I cut away from myself. My daughter taught me how to use the rotary cutter but she forgot to tell me to stay away from the edge. So the first time I used it, I sliced my left hand index finger from the knuckle attached to the hand all the way down my finger to the tip. She yelled, 'We are not at a deli'. Took a week before I could try it again. Now I am more careful. And I always close the blade when I lay down the rotary cutter, ask me how I found out that little piece of advice.