Useful Tips For Buying Sizzix Original Dies On Ebay

The Sizzix Originals dies have the advantage of being able to cut a wide variety of materials:

• Cardstock, Paper, Vellum
• Fabric, Felt, Foil, Funky Fur
• Magnet, PaperWood
• Poly Foam, Pop-Up Sponge
• RuffleBoard
• Self-Adhesive Rubber
• Shrink Plastic, Static Cling Vinyl
• Thin Cork, Thin Leather
• Thin Metal

New or Used Dies

The first major consideration is whether the die you are considering buying is new or used.

New - Many sellers will sell new, unused dies, still in the original packaging. These dies will usually be the most expensive types of dies to buy. They have the advantage of being in the best condition, with sharp cutting blades.

Used - Pre-loved are also available. When listing these, most sellers will indicate how often the dies have been used. Often how many "cuts" have been made with them. Generally, most used dies have only been used a few times. They are being sold because the owner doesn't get any use out of them and wants to recoup some money of what can be a large initial investment. Used dies should be slightly cheaper than new ones.

Loose or In Case

Storage of dies can be an issue. Many people who have a large Sizzix dies collection will throw out the acrylic cases that the dies ship in. This can be an issue if you don't have a storage system for the dies. The dies are made up of a hard plastic layer in which sharp cutting blades are embedded. The blades are surrounded by thick foam. When the dies is placed in the Sizzix machine, the foam is compressed, allowing the blade to cut the paper. If you don't have the cases or a storage system for the dies, you can damage the blade of the dies. So when looking at a listing, check if the dies come in the case.

If you don't want to keep them in the plastic cases, the Sizzix Die Storage Tower might be a useful storage system.

Sizes

Sizzix dies come in three basic sizes:

• Small (Green) - 2 3/8" X 2 3/4"
  
• Medium (Yellow) - 2 3/4" X 4 3/4"
  
• Large (Red) - 4 3/4" X 5 1/2"
• Alphabets (Blue) - either small (Fun Serif or Lollipop) or medium in size (Shadowbox)
  

The sizes indicate the overall size of the die, not the size of the die cut. The die cut is the cut out shape produced by the die. So it is important, especially with the various alphabets, to check the size of the die cut produced.

The size of the die will generally dictate the price of the die. That is, small is the cheapest, with large the most expensive.

Location and Postage Costs

While not large, Sizzix dies can be quite heavy. So it is important to check where the die you are interested in is located. Many Sizzix sellers are based in the United States, so weight of the dies can become an issue, with postage calculated by weight.

Sizzix Buying Checklist

• New or Used?
• Original Packaging?
• Size?
• Location and Postage Costs?