Is the blade in the handle correctly? Is there a problem with your handle? Check your ruler, have you been nicking it with your cutter? If you can't find the problem I'd get in touch with the company, maybe they have an idea.

Probably a crazy question - but are you totally sure that you only have ONE blade in your cutter? Twice in the past several years I have replaced blades in my Olfa cutter and realized, after bad, bad, bad cuts, that I had 2 blades in the cutter. They are so thin, and seem to stick together so well that it is not a hard thing to do - to put 2 stuck together blades in the cutter.

I have had the same experience as Prism. I was nicking the blade on the ruler, mostly at the very start of my cuts. My ruler actually got a bit rounded on that corner. Now I try to slide the blade sideways to butt against the ruler about an inch up from the corner,roll it backwards that first little bit, then proceed with the cut as usual. Keeps me from hitting the ruler.

I have had the same problem that prism99 talked about. Not holding the cutter correctly and I hit the ruler. I hope you find out what the heck is the problem. I would be so upset.

I am so petrified of rotary cutters that I used scissors for ages. All I think about is safety, although I am a total spazz working on a table for some reason. I even prefer to iron on the floor! But I do use a steel glove when cutting and I keep my left hand behind the blade and I close the safety as I finish each cut.

It's probably the ruler that is the cause. If your ruler has been slivered on the edge the blade will follow the ruler edge and then recut the ruler causing a nick. I was taught to start about half an inch from the ruler bottom and then pull backward to the bottom and then cut. I can't believe you are cutting on the floor.

Examine your ruler carefully. That's how I figured out I was shaving the ruler when I cut. I *thought* there was a curve in the ruler and proved it by butting it up against another ruler I hadn't yet used for rotary cutting.

Edit: Oh, and with flannel, I prefer to *heavily* starch flannel before cutting; otherwise it moves around on me. I use a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water.

I will say it's easy to get two blades at one time put into the cutter. then it won't cut well at all. they stick together with the oil that's on them.

I always starch my flannel before cutting.

I'm checking my ruler but I don't see anything or feel anything! I always cut backwards first before going forward so I don't think I nick my ruler too often if at all?

I have done the thing where I put two or three blades in the cutter so I'm onto that mistake as well, no it's not that.

I honestly can't figure it out.

I'm thinking about getting a new mat and new cutter and just starting over. But the mat is the largest size they sell, I hate to think what it would cost.

One strange thing though: when I run my palm over the mat I do feel lots of cut lines and small raised ridges where there have been cuts. And too, there is this one gauge that feels pretty hard and deep and bad. I am not sure there should be any texture on the mat whatsoever - is it normal to feel little ridges and a pit or two? Could the mat be damaging the blades? I know that makes no sense but nothing makes sense. Five blades in one week is just too much.

I guess I have to turn the mat upside down to use it but then the helpful ruler lines are gone...

Perplexed in a rainy snowstorm here in Massachusetts...

Lainey