I just bought a Gingher rotary blade and it's the bomb!!!
 

My LQS owner owns a Gingher rotary cutter and cut a layer cake into 5" squares for me in less than 2 minutes. She told me to forget the cutter but to buy the blade. So I did. I love it. I can cut so many layers of fabric with it. I think it cost $12. I absolutely love it. She said she's used the same one for 9 months at her store. Awesome!!!!

that's interesting. I have the Gingher rotary cutter and I really like the look of the black blades so I bought some refills with a coupon but I didn't feel like they lasted any longer than any others. I switched back to the generic ones after I used up the ones I had.

Which rotary cutter do you use? I know that sometimes blades aren't interchangeable. For 9 months worth of use - I would buy one of those!!! I have an Olfa cutter - and it seems it doesn't like other blades.

I love, love, love Gingher blades!! I don't think I'd pay full price for the handle but I got it at Jo-Ann's when they were on sale for 50% off. I didn't think I'd like the weight of it but I love it too. And I really, really love the no touching blade changing system.

I have the 45mm Olfa cutter. It fits perfectly. And the blade isn't black. It's silver. It says Gingher on it. The rotary cutter is $79. It is very comfortable, but not $79 comfortable. Yet anyway. But the blade is truly awesome. Unbelievable. Worth $12 easily. I would have paid $20.

Sounds like a good use for my 50% off coupon - would love to try it! I have a 45 mm Olfa cutter too, so glad to know it works. :-)

Love the cutter and the blades. They do last longer than the Olga's to me. Cut like butter

You can get the cutters on eBay for cheap payed about 30 for mine

I bought one - and was very disappointed with it. I went back to my Olfas.

Darn just bought a new olfa and 10 blades but will try the Ginghers when I run out which won't take me that long. Mine seem to get dull awfully fast.

I just bought a second Gingher rotary cutter; the blade on the first was silver, the one on the new one is black. Wonder why they switched?

I just went to the Gingher website, all new blades are now black and they are calling them "Non stick" I am guessing some sort of teflon coating.......never knew I could send my scissors directly to Gingher for sharpening....they charge $7.50 for any of THEIR scissors, be it pinking or snips.....

Gingher blades are superior to most rotary blade. I learned to take extra care when I started using Gingher blades, they cost more then the other blades so I made myself be more careful how I treated them. No more slivers off the ruler and making sure there was no pins at all under the fabric. LOL. I bought five at a time and still have three left from my first order. Dated 2003. Good stuff lasts with care.

Walmart sells the Gingher blades for $12.10 each.

I once did some volunteer sewing at a group where the "bossy" quilter had brought a cutting mat that was some kind of clear semi-hard plastic. She insisted everything be rotary cut on it and I watched a brand new fiskar blade go dull in a matter of 10 cuts. I'm wondering how many of us who find our blades aren't lasting well, actually have a problem with the mat underneath? Needless to say, she disgusted me and I quietly left. Meanwhile, nothing anyone cuts there is straight or on grain...imagine!

Thanks for the information about sharpening! I too like the blades but have not gotten used to the cutter - still it was a good investment - with a 50% off coupon.

I've had the same experience with Martelli blades.

thanks for the info - am going there today, so will look

From what you are saying, these blades fit other rotary cutters. The ones I have are Olfa & I would like to try these blades but want to make sure they fit. Please confirm. Thank you.

I love, love my Gingher blades as well as the rotary cutter. I broke down and bought one on sale, here full price is $59.99, so after the 50% off coupon $30.00 was easier to swallow. Took a bit to get used to the handle but now I love love love it. I have been using it for a few months now and the blade is still super sharp. I have cut one whole quilt, 1/2 quilt and several small projects so far.

I had been going through Olfa blades like crazy and was getting so desperate to get something that lasted longer then a few cuts.

The blades may not be in all stores. Our fabric dept manager is a quilter and she goes out of her way to order items from Walmart's list of supplies that other fabric dept managers do not. It takes time to read the list of stock items and of course knowing what it is once you see it listed. She let me see 'The Book' she could order from. It's a binder about 5 inchs thick.

I got my Gingher cutter on ebay for$25. Brand new, still wrapped and had a Joanns $69.99 price tag on it. It is wonderful. When buying one look closely if it is left or right handed. They are not changeable from right to left.

I will try the blade but I found a cutter that I loved so much I bought another just to make sure I have a back up in case anything happens to this one. LOL Its a Fiskar and it fits my hand perfectly. And I too think it may be the mat not the blades sometimes. I just bought a new Olfa mat, 1/2 price coupon , and it makes such a difference in the way the fabric is cutting. I will not buy another gray mat.
Speaking of mats.. I saw that the art store here had green cutting mats really cheap , Has anyone ever tried one of those?

Which experience, exactly? There have been both good and bad discussed.

I will look for one, does Joann's carry them?
I have an Olfa cutter which I love, and made the recent mistake of buying some of fiskars blades.... I will say that they don't hold an edge at all, I usually use Olfa blades but of course the fiskars were on sale so I though I would try them... won't waste my money on them again, even if they are on sale.

rotary blade sharpeners available
 

Just a quick note in case you didn't know. There are rotary blade sharpeners available. I heard about it and had to ask at Joann's or Hancock's. I can't remember which one I bought it from but both of them probably have them. The sharpener has worked well for me so far and saved on buying new blades for a little longer.

my cutter must have been a lemon. was a gift. had to change blades often and after a year cutter no longer wanted to work. gave the blades away.

I just bought one of the Olfa quick change cutters. It works for right or left handers and so far, seems great. I love, LOVE, not having to touch the blade when I change it. I was always putting that off because it seemed like I always had more trouble after changing to a new blade than I had with the old dull one. :(

Did you know that if you save up 10 used Olfa blades, you can exchange them for new blades for a small fee. Google "L.P.Sharp rotary cutter blades" you will find the information....ie., 10 used Olfa blades for 10 new Olfa blades at $3 each...that is a huge savings.

That is no bargain!

I just ordered the Gingher cutter from JoAnn's for 40% off. Couldn't resist.

Lots of new Gingher cutters on ebay. $21. Make sure you get the right one for you.. Right hand or left hand. They are not able to be used for both

It is if I need a new blade like right now and I don't want to drive an hour away to Joanns where they are $11.99 without coupon or wait for mail order. $12 is really nothing when you think about how important rotary cutting is to your quilting.

Buying cheap blades that dull fast is pennywise and pound foolish. I've been using my Gingher blade for almost a year. Plus it's a whole lot sharper than any other blade I've tried.

You're a lot more likely to cut yourself with a dull blade you have to push down harder on.