New Blade/New Mat
 

Aahhhh! Why do I wait so long??

For the last year I've been cutting on a mat I already had removed from my quilting stuff. I had put it down on the dining room table for a painting project and then just turned it over and left it there and been using it ever since. I've been meaning to replace it but until I cut all the way through it, I kept putting it off. Sad thing is I have a suitable for cutting mat, it had just been put away and needed to be fetched (total of about 5 minutes).

Changed my rotary blade too. I'm really trying to replace those darn things sooner but I realized I was pressing down so hard my shoulder was hurting after a session of cutting. No wonder I went through the mat, I probably could have made dents in steel.

Now it's so smooth and easy and nice. I learned long ago that needles were cheap, and actually so are rotary blades. I had new ones in my kit and a way to dispose of the old ones. I also threw away an old seam ripper, don't know what happened but there was some corrosion on the point and while it still cut pretty good I didn't like the way it felt.

My experience with new blades is that they dull after just a few cuts. So I get used to working with a blade I have to press down on. Enjoy that 'newness' while it lasts.

I'm trying to convince myself that a blade per large project (instead of per year) is reasonable, anything over that is gravy. If I buy in bulk/on sale my cost per blade is under $2, that seems reasonable to use on $100 worth of fabric. The problem is I'm usually pulling fabric out of my stash and not thinking of it in those terms.

But I know the newness will fade. It's just so nice right now!

edit/ps: Ever notice how almost immediately after replacing a blade, you actually do go over the ruler or knick it some way that you usually never do? Only on the new blades...

Hive seen blade sharpening tools out there..... do they work?

I got one of the early sharpeners (so 20 years ago? sort of a biscuit cutter shape) and was not impressed. This last blade I replaced was just dull, no knicks, and I thought about digging the sharpener out of the drawer and trying it, but then since I already had the replacements on hand I just wasn't going to bother.

I keep blue tape in my sewing kit, one of the times I use it is to seal the used blades. Right now I have a spare case clearly marked as used.

Ahhh...quilting heaven!

~ C

Tartan, I have been buying blades through Amazon for years and am very happy with them (several brands). eg: Premier has 15 for $12 and have stood up really well. Worth a try!

I put mat (12"x 18") on top of my large mat for most cutting projects.

I just replace the blades as I need them. Cheaper than buying new mats. I have tried some cheaper blades and they were duller than my old ones. I use the old blades to trim quilts after quilting and applying binding. They cut like butter.

Isn't it funny how we resist the new ones, but once we do it we're so much happier? I've discovered the same goes for:
new kitchen sponges
new toothbrush heads
new towels, both bath and kitchen (my mom has some towels that are at least 45 years old, at least they're relegated to the garage as rags!)

What items can you add to your list? https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/smile.png

edit/ps: Ever notice how almost immediately after replacing a blade, you actually do go over the ruler or knick it some way that you usually never do? Only on the new blades...[/QUOTE]

Happens like clockworkhttps://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/mad.png

You are so right about a new blade.

Time to change the one on my table. I like the 60mm cutter and found a sale on the blades so stocked up.

A few cuts? There must be a reason a new good blade doesn't last you long. Do you have a good mat on a good surface? Are you putting too much pressure on the blade when you cut, so much it cuts into the mat? A rotary blade will last me for a few months using every day and I change at the first skip. I stock up when I find a good sale on blades or find good blades in bulk online. My last purchase was 100 45mm Olfa blades for $49.99. Warehouse reduction sale from a mill supply store. A mill supply store is a very interesting place.

I always wait to change my rotary blade until I can't hardly cut the fabrics and I have a tendency to never change my needle in my sewing machine until it breaks. Bad habit I know.

I put off changing rotary blades all the time. Then I am prone to buying the least expensive ones I can find and they end up not lasting as long. I would prefer my larger rotary cutter but the blades are so expensive. I have gone through several large quilting mats over the years. I find that when they break in two that I can still put those pieces to use they are great in my traveling quilt kit. They work well for that. I would get more life out of my cutting mats if I did change my blades more often.

I buy a new mat every couple of years. They are consumable and no matter the warranty will not be a good over time. I use to try to make do by twisting and turning the mat to make it last but I got over that when DH tossed out an expensive pair of work gloves because they had wood stain on them making them stiff in spots. He said they didn't feel right anymore so why would he want to wear them just because they were still good.

blades
 

Harbor Freight carries rotary blades that will fit 45 mm cutters . They are actually for their carpet cutting tools but fit the quilting cutters. They are Either $1.98 or $2.49 for a pack of two. Once in a great while I will get a pack that aren't really sharp, but for that price I just throw them away if they dull really soon. It was actually someone on this board that "discovered" them. I thought everyone knew about them by now.

I have tried the Harbor Freight blades and of the different times I have bought them not one blade was sharp enough to use. The last time I bought a package to try, store employee at the register told me these didn't cut carpet that great but do okay with paper.

I typically buy the Olfa blades on sale in bulk packages and bring down my cost to $2-3 each -- always watch the shipping costs! Think next order from Amazon I'll try the Quilter's Cut blades, that's more like $1-2 each, we have a couple of things we'll be ordering in the next week.

Still enjoying my new blade/mat and haven't knicked the new blade yet despite a bunch of cutting, think it is safe from the new blade curse. When I go back to my cutting station I'm going to change the blade on the other cutter in there and I think that will leave just one left in the package so it is indeed time to order again.

well --- duh!!!! https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/smile.png

My rotary blades don't work well on more than 4 layers of fabric, even when new. I do have an accuquilt cutter for the more commonly used shapes and strips. That saves me a lot of work, which is important now that my hands and arms don't work like they used to!