"For period pinking tools, try this: www.greenmanforge.com/"

Those are really REALLY cool and I seriously want a complete set of every imaginable size... but if you don't want to spend the dough, go to a discount tool warehouse like Harbor Tools and buy a cheap set of bench chisels and a mallet. Much the same thing, ultimately. (It's what I did, though I have yet to go beyond test pieces as yet...)

Oh, and don't forget why the slashes tend to be bias-cut... keeps 'em from fraying quite so much. There's an entire doublet pattern layout illustrated in Alcega where every piece in cut out on the bias. Doing that would allow one to do their cuts perpendicular to the eyeline and yet still keep cutting on the bias.

Or you can take the period "cheat" and use gum arabic (or fray check) to bind the edges. I believe that there are some period cutwork garments showing residue of what some believe to be a binder on the edge fibers.