I am Probably doing something wrong but my blade gets dull fast. How often do you need to change the blade? I have cut about 1000 5" squares and 5 yards of flannel and am on my 3rd blade. I need to replace this one so I can finish cutting the backing I WANT TO SEW :?
Could I be pressing down too hard?
Could I be using the wrong type of mat? Its the bluesh "Rotary cutting mat"
Sorry for such a silly question but I am at a loss :?:

I have blades last like what seems forever and some that will last just thru the cutting of a couple quilts.
Dunno......maybe someone else might have more insite.

Seems to me that you are doing alot of cutting.
I dunno. I change my blade whenever it gets dull.
I am careful to replace the cover when I am not cutting because it seems like even though it is on a mat, somehow it gets nicked.
I also stock up on them with the JoAnns coupon!
Kirsten

Cutting flannel wears out the blade faster than cotton. Same with fleece. Thicker that cotton.

my blades last forever - one thing I do is make sure that I am using the "light" cutting "setting" with 1 or 2 layers of fabric and the "heavy" cutting "setting" for more than that. I also lock it when not in use to keep it from getting knicked. You could also try to take the blade out and clean out the handle area where the blade rests - sometimes it gets so full of fabric dust that the blade gets out of whack.
:) :wink:

Are you using good quality blades or the less expensive no-name type? My Olfa's last a long time. Does the mat have a self-healing surface? I don't know the "blueish" brand name, but some have very hard surfaces (June Tailor is one) that do not self-heal and are damaging to rotary cutter blades.

Wool doesn't seem to be much different than cotton, so I don't understand how flannel would be harder on the blade unless you are using the type made from synthetics. Cotton flannel is made from more loosely spun fibers than quilting cotton and so should be less damaging to a blade, not more.

I just read a tip the other day that suggests taking out the blade and flipping it over and says that it works like a new blade...Havn't tried it yet but sounds like a real money saving idea...

I bought a bunch (5-5pks) of fiskars blades on ebay for less than $25. I haven't tried one yet, but a buck a blade is pretty cheap....

I have a blade sharpener, and I tell you what it works like a charm. I used to milk my blade for all it was worth letting it go dull and using it for much longer than I should, but once I purchased that sharpener a twist or three and it's good to go all over again. It's well worth the money.

Oh and I only buy the Olfa blades, my current was has been sharpened three times and is still cutting beautifully. (a single replacement blade runs $7.49 Joann's reg. price)

We have a company that comes in and collects our surgical instruments to sharpen them. I asked one of their reps if they could sharpen up some rotary blades. The gentleman said he'd try and they are wonderful! So maybe a local knife sharpener in your area could do the same for yours. Sure beats having to run to the store when I'm in a cuttin' frenzy... :):)

I still mostly use my wall paper knife..still on the first box of blades :D

check this more on cutters and a picture of a walpaper knife...its red
http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/769.page

After years of cutting on my mat, I found that I had to replace the mat, as well. Everything wears out!

yes there is a picture on this threadhttp://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/769.page

not long ago i bought 50 rotary blades, no name, from a dealer named j.nockles on ebay. they were $3.00 each for 45's and i love them. yes, it was a big commitment, but i expect to be quilting for a long time. they are generic and fit all my brand name handles. i corresponded with him and i wish he had other sizes. i think they hold up as well as brand names. how long they last also has to do with thread count and weight of fabric and how heavy a hand you have. always bear down as little as you can to cut what you need.

sorry. just checked my statement and find that they were only $2.50 each.
can't beat that with a stick! now i love them more.

by the way, they came to me really well-packed, with vinyl between each blade and lightly oiled, 25 to a clear zip-lock bag.

when i think about the price of gas and what it would have cost to keep shopping for them i think i got a real bargain.

goggle "house of hanson". They have excellent prices on blades, you can get generic blades or Olfa, you can also send in your blades and they will resharpen them and also get resharpened ones cheaper. They also have excellent service, don't charge shipping fees (or at least they didn't the last time I ordered).

A tip from one of the members of my quilt guild is you can take a pice of foil paper fold it and run your cutter through it and it sharpens it. I have tried it and it works. Not for a long time but cheaper than a sharpener or buying a new blade.

As I mentioned I have a Sharpener, and after owning one I'd never want to be without it. I feel like saying send me your dull blades and I'll make them sharp again. There's no point in throwing something good away. And yes they are at least $7.50 for a single at Joann's and that was a couple of months ago. It's much better to get a deal on several like you all are talking about.

My Sharpener is made by Colonial and says "Dual Rotary Blade Sharpener" Hancocks has it for $9.98 right now http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/Item--i-TS-45, but you can also get it from http://overstock.com for $14, I'm not certain which would be less after shipping.

I had also heard about sharpening your blades by rolling over tin foil, that works with regular scissors too, cut through the tin foil - it will also work to sharpen blades and scissors using VERY fine sand paper.

Iwill have to check out the blade sharpener, that sounds great!

Great ideas!!

I have found flannel and fleece wears down blades quickly. There are ones made especially for this purpose. I also have used blades resharpened professionally ($1.00 each). They seem to hold their cutting edge better. It can be compared to buying a knife and having it honed.

I have found in the Florida dankness, that when I reshapen blades, they get tiny rust spots after a couple weeks. on the flat area, not the cutting edge.