I tried making backplate gaskets for an "orphan" engine (no parts available). Originals were some sort of oiled paper and very "narrow", so scissors or X-Acto wouldn't work. Finally, I trapped some oiled paper (actually some Kodak ink-jet printer paper) between two pieces of 1/16" ply. Then a Dremel drum sander to "sneak up" on the lines drawn on the ply. When done, I had a perfect gasket, and two pieces of ply that looked like gaskets, but no engine to use them on.
Floyd