I cut quite a bit of fabric and here lately I have been doubling the fabric so I can cut more at a time. It seems that my rotary cutter gets nicks in it and then when I use it, in some spots it misses and I have to go back to cut it. Does anyone else have this problem or know what the nicks or chips in the blade are caused from?

are you sure you haven't dropped it? or cut something you shouldn't have? like a pin. I dropped mine and it got a small nick and that section skipped, what a pain and it was a pretty new blade!

I get nicks in mine all the time. i guess i can't cut straight even with a ruler. Mine hits the ruler, so I'm sure that is where they are coming from.

I notice that if I accidently cut the ruler, I usually nick my blade. I'm good at that.

I agree that hitting the ruler (probably cutting too fast, because we're just too excited!) makes the little nicks. When I cut heavier fabric is gets dull much quicker too. Even if it only lasts a month, it's a gazillion times better than scissors! S.

Well, my last vistit to Joann's they had a Fiskars cutting mat (18 x 24") and a rotary cutter on sale for $7.00. I have only had these...maybe 2 months...if that. I already had to replace the origional blade because I nicked it on the ruler. I put a new one in and it became dull very fast. I put the current one in maybe 2 weeks ago if that, I haven't used any rulers since I put this in. I always make sure to close it before laying it down ( I learned that the hard way...well I should say my thumb did...lol). I haven't dropped it and I haven't cut any pins...there could have possibly been something else hard laying there I didn't notice. Once the blades have nicks in them, can they still be sharpened?

I find after I cut out one full size quilt the rotary cutter is dull. I know this bothers a lot of people, but I also use a wall paper cutter. :wink:
This uses razor blades. They are a lot cheaper.

I buy my rotary blades from here: http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/Item...m-221_228.html The 10 pack of blades.

You betcha! http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/item...m-221_228.html This will help but does not give you a factory sharp blade ~ I use mine all the time and bring it to my sit-n-sew group from time to time for others to use.

piney

New blades have the oil on them and stick together really easily, if you have two stuck together and put in on the rotary cutter when you try to cut it will act like it has nicks in it. Someone told me that when we were trying to cut and it just kept acting up, sure enough that was our problem. Just a thought and something to watch for when your changing blades!!

Yes, you can buy a sharpener for rotary blades. And it works too. :)

they seem forever. One thing I read is we hold our blades on an angle. If you turn the blade over when it gets dull, you have a new blade.

I like to keep the old (dull, not nicked) blades for when I have to cut synthetics ( I do a lot of dressmaking and alterations), batting, paper, plastic, etc. and just use my good new blades for cotton. If you are careful with them, they really do last quite a while.

I am really hard on blades as well. Though the last one has lasted for a bit. I am not sure what I do to them, sometimes with in the first 5 minutes it has a nick in it. I really should get a sharpener for them. I keep using them until they are really frustrating and then I open a new one. Out shopping once I found the fiskar ones on for $2. I bought lots.

I have had trouble nicking my blades too, so I bought a sharpener from Hancocks or someplace. It seems to work pretty well.

But what I have learned from the books and magazines I read, you should change to a new blade every time you start a new quilt. And they also suggest that you only cut 4 layers of fabric at most each time. This will keep you from having wobbly cuts at the fold.

One day someone will invent a titanium blade that never dulls or chips, but until then...

They will never do that because then we wouldn't have to buy any more than 1 or two if you have more than one rotary cutter. I have 3 right now. I like different ones for different things. I keep a dull one for the kids to do scrapbooking with and I have a two handed and a right handed one. I am a bad girl and cut the end off of the fabric with my left hand.

Not a bad girl at all! Quite smart! I hate to turn the mat, so I think I"ll try it. In case I don't respond for a while, it's cuz I sliced off my fingers. Sara

I'm a graphic designer and have used X-Acto blades forever. You have to change those constantly. I've been changing my rotary blades with each new project. If they're not cutting, I change them. Good idea about flipping them. I will try that before I go broke buying blades! :lol:

for most it is considered bad form. I hate turning things around and for the most part I am ambedextrious (spelling?) Anyway, I use both hands almost evenly though it is a predominate right hand society so I mostly write with my right. Except on windows which is easier with my left. It is harder for those who don't use their left for much. Though sewing and quilting you tend to use both. I found the blades are getting cheeper especially if you buy them in multi packs. try and keep your fingers out of the way. I wouldn't want to do first aid or get blood on the quilt unless that is the look you are going for

I have horrid dreams of slicing myself with the rotary cutter! I've worked with cutters all my life. Once cut my backside with an X-Acto that was resting on a drafting table. I still have the scar! :oops:

sounds like something I would do. I keep my blade in whenever I am not using it. though I left it out once and my son had the good fortune of picking it up and I don't know why but he touched the blade and cut his finger open. Not badly or anything it wasn't a new one. He was old enough to know better, he was 11

The prices of razors have skyrocketed this last few years so paying for blades, even before I took up quilting, has always been an issue. I find keeping good sharp blades, whether in the kitchen, on my face, or against fabric, is well worth the money spent.

:roll:

But you said the secret word - he is a MALE. So many of those male creatures have to 1) touch it to see if it is really sharp, 2) touch it to see if it's hot, 3) kick it to see if it moves, 4) taste it to see if it's as good as it looks, 5) . . . you have the idea. Alas, you have a 11 year old. It will only get worse. (from a mother who knows!) Sara

The only time I have had a nick in my blade is when I accidentally dropped it. I close my cutter when I put it down and I change my blade every second or third project. I keep the used blades for cutting templates and batting squares...(use the back of your cutting mat for batting and fleece or you'll end up with fibers stuck in the cuts..found that out the hard way... I now have a fleece/batting cutting mat! LOL) :)

Just came across this recommendation for sharpening blades! I have not tried it yet myself but if you read the comments many swear that it works.

http://pennyshands.blogspot.de/2011/...ter-blade.html

My blades last forever. It's been months since I changed blades, and I cut a lot. I always close the blade when I set the cutter down--well almost always. I have found that cleaning the lint out every once in a while helps keep the blade sharp. I rarely cut more than 4 layers of fabric and I cut sitting down. Guess I'm a "rebel".
Sue

I had a Martelli blade that lasted over a year and Gingher blades usually last at least 6 months.

When you hit the ruler it will nick the blade. It can also be the mat. You usually use the mat in the same place all the time. Try putting the mat in a bathtub full of room temperature water, and scrub it with a brush, to get any lint out. Then hang it up to dry or dry with a towel. The water helps heal the mat so you can cut, and not have to press down on the blade so hard. Hope this helps.

When my cutter skips the first time, I change the blade. I don't wait for the second skip. My blades last a long time because I sharpen before they get dull. In other words, sharpen a sharp blade. I use the Grace sharpener that you don't have to take the blade out of the cutter so it's easy to run through it. I give it a run through every so often when I'm cutting. If the blade gets a nick it is a goner. I buy a new complete cutter every so often. It is plastic and the parts do wear out causing the blade to not stay on a true straight line when cutting.

I am a new quilter, and am having a terrible time learning to use the rotary cutter. From the comments I am reading, I think I may be cutting against the ruler, this is a no-no - correct? Also, I just bought a "set" from walmart, fiskars I think. Should I invest in a better one, and which is your preference? I appreciate any and all help/comments. thanks

I live by the sea. Mine (Olfa) gets rusty very fast. Brown spots everywhere.

Mine just hit the ground, darn it, and the blade was only two weeks old. Now it's limping over the fabric. SIGH

Titanium Blades Now Exist!
 

Your wish has been answered, 10 years later, LOL!

Driffy Rotary Cutter Titanium Blades 5-Pack 45mm

Fiskar's are fine--the cutting mat will not last as long as the Olfa self-healing but I've got both and Fiskar's will do just fine. As far as using your rotary cutters--don't push it against the ruler, instead hold it so it rolls right next to the ruler, with your wrist forming a straight line from elbow through to the rotary cutter--in other words, don't angle your hand down. with your other hand on the ruler, leave your pinkie (or even pinkie and ring finger) off the ruler and on the fabric/mat--this anchors the ruler better than just pressing down on the ruler. If you are finding the blade to skip, check to be sure that you aren't always cutting in the same spot on the mat resulting in cuts, grooves, and snags. if you are moving the fabric around the mat ocassionally and still get skips, your blade probably needs changing.

it could be the mat if it is showing signs of wear

You know what the quilting wisdom is: if you cut with your rotary cutter and it leaves those pesky threads attached.....it's time for a new blade.....whether the blade is relatively new or not! My group of friends laugh because a few years ago we all went in and bought a large quantity of blades and split the order up....I think, I paid for 25....but we're all so frugal, that we're cutting and complaining about the uncut threads instead of just changing the stupid dull blade!

I double-fold my fabric most of the time which means I cut 4 layers at a time and of course, the blade will go dull after a while. I started getting really careful around the ruler. I start about 1/2" up from the end of the ruler, align the blade to the ruler, pull back to cut to the end of the ruler and then roll forward to cut the rest. I found that doing this method kept the blade from getting chipped from the ruler.