I've been an edger almost since just after my Castles & Keeps Mod, and even went back and edged that set when I could. I have some pieces that I edged after I finished building them and that was such a huge mistake, might as well have thrown them out and rebuilt them they look that bad, my policy is to edge long before I begin assembly, almost right after the cutting and scoring stage, the difference is like night and day. Sharpies work similiar to prismacolors in the fact that over time the bleed factor reduces severely but there will always be some bleed. There have been all kinds of suggestions here's a few of the more standard methods (I've tried all but paint).

-Felts (markers)
-Crayons
-Pencil Crayons
-Paint

There has only ever been a few sets that I find hard to edge, mostly color choices (ie: First Light) where even a light grey stands out more than you want it too. The difference between edging and non-edging is surprisingly sharp. I don't even pull out unedged pieces when I'm setting up shots for the gallery as the pics look so fake that they give cardstock modelling a bad name. This is one of those minor things that makes the more on the edge buyers turn away from cardstock when they see the white edges, which are so easy to get rid off.

Also I use fine points for getting in tight corners (especially on my matboard builds in window areas), and blunt tips for almost all other edging (especially long edges like walls and ground tiles). The blunt edge flows the distance and is far less likely to slip. I also find that folding a score line completely and edging the inside before assembly is the best way to get in that tight little space, I've seen many pics where it looks like this was not done even though the build was edged. I find only on detailed props like tables or desks where there are maps or other items on the surface do slips really show, use Robby's tips and you should do fine.

Forever an edger , just can't go back now.

P.S. I'm surprised that there isn't a squaring instructions for boxfold items, so many peoples builds are warped and this makes such the difference, gonna have to put this up with a few gallery pics to help explain it for you all but you might find it to be a handy tip, and yes, in a surprise turn of events I have batteries for the camera, when I bought the E2 batteries to try them out I didn't trust them so I bought an eight pack of duracel batteries as well and only used two of them, they have been sitting buried in my room for ages. I now have four left as I'm using one set to catalog the extremely rare flowering of my Dracanea, which normally only flowers in the tropics, not in B.C. in the wintertime .

Yup, that's you SD...an Edgy kinda guy

Say it isn't so HP, please say it isn't so!!!

My rule for scissors, is that if tolerances aren't important, I break them out! (sandwich folded parts? yes. Complex geometry? No.)

I usually cut down on the "slipping" aaccidents if I edge with a partially used marker. One that has enough ink to color the edge if used side on, but not bleed into the cardstock or leave a thick mark if (when) I do slip.

Most of my slipping accidents are with brand new markers.

I used to edge after I completed a build, but kept slipping while drawing lines as well, so I've started edging after cutting out the piece but before assembly. Biggest problem I'm having lately is the white space you get at the glue areas. I've been playing around with putting a stip of black at those locations and it's been working pretty good so far.

Skunk

You wanna be alright you gotta walk tall
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I edge several things before gluing anything together:

1. The edges of the cardstock, naturally

2. The entire unprinted side of small sandwich fold parts (this hides any misalignments due to off-axis folds or sloppy cuts)

3. A 2-3mm border all around the unprinted side of large sandwich folds (for the same reason as #2)

4. A broad stroke across all glue tabs where they meet the printed side, done after prefolding them (same reason as #2 and #3)

I also don't score the fold lines with a knife, I crease them with a compressing tool like an empty ballpoint pen or one of my sculpting tool blades, which are sharp enough to compress a groove without cutting through the printed layer. This keeps the model strong, and also saves a lot of time because it's not necessary to edge fold lines that haven't been cut through. This also makes for a more realistic looking model, especially when the geometry has a lot of folds.

-Mel

Glad to be of help!

-Mel

OK...I think the lurking wall has been breached--I've lurked for about 2 years.....absorbing wisdom, I like to say.

Now 3 posts in two days....

Thanks for the tip about edging with the blank side toward the pen. I don't know why I never thought about it--always hated slipping and leaving stray lines on the printed side. Even though I try and use similar colors markers to ink, and it was never too noticeable, but still--it was there and I KNEW it!!!

But, lo and behold...edging with the blank side toward me? Wow...what a revelation. Thanks to all above who shared that tip.