I sold my 60mm Olfa rotary cutter because I feared cutting myself with it. I find myself using the small 28mm for a lot of paper piecing I am doing.

Yikes!!! I am glad that your cut wasn't serious!!! I will check and make sure the screw on my rotary cutter in snug each time I use it from now on. I have been lucky (knocking on wood) and not been cut YET. I hope my luck holds out for a long time to come.

I have tried to make it a habit of checking the screw (although you don't want it super tight) each day that I get my cutter out. I usually check to make sure the blade isn't wobbly which is the first sign that your screw may have gotten loose.

I never cut with a rotary cutter without a safety tool. Either a glove or the Quilters Slidelock. I use the Slidelock for all straight cuts even the two inch long ones. I had one bad cut and the trauma and pain not including the cost was enough for me to realize safety tools are a must. When I see someone cutting without a safety tool I get the same feeling in my stomach as when I see a motorcycle rider without a helmet.

Glad you weren't seriously hurt. Another thing I don't do anymore is cut bare footed. I dropped a rotary cutter on my bare foot one day and cut my toe badly enough to keep me out of shoes for a couple of days.

i am not ashamed to admit that i am always a little afraid of my rotary cutter.

i am sorry about your thumb :(

aileen

Wow Thanks for the heads-up. I just went and checked all my cutters and sure enough, the screw on my small 28mm was real loose. Glad your injury wasn't serious. So far I've been really careful/lucky - no injuries.

Glad your cut was not serious..and thank you for the reminder about the screw..I have never thought much about it, but I reminder checking it as a habit I guess :)

Judy in Phx, AZ

thanks for posting this warning. i used to teach quilting, and always made sure that my students knew how dangerous a cutter can be. Just earlier this week I yelled at #2 son because he was fiddling with my cutter while talking to me.. yet, I'm a bit lax when it comes to cutter safety. This is a timely reminder to me..

I have never run into my hand *yet* (smacks dining room table) BUT... I did one day, lay it down while cutting "for just a moment" to readjust the fabric, and neatly slid the side of my hand against it... OUCH!!! thankfully, not much deeper than a paper cut, but still made me say "&^^%%%$"