Cutters and Trimmers, Hand

What the job really is

Use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, or rubber.

At a glance

• Sector: Production
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-9031
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Replace or sharpen dulled cutting tools such as saws.
• Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes.
• Trim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish.
• Cut, shape, and trim materials, such as textiles, food, glass, stone, and metal, using knives, scissors, and other hand tools, portable power tools, or bench-mounted tools.
• Position templates or measure materials to locate specified points of cuts or to obtain maximum yields, using rules, scales, or patterns.
• Read work orders to determine dimensions, cutting locations, and quantities to cut.
• Mark cutting lines around patterns or templates, or follow layout points, using squares, rules, and straightedges, and chalk, pencils, or scribes.
• Mark identification numbers, trademarks, grades, marketing data, sizes, or model numbers on products.
• Unroll, lay out, attach, or mount materials or items on cutting tables or machines.
• Separate materials or products according to size, weight, type, condition, color, or shade.
• Fold or shape materials before or after cutting them.
• Lower table-mounted cutters such as knife blades, cutting wheels, or saws to cut items to specified sizes.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Awl sets, Bolt cutters, Carpet cutters, Carpet knives, Carpet trimmers, Cordless cutters, Cordless tile saws, Cut-off saws, Flat cold chisels

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Sewing Machine Operators
• Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
• Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood
• Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
• Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Machine Feeders and Offbearers
• Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Cutters and Trimmers, Hand — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.