Originally Posted by juliasb

I discovered a number of years ago that nicking a blade was so easy or having dead spots were routine no matter how cheap or expensive the blade or the rotary cutter. I have a number or dead rotary cutters that cost a lot of money and so I have gone to using the least expensive cutters and blades I can find and that has worked for me. I have also used sharpeners that on more expensive blades gave a bit more life but became an active of futility. The blades just were not as sharp and a new blade.
Then I discovered Harbor Freight. I can get blades there for a carpet cutter that are just the same size and my rotary cutter and identical blade as my rotary cutter. They are sharp and sturdy and they cost $2 for a pack of 2. Far less cost all the way around. Now they don't last as long but if one gets a nick I am not to worry about the loss of a blade. I can usually get a couple full size or larger quilts out of a single $1 blade. I will go in and buy 5-10 packages at a time that last for a couple years and still have spend less than a single pack of the expensive blades at JAF.