Sharpeners haven't worked for me either. I change mine when I can tell it's getting dull, just by the way it might skip a space or it takes more pressure to cut. I usually try to buy my blades in bulk on ebay. Anyone know another good place to get them???

I also have a cheaper rotary cutter with an old blade that I keep just for cutting paper.

I went to the AQS show in Des Moines and bought a $29.95 blade sharpener in October (Martinelli). If the blade is dull, it works great BUT I always seem to nick the blades, then the sharpener is worthless!!! The salesman told me that ordinary blades become flat just because the steel or whatever the metal is, bends slightly and becomes flat on one side and thus forms a nick. Of course, what a coinsidence, he had blades that wouldn't do that! HA! (They do last a little longer.) Anyway, when I first got home the main rod in the sharpener was bent so e-mailed the shop I purchased it at and they sent me a whole new unit so have 2 extra sharpening "stones". Honestly I wish I had the $29.95. I too wait and get a 5 pack at JoAnn's with a 50% off coupon. :( SewinSue)

I went to the AQS show in Des Moines and bought a $29.95 blade sharpener in October (Martinelli). If the blade is dull, it works great BUT I always seem to nick the blades, then the sharpener is worthless!!! The salesman told me that ordinary blades become flat just because the steel or whatever the metal is, bends slightly and becomes flat on one side and thus forms a nick. Of course, what a coincidence, he had blades that wouldn't do that! HA! (They do last a little longer.) Anyway, when I first got home the main rod in the sharpener was bent so e-mailed the shop I purchased it at and they sent me a whole new unit so have 2 extra sharpening "stones". Honestly I wish I had the $29.95. I too wait and get a 5 pack at JoAnn's with a 50% off coupon. :( SewinSue)

My rotary sharpener was just delivered last week. Haven't had time to try it but it's from the Grace Co. so that's a good start.

http://www.lpsharp.com/

check this guy out, I've used him about 3 times and have no problem with his blades....hes good

I think the tru-cut is on sale now at Nancy's NOtions. I keep one older rotary cutter just for paper. It's marked with a piece of blue painter's tape so I know which is which. I've been considering getting the tru-cut - doesn't look dangerous to use since you don't have to dissemble the blade.

I finally broke down and bought the USA Sharpener (http://www.usasharpeners.com/orbital.html) at the Dallas Quilt Show. I think I paid around $30.00. It works well unless there is a nick. Like others have said, once nicked you can't save it!

Try E-Bay. Cousin got me a 5-pk Olfa under $10.00 - Brand new!!

I have a rotary sharpener that works well and makes the blades like new. It takes out nicks and also sharpens. DH bought it for me as a BD present. I had the $30 kind and it didnt work well. This one is a bit pricy but works great. It is called Quilters Cutting Edge from http://inventivecircles.com/

I have been using a sharpener for a few years and I am very happy with it and haven't had to buy new blades in a long time. My friend came to sew with me and had a dull blade, I sharpened it and it was like new. Also, I have a special rotary cutter that is just for paper, as I use that quite a bit too. I got the sharpener from Connecting threads and it's the Tri-Sharp.

Wow, Linda! I really will be looking for your response. I HATE a knicked blade forcing me to run the cutter more than once. I LOVE sharp blades so change often. It would be wonderful knowing this person.

I use a "TRI-Sharp" sharpener. I sharpen my blade before each project. Being a retired meat cutter ( yes, I'm female) I learned the care of knives from my husband. Most of the time your blade is not dull. Just the edge is curled over and the more you use it in that condition the less likely you will be able to "sharpen" it. If you are doing a big project you might have to straighten you edge sooner.

ty for asking that question i was fixing to buy a sharpener, you saved me some money.

I googled L.P.Sharpe.com and the only hit I got was to the post here on the QB!

I have purchased about three blade sharpeners and none of them are worth the $$$, including the Truecut Rotary Blade Sharpener. Returned that thing for credit. I will not buy another sharpener. Thank you, LindaR, for this information. This is terrific, I can recycle the blades and get new ones in exchange. Have been saving blades for five years!!!

I have sent my dull ones into a guy, L.P. Sharpe.com and he either sharpens them or replaces them with brand X which is just as good as I have used them. I don't know if he is still in business but you need at least 5 to send to him I think..I'll google and see if he is still in business[/quote]

I purchased the TruCut blade sharpener and I like it. My husband collects knives, looked at the ads for the sharpener and told me it should do the job. I sharpened 5 blades that I had saved to use for paper, and all but 1 now work for fabric. The bad one had a nick. Hubby says sharpen the blades often, before they get dull (just as the former butcher mentioned). I've tried the rotary ones where you put the blade on sandpaper circle and move another sandpaper disk on top. Didn't help at all.

oops!

At my local Joann's the clerk told me they purposely do not restock the 5 pack rotary blades while there is a sale. She said you have to ask them specifically about getting some from the back!

Try http://www.lpsharp.com/3.html

I ordered a bunch about 50 from this guy a few years ago. Still have some Jhittlesewing.com

I have one of those little blue twisty sharpeners and it seems to do ok for me to get just a few more cuts out of it.
I save all my old blades so I know I have a bunch. I will send them to the lpsharp.com when I get some cash.

I just found your cutter on Nancy's Notions on sale for $29.00.

JAGSD, did you make the quilt in your avatar???? What a beauty it is!!!

I have tried several different sharpeners (there's one born every minute, right? Spend $20 and save $$$ on blades - NOT)...I try t buy the Martelli blades as they really do last a lot longer (I am really hard on the blades)........I will use it until I really have to push to cut fabric, and no longer get a clean cut.........then blade goes out and new one in..........

When you use your blades until they are so dull you have to stand on them to cut, in the process you are ruining your cutting mat. The mats do not heal and eventually will get grooves where you've cut with the dull blades. Which is cheaper, replace a blade or replace a mat?

Yes, I have tried the aluminum foil. Warning all those little slivers are just like a splinter and you know what they can do. You have to fold several layers to really make it work. Tried it once...no more...and you can guess why.

AGREE TOTALLY!!!!!!! I have the new Martelli mat and it is so far superior to any other that I have or have used....but I still throw out the blades when I can no longer get a clean cut.

Thanks Delilah! Gave it a look, but, wow, are they expensive! Check out E-Bay. You can buy new a lot cheaper than you can get them sharpened or can buy new ones from him!

Shorebird, you must have to go a month without food to afford the Martinelli mat! Seriously, I'll bet it's wonderful!

I have found that once they are sharpened, they are very supseptible to rust. What I do is purchase them in a lot on ebay, and then sell the extras. When I do change the blade, it goes back into the container marked For Paper. It is easier to switch out a blade for a paper project and save my good blade for fabric only!

Hi Kistie. I did a quick check at ebay and the best price for the 45mm blades, that you don't have to bid on, were $12.95 + $2.25 for shipping for 5 blades. That's $15.20 or $3.04 per blade. They are $3.00 per blade from LP Sharp and what I like almost as much as the price is that I can recycle the old blades with them. Again, my ebay search was really quick so there may be a better price there. Don't have much time to do a thorough search because I need to walk the dog and get ready to go bowling. :lol:

A friend of mine has a sharpener from clotilde and she says it makes them just like new. It only does the 45"and the next bigger size. I think the cost is $26 or $28.

Thank you for this link! This is what I have been looking for. It's not that expensive at all for what it does. DH says it looks like a miniature circular saw blade sharpener.

Rotary blades are like housework, you have to clean a clean house to never have housework and you have to sharpen a sharp blade to never have a dull blade.

Thanks for checking, Delilah! Like all E-Bay things, different people sell at different time and for different prices! Worth a check when you need to buy next time.

What brand did you buy and where????

So - has anyone used both the True Cut and the Orbital? Would love to know which might be better.

I've been using the old sharpening system for years - and it works fairly well. My only (and growing) problem is that it requires a LOT of wrist action for decent results - and my wrists complain a LOT... If either of these are better (and it sounds as if they might be) I would love to get one. But I'd really like a comparison if anyone can provide it.

TIA!!!

I tried sharpeners in the past but prefer to put in new blades when my old ones are no longer cutting through a couple of layers of fabric.

You don't know how dull the old one is till you put on a new one. Sharpeners just get you thru a little longer, :thumbdown:

I got a sharpener at Jo Ann's on sale also. It is ok but it doesn't sharpen the blade like if you got a new one. It works for awhile and I have re-sharpened a blade only a couple of times as it doesn't seem to cut well after a couple of sharpening.

Which sharpener did you use? Been wondering about that since i have a hard time finding my replacement blade size, seems that dont make it any longer and I wont get rid of my cutter.

I buy my blades on Ebay. You can find them cheaper if you look a bit... I also have a separate rotary cutter for my scrapbooking and other crafts so that I don't 'accidentaly' but mentally use my good blade. When I put a new blade on my quilting cutter, I put the used quilting blade on my craft cutter.

that is a good idea to use the old blade for paper