When using wax paper to cut numbers from tissue, iron the
tissue between two layers of wax paper with a warm, not hot
iron. It holds everything together, lubricates the blade,
makes everything "crisp", not floppy. Learned that from the
late Al White, about 1940.
I  almost forgot to mention that if you use wax paper, you can mark
(scribe) the numbers/letters on the wax paper, then cut
through the wax paper/tissue sandwich and don't need a bond
paper template at all.
Dick in Omaha