1. THE COMBINATION IN A DIE-CUTTING MACHINE, OF A HARDENED BUT FLEXIBLE METAL PLATEN, A DIE, MEANS SUPPORTING THE DIE A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE ABOVE THE PLATEN FOR MOVEMENT PERPENDICULAR THERETO INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH WORK RESTING ON THE PLATEN, SAID MEANS PROVIDING FOR CUTTING MOVEMENT WHICH IS GREATER THAN SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE, AND A UNIFORMLY-THICK FLAT CUSHION SHEET YIELDINGLY SUPPORTING THE PLATEN FOR FLEXING, FOLLOWING ENGAGEMENT OF THE DIE THEREWITH, OF THAT PORTION THEREOR WITH WHICH THE DIE HAS CONTACT, TO A POSITION SUCH THAT THE ENTIRE EDGE OF THE DIE HAS CONTACT WITH THE PLATEN.