ rotary paper trimmer. This is my review.

Carl manufactures a wide variety of paper trimmers. This varies from handheld pizza-cutter-like trimmers to high-end professional trimmers for photographers. Carl paper trimmers are affordable. A few years back I purchased an RT-200 for my wife and she absolutely loves it.

The Carl DC-300N has a lot going for it. To begin with, it is made from 100 percent recycled materials. This is pretty cool in my book, and if you’re trying to be more green, an environmentally-friendly paper trimmer like the DC-300N is a great option. Both the metal and plastic components are made from recycled materials.

One feature everyone expects to have in a scrapbook-capable paper cutter is portability. While portability may not be a feature you need in a rotary paper trimmer, this cutter includes a built-in handle. Just grab the cutter and go! It also features several storage compartments where you can place extra blades.  You can see more pictures of the Carl DC-300N here.

Blades on the DC-300N are extremely easy to swap out. Not special tools are required. The cutting head itself keeps the blade safely covered during the entire cutting process, making the DC-300N extremely safe. The cutting head is also ergonomically designed to fit in the palm of your hand, making the trimming operation seamless. The blade itself is a premium carbide blade.

While you would expect a paper trimmer to cut only paper, the DC-300N can also be used to trim card stock, photographs, laminated material and more. It has a 20 sheet cutting capacity (with 20lb paper), so it is a pretty robust little cutter, especially considering the low price.

Accuracy may be one of the DC-300N’s highest selling points. The cutting blade is designed to stay true, stable and accurate during the entire cutting process. A built-in clamp helps to keep paper in place, eliminating the dreaded crooked cut. Specially patented Carl cutting rails also help keep things sturdy. This cutter is also pre-calibrated prior to shipping, ensuring accuracy.

One cool feature that I really like, which also helps contribute to accuracy, is the luminous paper holder. This is the green/yellow looking plastic piece you see in the picture. This holder is designed to gather light and highlight the item being trimmed. This puts you in control of the cutting process and makes it extremely easy to see what’s going on.

As you would expect with any rotary paper trimmer, the Carl DC-300N has a series of graphics, grids and rulers printed right on the base of the cutter. This makes it easy to align material for cutting. An adjustable paper clamp also helps you line up your cut.

Overall I have to say that this is a solid little cutter. While it isn’t designed for high-volume cutting, it is perfect for scrabooking, hobby cutting, photo trimming and much more.

You can find the Carl DC-300N premium 12″ rotary paper trimmer here and our entire line of rotary paper cutters here.

Carl rotary paper trimmers are some of the most popular trimmers we offer. There are many reasons for this. To begin with, Carl paper cutters are extremely affordable. There are a variety of different designs to choose from and many of them are available with interchangeable blades. Car trimmers are a huge hit with scrapbookers, photographers, hobbyists and others that need precision cutting. We are proud to announce that we have just added 7 new models to our site.

Carl has made many changes to their new lineup of rotary paper trimmers. These changes, in my opinion, are for the better. To begin with, their new paper trimmers are made from recycled materials. This is environmentally friendly and a rarity among paper trimmer manufacturers.

I’m also a big fan of the new color scheme. Carl trimmers used to have a blue and gray look, but now have a metal gray and black look. The new look is very modern and looks excellent sitting on a desk or table. Most of the new Carl trimmers are extremely portable and many even include a built-in handle.

One of the biggest changes is the addition of a luminous paper holder. This holder has a fluorescent yellow/green look to it. It is designed to gather ambient light; focusing the light on the item you are cutting. Because it is easier to see what you are trimming, cuts turn out better.

Here are the new Carl trimmers we just added to our site:

• Carl DC-95N Personal Rotary Trimmer
• Carl RBT-12 Personal Rotary Trimmer
• Carl RT-200N Professional Rotary Trimmer
• Carl DC-300N Premium Rotary Trimmer
• Carl DC-238N Heavy-Duty Rotary Trimmer
• Carl DC-210N Personal Rotary Trimmer
• Carl DC-220N Heavy Duty Rotary Trimmer

We are excited to have these new trimmers on our site. We have always had great luck with Carl. A few years ago I purchased an RT-200 for my wife and she loves it. I am certain you will love these new rotary paper trimmers. You can find our entire selection of rotary paper cutters here.

Paper cutters and trimmers come in all shapes, sizes and designs. What makes one trimmer better than another? A lot of it has to do with the build quality, reputation and price. Carl, manufacturer of several different paper trimmers, has developed a reputation for making great trimmers at an affordable price. Is a Carl paper trimmer a good choice for you? Let’s find out.

To begin with, about 90%+ of Carl’s paper trimmers are what’s known as rotary paper cutters. They use a small pizza cutter-like blade that rolls around in a specially designed cutting head. This wheel rolls across paper, cutting it in the process. Rotary paper cutters are known for being accurate and ideal for use in photography, and perfect for scrapbooking purposes. Carl also makes a few different 2 and 3-hole paper punches as well as an entry-level corner rounder.

I would consider Carl to be on par with most entry to mid-level paper cutters, such as Fiskars. The quality isn’t up to high-volume cutting levels, like Rotatrim, but they work great for home and small business use.

The Carl RT-200 / RT-218 and the DC line (DC-210, DC-238 & DC-250) of paper trimmers are by far the most popular trimmers available. These cutters feature interchangeable blades that are extremely popular for crafts and scrapbooking. Some of these interchangeable blades include:

• Perforating Blade
• Scoring Blade

The RT-200 / RT-218 and CC-10 include unique trimming blades such as:

• Deckle Cut Blade
• Shortwave Blade
• Pinking Blade
• Scallop Blade
• Squiggle Blade
• Victorian Blade
• Colonial Blade
• Wave Blade

This combination of different blades, interchangeable blades and overall reliability make our Carl paper trimmers a hit. I even purchased an RT-200 for my wife for her own photo-trimming projects.

So is the Carl line of paper cutters perfect for everyone? I wouldn’t recommend Carl paper trimmers for print shops, copy centers or larger businesses, but I would certainly recommend them for home use, school use, small-business use and other occasional cutting projects. Carl paper trimmers look great and are very portable.

You can find our selection of Carl paper trimmers here and our entire selection of paper cutters and trimmers here.

Three-hole paper punching is one of the most common office activities, just below stapling. This is because many businesses use 3-ring binders to store and organize material. The only problem is that a lot of 3-hole paper punches out there are complete garbage, with many breaking simply by punching a few too many sheets of paper. If you need an ol’ reliable type of paper punch, you need the Carl HC-72 3-hole paper punch. This is why.

To begin with, the Carl HC-72 looks great. It features a stylish multi-colored design. It is light enough to be used on any desk, yet heavy-duty enough to handle most 3-hole punching jobs. The HC-72 has several advantages.

The Carl HC-72 uses a solid beam handle that is leveraged in such a way that paper punching is easy and effortless. In fact, the HC-72 is capable of punching up to 72 sheets of standard 20lb paper per pass. This makes hole punching jobs easy and fast.

Many cheep molded sheet metal hole punches bend and break when punching too many sheets of paper. The HC-72 features all-metal construction that allows this hole punch to slice and dice paper without suffering any ill effects. Simply put, it is one of the most solid 3-hole paper punches out on the market.

Have you ever used a 3-hole paper punch only to discover that the last 2-3 sheets of paper don’t punch? This is annoying, can cause problems and simply shouldn’t happen. The Carl HC-72 utilizes special cutting disks that ensure that even the last sheet of paper is effectively punched.

Another annoying feature of many standard 3-hole punches is that they quickly become dull and usually have to be thrown away. The HC-72 uses specially hardened punching dies designed to hold up well with continued use.

If for any reason one of the punching dies becomes dull, replacement punching heads may be purchased and used to replaced the dull head. This saves you money and cuts down on waste.

Overall I consider the Carl HC-72 to be a solid office 3-hole paper punch ideal for use in the office, in schools, in churches and other organizations. For the price, the value can’t be beat.

You can find the Carl HC-72 3-hole paper punch here. You will find our entire selection of office paper hole punches here.