Last night I slept on my 3" N3 talalay topper. It’s definitely too firm so it’ll go back to KTT today via UPS.
Until they send me some 1" pieces to play around with, I need to get some rest. I’m exhausted.
So I’m thinking of purchasing an electric knife today and cutting a piece of Latex I have here and making a topper.
It’s a 3" layer of dunlop continuous pour in Medium firmness. I like it as a topper but it has proved to be too thick for me. I want to try to cut it in half lengthwise.
I really do believe as a stomach and side sleeper that 1.5" would probably be perfect for me.
But is cutting a piece of latex lengthwise as easy as it sounds?
I read some posts here that talked about using a Black and Decker electric knife. The poster said it cut “like butter”. Any input on that?
Also, can I just lay it on the bed at waist-height and cut? I thought about drawing a line lengthwise first with a marker.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I guess I have entered the land of latex “surgery” 
Got a Black and Decker electric knife (7" blade), an electric extension cord, a yard stick and a Sharpie.
So far, I’ve cut the 3" latex piece into a Twin Size which is what I wanted anyway so I can take it with me to the Cape this summer,
Next, I will take my yardstick (which is conveniently 1" height) and put it against the side of the foam, using it as a straight edge to mark the horizontal line where I will cut.
I know it won’t be easy and I’ll have to pull the foam “up” as I cut (I may also try to squish it down), being careful to keep my hands out of the way of the knife.
If I don’t come back, call 911 - or assume the result was a badly massacred piece of latex.
Hi LookingNow,
It’s fairly easy to cut foam (latex or otherwise) to a different size but it’s much more difficult to slit a layer and make it thinner and this usually needs a specialized piece of equipment called a slitter so that your end result has a flat surface and is a consistent thickness.
Good luck in your efforts … and I’ll be interested to see how things work out.
Phoenix
Thanks Phoenix
Is it possible to find local places that would slice it for me with such a machine? Would a latex manufacturer might be the only such place?
Hi LookingNow,
A local mattress manufacturer or foam fabricator or foam supplier that has a slitter may do it for you.
Phoenix
Thanks!
Happy Memorial Day weekend B) B)
I second the foam supplier suggestion and add an upholsterer to the suggestion list.
A foam supplier would have larger blades than the standard upholster though. A blade less than the width of the foam will make a jagged cut, having to first cut from one side and then hoping to meet in the middle. In your case, you’ll have to hope that you are holding your electric knife at a perfect perpendicular angle to your foam and cutting surface the whole time you are cutting.
The cutting table at my local foam shop (Minnesota Foam) is huge, basically the size of two cars.
Thank you, DIY.
I decided against slicing lengthwise after attempting with a small piece of 3" latex.
Not only does it take air of elbow grease; it’s not possible even with a Twin Size layer, as you say.
Instead I settles for cutting 5" off the bottom of this zoned piece because it hits me in the wrong places.
Then to “firm up” the topper I turned it over so the smooth side is up and laid a thick cotton/wool cover in it and a “hard” sheet.
It’ll have to do for the next week.
I wonder if I’ll ever get a decent nights sleep. It’ll be another week before my KKT topper arrives (a thinner one.)