I find using the right mat helps the blades last longer. My old mat was just a main brand mat but my rotating mat was a self-healing mat and I found my blades cut better and lasted longer so when I went to make a larger cutting table I searched for a self-healing mat. I also have a blade sharper from Nancy's Notions and found if used correctly it did sharpen my blades. Also heard if you turn the blade around when it starts to go dull it will give you some extra cutting time. I sharpen my blades once when they go dull on me, use them again and when they start to go dull on me again I use them in my rotary cutter for "paper only". I label my rotary cutters so I don't get them mixed up. This way I'm getting a second use out of them before I finally toss them out. I keep the containers they come in to keep the blades that need sharpened and those that need to be tossed so I don't get them mixed up.