I'm getting ready to replace my old seam ripper for the same reason -- I change blades on my rotary cutter and WOW what a difference! I didn't always notice that things aren't as sharp as they were before--I just kept using them. Now I regularly change out the rotary cutter blades, needle on my sewing machine, sharpen my steel dressmaker shears and now want to invest in a nice seam ripper I can keep for a while. I'm leaning towards the Gingher with the replaceable blades for this reason. Having quality tools makes a big difference to me in enjoying the process of quilting/sewing.