- About -

All my puzzles are cut by hand- by me! Making a hand cut wooden jigsaw puzzle is a time-consuming process, but one that is very rewarding as you are creating something that is unique and can never be duplicated.. Hand cut wooden jigsaw puzzles will last for many decades compared to cardboard puzzles that bend and tear with normal use. Once you try a handcrafted wood puzzle, you will never go back to cardboard puzzles again!

Scroll Saw & Blades

All of my puzzles are meticulously cut by hand- one piece at a time- using a 20" variable speed Eclipse scroll saw and the finest blades available which are just 0.008 thick! Using blades this fine ensures a tight-fit to the finished puzzle as well as a beautiful puzzle! It also means I go through a lot of blades with each puzzle because they tend to break or get dull often! With a mini puzzle like #17 (shown below), I use only a few blades, but with a large puzzle like #12 "Italian Marketplace" (shown on homepage, 629 pieces), I can go through 50 blades! I occasionally use slightly larger blades (0.010 or 0.012) with very large puzzles or prints that are thicker than usual.

Cutting mini puzzle #17 "Vegetable Basket"

Wood

The wood I use is 1/4" 5-ply birch plywood, which is one of the best quality plywoods available anywhere. It is extremely strong and enables me to cut intricate pieces. I use either Finland or Baltic Birch. After cutting the puzzle, it is turned over (I assemble it as I go) and sanded smooth. It is then disassembled and the pieces carefully counted.

Stacking the pieces for a quicker count:

Prints

I specialize in making puzzles out of antique prints, but I also make puzzles from newer prints as well. All prints that I use are original prints done by professional print companies. (I do not print my own pictures or make custom puzzles from photos.) Vintage prints and paper ephemera make beautiful puzzles. From a few decades to over 100 years old, some antique prints are very difficult to find today. Others- such as old crate labels- are quite plentiful and also make fantastic puzzles!

1950's apple crate label:

early 1900's original can label:

All prints are carefully chosen; I am quite discriminative in what I select to make my puzzles out of. I have a special fondness for prints done of children and animals as well as beautiful landscapes. I also find prints with lots of color and detail very appealing and perfect for puzzle making.

It is my hope that Keystone puzzles will become family heirlooms that will be passed down from generation to generation, so I enjoy going out of my way to search for beautiful and rare prints to use! The two completed puzzles shown on the homepage were both done from antiques: "The Nosegay" was once an 1880's tobacco label and "Italian Marketplace" was a 1920's chromolitho. In each puzzle description- especially those that were done from antique prints- I will often include additional information about the print used- such as the age, artist, etc.

Prints are mounted onto wood using an acid-free adhesive. In addition, I often seal antique prints with acrylic sealer.

Below are a few of my vintage prints & valentines that may be next to become puzzles!

Signature Piece

There is a special figure piece included in nearly all of my puzzles.. It is my "Key" signature piece and is always signed, numbered and dated on the back like in the photo below, right.

Sometimes, instead of including my signature piece, I choose an interesting random piece to sign and number the back of in an abbreviated form, like shown in the photo below, left. I usually do this if either the puzzle pieces are really small, there aren't very many pieces in the puzzle, or if I feel that the signature piece may in some way detract from the puzzle.

With the exception of my signature piece and other figurals, I cut freehand, using my imagination as I go, which means I do not trace patterns. Each hand cut puzzle is one-of-a-kind! For more about my unique cutting styles, please visit Cutting Style.

Storage Box

Included with every puzzle purchase is a wood storage box to hold and protect your puzzle! Boxes vary in size and shape according to each puzzle. I stain and varnish the outside of every wood box to protect it as well as enhance its appearance. The boxes I make like the one shown above have a sliding lid. They are built from solid pine (sides) and 3-ply Finland Birch (lid and bottom). The outside is stained and varnished. My label is affixed to the outside of the box with the puzzle title, number, and piece count.

Some boxes are purchased new; these boxes are usually made from basswood and a selection of those are shown in the photo below. Most of the basswood boxes I buy have a hinged lid. All are nice boxes that will protect the puzzle within for many generations! You will find my label with personalized puzzle information firmly affixed to the outside of the box or inside the lid. I always photograph both the puzzle and its unique box so you know exactly what you are buying!

Assortment of basswood storage boxes:

Pricing

Pricing varies for each puzzle... Below is my current price chart:

Standard Cut: $1.00 per piece
Spiral Cut: $1.25 per piece
Long Arm Cut: $1.25 per piece
Artistic Cut: $1.50 per piece

More than 10 or so figurals per puzzle is usually extra ($5.00 per figural). Fancy puzzle work (including drop-outs, sculpted borders, etc) also increases the overall price of the puzzle.

Payment

I accept personal checks (may be held 14 days clearance), money orders, and PayPal. If you find a puzzle you want to purchase, make a note of its Puzzle Number and Title and send me your order by filling out the order form found at the top of most pages. This will notify me to put this puzzle on hold for you. Then I will e-mail you back to confirm that the puzzle is still available and will give you the total with shipping & payment instruction.

Links

For a list of other wooden puzzle makers, click here!

Whether you are a serious puzzle collector or an occasional puzzle solver who enjoys a good challenge, I am sure you will find my unique hand cut wooden jigsaw puzzles to be a worthy investment that will provide you and your family with many years of enjoyment!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you might have.. I am looking forward to hearing from other puzzle enthusiasts!


Yours truly,
Karen
Puzzlecutter & Webmaster of keystonepuzzles.com

return to top