Rough Edge aka "Faux Deckle" edges

[ReflexBlueHorror]

I've been graphic/product design for 10+ years and while I know plenty about genuine deckle edges, I've just realised never yet learnt what sort of machine creates the love-it-or-loathe-it rough edge. Search engines are proving themselves to be useless. What are these machines called? How can I learn more about their cabilities and limitations? Thanks all!

 

[SmithFinisher]

I could be wrong but the most common way this is achieved is from hand making paper. I've done it and when you make the paper in a wooden frame, the edge is naturally a deckle edge. I've never seen it mass produced but that doesn't mean it isn't done. I'm sure you can find a hand "deckle edge" device to make regular paper look like that since it's basically a really rough cut but I've never run across this in a production environment.

See this amazon link for example:

Amazon.com

Hope that answers your question.

 

[ReflexBlueHorror]

I've never seen it mass produced but that doesn't mean it isn't done.

Thanks SmithFinisher. I appreciate you trying! Over the years I've heard there are specific machines (this article mentions them too) and notice the books frequently and they exhibit a regular effect unlike real deckle. From the various tidbits I find online, such as by Knopf who use it as a house style, it also seems that the book designer would want to co-ordinate with the print manager to deliberately make the grain perpendicular to the spine.

 

[J_DVRS]

I thought the only reason why deckle edges exist is because years ago a project was going horribly wrong. When the overdue job finally made it to the cutter for finishing it had an insanely dull blade with a new operator whos supervisor was on vacation. And somehow the salesman was able to sell the damaged pieces as "special" . I haven't heard of deckle edges until this year when we had a project go sideways and had to settle for that finish on the flaps of envelopes. I had a tech who services our machines have a problem with another customer attempting to run a smaller sheet size (maybe 5x7) with a deckle edge and the edge kept picking up toner and jamming. I would be worried about the edge messing something up inside the fuser, or constantly jamming by confusing sensors in a machine.

 

[dreko]

Tim Holtz Deckle Torn Edge Trimmer