I have an Olfa, Dritz and Fiskar mat. The Olfa is great. The Dritz is dangerous because your rotary cutter blade tends to slide on the hard slick service. The Fiskar which WAS on my big folding cutting table dulls the blades. I just bought an Arvin I think it's called online for the cutting table. It is huge, self healing, works great, but was expensive and smells bad esp when first arrived. It was $175 for a 40X60, I think. I am away from home for another week, so I can't give more information. I know the name of the company where I ordered was Creative something and it was here in a few days and I think the shipping was free. I got the info for it on another group. If you can get past the dead mouse, chemical smell for a week or two it really works well. When DH came home the day it arrived he came downstairs to my sewing room, sniffed the air and asked me what I'd been doing!!!! We finally left it outside in the sun several days which did help.

After reading this thread, I went and looked at my mat - I really had no idea what kind it was.
It says "June Taylor." I'm guessing I got it at Joann's, it's about 7 years old. The last 6 mos or so it once in awhile leaves a thread or 2 uncut, and to be honest, I have not switched my blade in 3 years or so. Now, I don't do a huge amount of quilting, but I think I do a lot.
Does anyone here want to share their experience with this type of mat?

I have the first green 18X24 mat I ever bought, probably in the 70's, when they first came out in abundance. Can't even see the brand name any more. It had a coffee cup warp in it which I fixed by 90% in the sun on concrete with the glass on it. It's has a corner missing and some cracks on the edges, but it still works. It's in the bath tub right now, soaking! LOL

My newest one is an Omnigrid 24 X36. I think it works fine right now, but is less than a year old. We'll see.

I have a 30X36 white Dritz. Useless! I use it as a table protector on my dinning table when I want to sew there.

My Fiskars 5X18 I take to classes to use only in emergencies. Usually the teacher has a nice mat for us to use.

I recently bought a spinning Fiskars mat, which I have seldom used. I just got used to turning the blocks after the first two cuts, and old habits are hard to break.

1) I have put brand new Olfa blades in my cutter and they have skipped one or two threads. The 'skip' was always at the same interval - so even 'good' blades can be problematic at times.

2) Put a new, good blade in your cutter. Using less pressure while cutting should save on wear and tear on your mat. (My DGDs were cutting something once - and put some grooves in my mats - bless their little hearts) Use only as much pressure as needed to cut (with a SHARP) blade - no need to plow a furrow with it.

I went to Kaye Englands retreat. She told one gal to make two blocks using the fiskar mat and one using the olfa mat. there was a difference! the rotary cutter wobbles with on the fiskar. One other thing we learned was NOT to iron your blocks as you go....finger press. It was HARD to do but I am sold!!! my blocks come out perfect without having to trim. When you finish the block....then you press.

I had a gray mat with a handle , I think June Tailor, gave it away. I have an old Olfa that was broken and used a lot so I cut it up into smaller pieces instead of buying new smaller ones. I bought another larger Olfa and probably won't be buying anymore cutting mats in this lifetime. :) I did buy a rotating Fiskar that I need to fix since it won't rotate well and keeps coming apart. Haven't really used it so can't say how it is.

I'm looking for a new mat - what are your thoughts about Omnigrid?

Thanks

I definitely prefer the Olfas to the Fiskars. I actually prefer my Olfa to the large cutting mat that I bought at JoAnns for my cutting table. I am going to check out those companies that make custom mats.

When my blade starts skipping I remove the blade from the cutter and wipe out the fluff that can accumulate underneath. Also wipe the blade itself (carefully) and insert blade back in place. Some time sit can bethe mat is worn in spots.i rotate the mat around after a while and this helps too.

I agree! Very handy to know this - thanks for starting this thread Chris! I have a pretty new Fiskars mat, but it stinks to high heaven so it has to stay in the garage between uses. Now I am going to go buy an Olfa!