I just cracked my cutting mat!
 

Darn! I dropped my Olfa cutting mat and it cracked about 12 inches in on one end and the crack is about 4 inches long. I can work around it and it could have been worse but how aggravating!

That bites! Almost as bad as dropping a good pair of scissors! Bent the tip, took it to a blacksmith who tried to get the tips back where they should've been but never were the same. Pitched in file 13.

The mat was dried out! Keep you self healing mats like new by soaking in room temp water over night and air dry. I give my mats a good soaking once a year.

Ohh! Try this: turn over and smooth split back together, cover itch duct tape, turn to front and then weight it down overnight with books. This should extend the use.

where do you soak it? My mat is 24x36 and my tub wouldn't fit it flat.

One of mine is cracked too. I figure I should take it to the table saw, and reduce its size. At Paducah there was a vendor that handed out tutorials/hints/etc. on soaking your matt in the bath tub. I guess that mine was dry also.

I soak mine in our kids pool every summer! It's kinda funny to see but we get the big plastic pool each year for like $10 and the kids love it. So while it is up, I just dump the mat in and let it soak! Put it in in the am, the sun keeps the water warm and then I pull it out before we go to bed that night!

I don't have a place big enough to soak my mat. They weren't soft when I bought them. I have had them for about 13 -14 years.

Mine had a crack that eventually broke off. I think I used E-6000 or something like that and glued it back together, weighted it down till it dried. Thanks so much for the tip on soaking the mats, never new that!

Wow I didn't know about the soaking the mats never gave it a thought they would break. Thanks for the info. Sue

Soaking is news to me, too. Will soak my mats over the weekend. Thanks!

Soak larger mats on the kitchen floor overnight with wet bath towels on top.
Do the other side the next night.

Jan in VA

BellaBoo - Thanks for the info. Like other posters, I don't have a tub big enough for my large mat to lay flat.

Jan in VA - Do you think I could put my mat on a table (non wood) and spray it down and then let it sit overnight or do I need to have the wet bath towels?

QuiltPat - Now, why didn't I think of about duct tape! That would keep it from getting worse. Thanks for the idea!

Tessagin- I quit buying good scissors for that reason also. Dropping them on basement concrete floor really does a number on them. I have at least two pair sitting in the closet that I can't bring myself to throw away.

Why not? :)

Jan in VA

I've never heard about soaking mats either but am going to do it tomorrow! Thanks for that great hint.

When you can afford a new one , cut this one into smaller mats. To take to class to use for small sections in other places etc. in the meantime. I found duck tape on the side you do not use for cutting and then soak. I use the bath. No one gives instructions on keeping them in tip top condition .ie how to clean when fluff in the cuts.

DottyMo, thanks for the advice. I haven't used the mat since the crack occurred. If the crack proves to be a problem, I decided I would cut it up and use the pieces. I think that using the Duck tape will be the best solution. Let's hear it for Duck tape! I plan on splurging and buying one of the "fancy" designer rolls. Maybe hot pink or a leopard. Can't have this old mat that has served me well fixed up with drab gray even though it will be on the back!

My boys cracked mine fighting many years ago. I guess it made a good weapon for one of them. I used duck tape until they had saved enough money to replace it. I still have the duck taped mat. They replaced it but the old one that is already "hurt" comes in handy sometime. That was around 15 years ago.

don't throw the mat away. Cut into pieces to use in the bottom of totes. Just cover with fabric and it is easy to remove and wash to keep the bottom of the tote clean and gives support to it also

I did the same thing to my mat...Then low and behold, it broke again another place and I threw it out...A costly blunder on my part.

What about a metal drip pan for catching oil under vehicles? They are different sizes (DH says about 3 sizes available), made of metal, and would be deep enough for a cutting mat. They look like a big cookie sheet. You could find them at auto supply stores, or maybe even KMart or Target. Just an idea.

I've heard of soaking mats but had never heard of mats cracking or splitting. Something new I've learned today.

My biggest mat is 60" x 40". I throw my mats in our pool over night (the pump doesn't run at night) Get them out the next morning. Air dry them on the back porch floor out of the sun. A child's wading pool is big enough for most of the smaller mats but I can't keep my dog out of it when I have the mats in it. LOL

Every couple of weeks I mist my mat with the spray bottle when I shut down for the night and just let it soak until the next day. It's usually dry by the time I wake up in the morning, but if not it gets a quick wipe down with a towel. Mats definitely last longer with humidity. If you live in a humid climate you may not need to soak them as often, but the furnace and A/C will dry them out too so a little misting once in a while will help.

Plastic cloth on table or something to protect tabletop. Then soak a bathtowel and spread over the mat. Leave for several hours. Then remove towel and let mat dry.

I have had this problem and found that an eraser does the trick. I found a very large (pink) eraser at the dollar store, approximately 4" x 2", which I will only use to clean my mats.

I didn't even know that I should be doing this but I live in an area of high humidity so my mats have stayed relatively pliable. Still it couldn't hurt to give them a soak once a year. Can't wait to hear what DH says when he finds my olfa having a bubble bath. lol

Did not know that...thanks for the great hint....going to be "soaking" mats today as well as doing laundry.

You ladies are so smart. I got myself an education on cutting mats this morning. Thanks a lot.

That's exactly what I was going to mention. I think its possible the gummy crumbly type erasers might do the best, but almost any eraser should work.

There's a product from a Canadian Company called Jonny Seww that does this. I have one of their blocks, I think it works better than an eraser, but the eraser is cheaper. ;)

http://www.jonnyseww.com/cleaning_block.html - no real picture of it though. If get into the sewing room, and off this computer at any point today, I'll try to shoot a pic of it.

I just got a new mat for my Alto's QuiltCut2 for Mother's Day! I think they all eventually have to be replaced.

Call Olfa? They might like to help.

I have one of those whits mats from joAnns. It is not that old and is shot. I used a coupon but it wasn't cheap. I need to get my GS swimming pool to try to clean it. There are a lot of spots where I can hardly cut any more. I would really love a 4 ft x4 ft mat to cover my whole cutting table. I have searched and they are just too much for me. I bought a lottery ticket this morning. Maybe I can afford one tomorrow if I win.

Such a wealth of knowledge on this board! Thanks ladies - - - Jane

I have a large mat and no place to soak it, so I just use a spray bottle and wet it every so often...will let it soak in and spray a second time, then third (or until it stops soaking up the water). I then spray the back the same way. I use distilled water because our well water is just awful, full of rust and sulpher. My mat is 10 years old and still looks almost new.

all good to know I am getting one next week cut throw my other mat. I have been looking on line for a mat . Any one know a good online shop to get one so far I'm thinking of connection thread.

Wow! I have never heard of that. Thanks for sharing. Those things cost so much, keeping them in good condition leaves more money to buy fabric.

I think Olfa self healing mats has a lifetime warranty. Take a digital pic and send it to them with a description of your mat.

localgirl:
Whose lifetime? It has been my experience that when something breaks, it's lifetime has expired