http://www.globalsugarart.com/product.php?id=18950&name=Lace%20Flower%20Cutter%20Set%20by%20Orchard%20Products

I had it on my wishlist at xmas time because it looked cool, and my mom ordered it for me. I tried to use it the other day and couldn't get the gumpaste/fondant mix out of it no matter how thin I tried to roll it. I tried using an end of a paintbrush to push it out a bit, and I can get one side out, but if I try to gently pull the rest, it just breaks because it's got such tiny lines.

Am I doing something wrong?

Try rolling out your paste thicker. Also, brush the cutters with powdered sugar before cutting. This helps to release clean. Also, let your paste set up a little after rolling to give it a little time to dry before cutting. HTH

Small things can be a real pain! Like the tappits funky letters. I am guessing those to be about the same thickness and size.

What works:

Way 1:
grease your surface area you are rolling on roll to a the thinnest band on your fondant roller. rub the surface of the rolled gum paste with more crisco and let it rest a minute or two to firm up. Cut down and while pressing firmly- wiggles the whole thing around to ensure a clean cut. Hopefully the crisco will act as a holding agent onto your work surface and like a releasing agent in the cutter and when you lift off the cutter the flower will stay put on the work surface.

Way 2:
do the same thing only using cornstarch. Only it will not stick to your work surface.

Some find it helpful to use a small soft dry brush to push things out of cutters with tiny spaces some can use toothpicks without distorting the cut piece.

lLstly practice practice practice.

It took me about 50 letters before I had the hang of the tappits cutters.

I have tappits, too, and they work just fine for me if I use cornstarch and if I slam the darn thing really hard on the counter about 10 times.

These I can't really slam!

I have not tried dipping the cutter itself in cornstarch, don't know why I didn't think of that. I'll see how that works. I'll also try letting it dry just a bit before trying to use the cutter.

Thanks!

Yeah and re-brush the surface of your rolled firmed gum paste just before cutting.

you can also.. lay a piece of the g/p on top of the cutter.. litely grease the cutter... then take the small rolling pin. and roll over really good. then take your fingers and rub around the edges.. and i do think this would work. i do this on some of my cutters.. like the jem cutters, etc.. hth

I do a combination of the two...grease the rolling surface and lightly dust the surface of the rolled gp before cutting. The shortening on the rolling surface allows it to adhere while the cs on the gp allows it to release from the cutter.

First of all thanks for showing those cutters - I want some!!! I find for my tappits I get lucky if I use them with a silicone mat. Sometimes the letter stays on the mat and I don't have to slam the darn thing - which is what we all have to do! Just a hint that works for me - but only sometimes. Brushing with cutter with cornstarch or powdered sugar is a must!

okay.. here is a trick I learned from someone here on Cake Central and it has worked like a charm. I was getting sooo friggin mad because the letters I would cut out would always stick and I was about ready to throw them out the window. Then.... some ANGEL posted one day saying that she lays a piece of saran wrap across the top of the gumpaste/fondant and then presses the letters into the fondant/gumpaste. IT IS A GODSEND!! What a wonderful thing!! This is all I do now and, while I still struggle a little.. I am not using the end of a qtip or toothpick trying to get all that fondant out of the letter!!!

Try it... you'll love it!!