Have you ever cut through your cutting mat?
 

I have! When I trim a quilt prior to binding I always lay it out on the bedroom floor and slide my large Olfa cutting mat underneath and trim like that. Well, I did that yesterday and just as I got started trimming I heard kind of a cracking sound and found I'd cut all the way through the mat! Horrors! The cut through/ cracked portion is only about two inches in a cross or plus shape and close to a corner so my mat is still useable. Now I'm wondering if pressing on the mat with my cutter on the carpeted floor (it's nubby berber) rather than a really solid surface caused it to crack. Do cutting mats get brittle?

you may be able to check out one of the resources for maintaining your mat. May be the way you had it stored before cutting. I know there will be a few really good suggestions. Good luck. Would hate to have to buy a new one.

it does sound like a brittle problem to me. But where you live should have a lot of humidity. Olfa mats can be soaked flat and that helps them "come back to life". I've had mine for many years and not done that yet. Good luck.

I have cut all the way through a mat. It came after years and years of use. It did get brittle, even though I tried every method to revive the mat. I have learned to change my blade more frequently as a dull blade will damage a mat.

Probably a combination of a brittle mat and a bumpy surface. I have soaked my old Olfa mat but it is still brittle. I bought a new bigger mat but hate to mark it up using it.:D

I've cut a line thru many of mine, usually while trimming the borders on the carpet.

WOW, I have always had a large table to be able to use so when I was trimming a quilt, I was able to move the mat around. I prefer the Omnigrid mat but they are NOW ONLY available on JAF's website. The new Olfa mat I just bought last year seems very thin. As Tartan says, I am also afraid to cut on it !!

as wishful thinking asked... do cutting mats get brittle

I guess that answers my question lynnie

I was cutting some black fabric and left oodles of threads in the cut. It took sages to get out.