There was a time when I was working in a shop and they used laminate on a bunch of counter units.  At the end of attaching it to the units, they went around and routered off the edges, which left long strips of scrap that varied from 1/8” to 2ish” wide.  On the top it was white and smooth but on the back it was a wonderful grayish woodgrain.  I collected a lot of these scraps, and whenever I needed dimensional lumber (1x3, 1x4, 1x6, 1x12 all in 1/4" scale) for the next year, I had it.  I could glaze it with paint to make it look any shade of wood.  It looked fantastic in a number of models.  The best part is that it was free.

 I use a band saw a lot when I build models, so this is the tool I most often use when cutting laminate.  For narrow strips that are already the right width, I often cut to length with my industrial scissors.  It will cut with a matte knife, but it takes quite a bit of pressure and persistence.  If you choose to cut with a matte knife, I recommend cutting from the smooth side rather than the woodgrain side, so your blade does not accidentally get stuck in the grain and run off course.

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