live2teach

I cut quite a bit of fabric and here lately I have been doubling the fabric so I can cut more at a time. It seems that my rotary cutter gets nicks in it and then when I use it, in some spots it misses and I have to go back to cut it. Does anyone else have this problem or know what the nicks or chips in the blade are caused from?

kathy

are you sure you haven't dropped it? or cut something you shouldn't have? like a pin. I dropped mine and it got a small nick and that section skipped, what a pain and it was a pretty new blade!

zyxquilts

No, I haven't had any problems with nicks in my rotary blades. I do try to ALWAYS close the cutter whenever I put it down - one of those things I'm pretty obsessive about after I picked one up by the open blade! Just ask any of my quilting classmates - I always tell them they owe me 50 cents if they put their cutters down open! lol
I cut anywhere from 4 to 8 layers at a time, and when I notice that I'm having to really put a LOT of effort into cutting, I change blades. Also, depending on the fabric, I check to make sure the cutter isn't full of lint & that the blade is snug, but still rolls freely.
Hope that helps.

sue

Catherine

I get nicks in mine all the time. i guess i can't cut straight even with a ruler. Mine hits the ruler, so I'm sure that is where they are coming from.

Norah

I notice that if I accidently cut the ruler, I usually nick my blade. I'm good at that.

SaraSewing

I agree that hitting the ruler (probably cutting too fast, because we're just too excited!) makes the little nicks. When I cut heavier fabric is gets dull much quicker too. Even if it only lasts a month, it's a gazillion times better than scissors! S.

live2teach

Well, my last vistit to Joann's they had a Fiskars cutting mat (18 x 24") and a rotary cutter on sale for $7.00. I have only had these...maybe 2 months...if that. I already had to replace the origional blade because I nicked it on the ruler. I put a new one in and it became dull very fast. I put the current one in maybe 2 weeks ago if that, I haven't used any rulers since I put this in. I always make sure to close it before laying it down ( I learned that the hard way...well I should say my thumb did...lol). I haven't dropped it and I haven't cut any pins...there could have possibly been something else hard laying there I didn't notice. Once the blades have nicks in them, can they still be sharpened?

Knot Sew

I find after I cut out one full size quilt the rotary cutter is dull. I know this bothers a lot of people, but I also use a wall paper cutter. :wink:
This uses razor blades. They are a lot cheaper.

pinecone

I buy my rotary blades from here: http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/Item...m-221_228.html The 10 pack of blades.

You betcha! http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/item...m-221_228.html This will help but does not give you a factory sharp blade ~ I use mine all the time and bring it to my sit-n-sew group from time to time for others to use.

piney

bbwalkup

New blades have the oil on them and stick together really easily, if you have two stuck together and put in on the rotary cutter when you try to cut it will act like it has nicks in it. Someone told me that when we were trying to cut and it just kept acting up, sure enough that was our problem. Just a thought and something to watch for when your changing blades!!