custom cutting mat - rhino vs magic mat-anyone have either of these?
 

I love my martelli mat but every time I cut out something big like apparel patterns, or trace apparel pattern pieces, I have to take it off my table because of the edges getting in the way. The mat itself is too small for these types of patterns to fit. The bigger martelli mat is just a few inches narrow and about an inch too long for my table top. Having a top cut to fit won't work because of the size of the base. So I was thinking about investing in a custom size mat. I found several online sites that carry one or both of these brands. Rhino and Magic Mat. Does anyone have either or both of these that can tell me if you like them?

I tried to find a custom sized mat, self-healing to fit my cutting table. Finally ended up making the table to fit the mat. Self-healing on both sides, one side is green with markings and the other side is black with marking. I added a piece of wood trim around the table up just enough to be even with the mat.............to keep the mat from shifting......not that it would as its not light weight. I also glued the corners down as the mat came rolled up. Love my mat but found that the markings are not true to measurements.

If I was going to make my top fit the mat, I would only be interested in Martelli. I don't like fiskars or olfa mats after using the Martelli. And the nearest sized Martelli is narrower than my cutting table's base so that wouldn't be an option. I was hoping someone has actually used either the rhino mat or the magic mat.

I have the Rhino mat and love it. DH bought it for me for Christmas last year. I cut lots and lots of long strips and tend to cut in the same area all the time because of the lighting and so far there's no cuts in the mat. It's the 3x6' size. It feels different to cut on than the Olfa or others I've had, feels so smooth I had to get use to it cause it didn't feel like I was actually cutting through the fabrics. I put a piece of double stick tape under each corner so it stays put.
Julene

I sent a message to a company that sells them (not sure if it's the company that makes them but I think it is) asking to buy small sample sizes to compare and they're going to send me some. I'll report back about how they compare.

interested in hearing the results after you get the samples

I got the samples today. Both are very similar when it comes to cutting. The green mat (magic mat) is slightly better-some cuts were not as complete on the rhino mat (which is white and doesn't come with the grid printed on it except in a really big and expensive size) and I had to cut through twice for them. The grid is important to me and since the magic mat is a little better, I think that's what I'll go with. It costs more though and I'll be honest-I like the look of the white one better. But the looks are probably the least of what I should be worried about. The speedpress site (the company that makes them) is the cheapest and they cut within 1/4". I think that should be close enough for me.

I did a few more cuts, and on various materials. Knits, quilting cotton, foam, batting, and denim. All cut okay-sometimes the cut seems less on the white. But now that I've been doing all this cutting I noticed something. On the green mat I can't even see where I've been cutting. On the white mat I can see pretty much every cut. It's smooth-it feels okay. But between the two the healing is definitely better on the green.

A bit off the subject here but since this thread is about cutting mats I would like to ask about taking care of self healing mats and how long should they last. I bought a Martelli maybe 4 years ago and it has several places that have deep grooves where many cuts are made. I thought these expensive mats were supposed to last a long time?? Is there a way to remedy this? I just am not too impressed with the Martelli. I had an Olfa mat that lasted a lot longer and actually is still a back-up.

The Martelli board will become grooved if you are not using the cutter correctly. Watch their YouTube tutes and troubleshooting videos. I had this problem, because I was holding the cutter wrong and the blade was tipping at an angle, not straight-up vertical. If you are not using their cutter, that can also contribute to the condition of the board. The board is designed to work with the ergonomic cutter. My first board did not last very long at all, all because I was using the cutter wrong. If you go to a quilt show where Martelli is in the vendor area, they can show you in person how to hold and cut. There is a learning curve to their system. Usually about 15 minutes.

Thanks ladeg for the info. I do not always use their cutter and I guess this is the problem. Good info to know.

I don't always use their cutter either, but for the price of their mats they should work as well as the olfa and fiskars ones sold for a fraction of the cost.

I'm guessing we could ruin a 1000.00 mat if our cutter blades are dull

I'm not talking about using a dull blade. I'm talking about using a different brand cutter on a martelli ($$$$) mat vs using one on a fiskars ($) mat. There's no way a mat that expensive should perform any less than a cheaper one and I've never had a fiskars mat get grooves in it.

I ordered my mat! I'm pretty excited. It'll be soooo nice to not have to shift my fabric or my mat all the time, or take the mat totally off the table when I'm working with something bigger like clothing patterns.

It came today!! I love it. I haven't cut on it yet but I still love it. Check it out. It came rolled up so I clamped it until it lies flat.
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Oh my, I love the size of that mat. I showed the pic to my husband, he asked me why I wanted it that big, since more than 3/4 of the table is usually covered up in fabric and such. LOL

He's observant, I'll say that, lol!

That mat is one beauty, I'd love room for one that big too!

LOL! That's a very good point. I usually have my table covered too (the rest of my room is awful right now from cleaning off the table to put the mat on).

Great looking mat! Which brand is that? Now that you’ve had it a few months, how are you liking it?

I still love it. It's nice and flat now and doesn't need clamped or anything. It stays nicely on my table top. The brand is Magic Cutting Mat and i think it's made by speedpress.