how would you cut a roll of paper towels in half

So in the grassroots spirit my wife and I make homemade baby wipes. You take a roll of paper towels, cut them in half and then soak them in a mixture of water, baby oil and baby shampoo. They work awesome, are super cheap and don't chap my baby's ass.

The only hard part is cutting the stupid paper towel roll in half. I've been using a stupid cheap serrated kitchen knife and it makes a mess and takes forever(think ginsu ripoff). I have tried a utility knife and that dulled super quick. Apparently a roll of paper towels is very abrasive.

I'll post the recipe if you someone wants it. It's not a trade secret, I just don't have it at hand right now.

So, What say you GRM? What should I use to cut those stupid paper towels in half?

Angle Grinder? Sawzall? Shotgun? Plasma cutter?

Seriously? Help a brother out.

Shooting from the hip, here, but do you soak them as an entire roll? Soak 'em, then freeze them and cut with bandsaw?

Bandsaw?

Very fine blade on a band saw.

Please post the video of the first attempt.

Have you tried bending the thing apart slightly as you cut? That always works when I have to cut mudflaps.

Out of box thinking: Could you use table napkins instead?

I don't have a bandsaw....

hmm..

Trying to figure out a sterile/sanitary way...

Given what you have already used, I'd say a band saw or a meat cleaver....or maybe even pruning shears.

EDIT...beat to the punch....

use washclothes instead. That way you aren't buying paper towels all the time.

Shotgun.

Soak the whole roll and tear the sheets in half as you use them?

Kia_racer wrote: use washclothes instead. That way you aren't buying paper towels all the time.

we would, no washing machine in the apartment. When we get a house we'll do it. Lugging poopy clothes al the time to the laundromat is a pain.

Hefty cutting board and giant meat cleaver. Of course it has to be done with a full overhead swing while screaming some crazy anime attack phrase!

On a more serious note, do you use full width paper towels? If so, you could just go to the half width and not bother cutting the roll in half.

MrJoshua wrote: On a more serious note, do you use full width paper towels? If so, you could just go to the half width and not bother cutting the roll in half.

I thinnk we have a winner here.

Viva Choose-a-Size

hmm

I'd have to get a different contianer to soak them in.. but.. hmm..

guillotine?

BAM!!!...done

MrJoshua wrote: Hefty cutting board and giant meat cleaver. Of course it has to be done with a full overhead swing while screaming some crazy anime attack phrase!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxZt4Kxj2cE

I would have suggested bandsaw as well, but how about a hacksaw?

Lathe and a parting tool. Duh.

10 - 20 sheets at a time. Check businesses going out of business, Staples or garage sales.

Watch your fingers....

Heat might be an issue though...

McDonalds Napkins.

Free, and just the right size.

Streetwiseguy wrote: Very fine blade on a band saw. Please post the video of the first attempt.

that has youtube greatness written all over it

I do it for my wife all the time. She makes wipes too.

Bandsaw is the tool. Leave the plastic wrapping on the towel before cutting.

It takes about 3 seconds. If you don't have a bandsaw, ask someone who has one to do it for you. Give them a few rolls and stockpile.

There is no way another tool will do anywhere near as nice a job.

My wife has a couple of Tupperware containers the 1/2 rolls fit in perfectly. Add liquid and viola!

BTW- I've used both a fine blade and a coarse blade. Doesn't matter.

You have to push a little slower with the coarse blade, and it makes big clumpy paper dust.

I have 2 wood bandsaws and a metal band saw. I walk up to whichever one I feel like, don't worry about what blade is on it, and hack away.