Why did I wait so long!!
 

Been struggling to cut fabric all the way through. I finally changed the blade, what a difference! I hope I'm not the only one that does that!

i tend to wait too long as well. what a difference when a new one is used!!

I've got one that won't even cut paper.

I always figure if they are still round they must be good - same with tires on a vehicle.

I save my old blades to cut Christmas & birthday wrap. Works great and I just have a hard time giving up on the blade yet. Maybe it is too dull to cut fabric but still plenty of life for paper.

Somewhere on the internet, I saw a cutting system with ruler having a metal edge that supposedly sharpens the rotary cutting blade as you use it. Didn't bookmark the site, and I don't remember the brand name. I imagine it's terribly expensive, and I don't know if it really works. Would be nice, though.

You are not alone...

I thought about getting this ruler but am thinking that it might leave tiny metal filings on my fabric. There is some kind of sharpener available for rotary cutters but I don't have it. I also leave my blades on too long.

Yep, you are not alone. When I realize that I'm pressing harder and harder on my rotary cutter, then I know it's past time to change the blade!

No I think we all wait to long. Friend says I should change for every new project. As I have 3 on the go do I need 3rotary cutters. Nooooo wait until it drives me mad cutting where it misses.
Has anyone used those sharpening tools? Are they any good.? ?.

I certainly can relate to this posting. i also wait too long, sometimes way too long.

I have the long sharpener (cannot remember who makes it, and too lazy to get off my caboose and go look... will try to remember to look tonight when I get home from work) but it is FABULOUS!!! It reminds me of the hole punch that you would put in your 3 ring binder to make holes in paper. You put the blade (still on the handle!!!) in the slot and run it back and forth a few times (usually I do it about 10) and VOILA!!! I sharpened every blade in my "used blades" container, and was SHOCKED... worth the money (It was about $20 -- I asked hubby for it for my birthday!!!)

I tend to wait to. I guess I reason is the cost, and the main reason is I think it's got a little life left in 'er.

You can also check your cutting mat. A few yrs ago I got the fold out cutting table from Joanns and the also bought the matt that fit it. I had a rotary cutter that was fairly new and I saw it being used at the show but it wouldn't cut anything. I don't remember what made me pull out a small matt to cut on, but that same blade that wouldn't cut all of a sudden was cutting. The matt I don't think is self healing so only after a few times cutting on it, it wouldn't let any of my rotary cutters cut on it. I now have a smaller mat on top of it. What a difference.

Walmart sells the Cutting Edge ruler online:http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?
search_query=Sullivans+ruler&ic=16_0&Find=Find&sea rch_constraint=0

The secret of keeping a sharp blade is to sharpen a sharp blade. I use the Grace TrueCut sharpener (http://www.walmart.com/ip/17337898?w...l5=pla&veh=sem before using the cutter and my blade will stay sharp almost forever unless I get a nick. It's easy to use, just run your cutter through it several times, like a knife strap for a knife. I date my blade when I change it and the one in it now is dated 3/11. No kidding!

I am so guilty!

They recommend a new one each time you start a new quilt but who can afford that. So we all probably wait too long.

My husband gave me a blade sharpener for Christmas and it was completely worthless, so I returned it. It was the kind where you put the blade on a spindle and spin the sharpening pin around in a circle. I tested it on a blade that had been used for 2-3 weeks, so it was in good shape. After I "sharpened" it, it wouldn't cut bread. :hunf:

The people who sell the blades must be the ones recommending using a new blade with each project.

When I find it difficult to cut the fabric I change the blade. I also write the date I started using the blade on the blade. That way IF I feel it's getting tough to cut, I can verify how long the blade has been in the device. I'm guessing I switch blades out about every 4-6 weeks.

Nan

I have left mine in past the sharpening life of it. Some blades son't seem to last long at all. Others seem to last forever.

yup... the Grace one is the one I have... I LOVE IT!!!

I am guilty of this as well. Every time I change blades I say the same thing.. "why did I wait so long". I know its partially because it not an overnight thing.. the dullness creeps .. and I forget what I pleasure a new sharp blade is to work with.

grace company has a blade sharpener that you just run the blade though ...not even have to take it out of handle ....worth the money at the price of blades ...also your local harbor freight has blades for a carpet cutter [can order on line] that fit the 45 cutter way better price than other places

Lol. I love this. I really do think this about tires! Drives my hubby crazy!

I tried the sharpening too and it was worthless. I've talked to others who liked it. Perhaps operator error. Over the weekend I got an Accuquilt Go cutter. Problems solved.

I bought the electric TrueSharp Power Rotary Blade Sharpener (Amazon now has a good deal on it with free shipping) and it works. Guess what, though, I have not had to use it a lot because I got this rotary cutting matt at a quilt show as a show special. The Big Mat by Sewingemporium.com has a 5 year warranty and the surface is very smooth. There is actually less wear and tear on the blades. A rough cutting mat such as the one sold by Joann Fabrics (it is white and the surface is not smooth at all) can make rotary blades very dull in no time at all. I learned this the hard way.

I'm the same way with needles too.

I ave the Grace Sharpener and absolutely love it!

I like this idea of writing the start date on the blade but seems I tried it a while ago and couldn't get the date to last - even used a Sharpie marker. What do you use?

I thought I was the only one that keeps putting off changing the blade. Looks like I am in excellent company.

even though I have a nice supply of blades, I always want to get my money's worth... I, too, use my blades long after they're dull, luckily I haven't ruined any fabric pieces because of my stubborness.

and each time I say to myself "dah" see you are not alone:o

Another guilty party here!
Have to tell a story too. . . Yesterday I finally decided I'd had enough of trying to use a blade that skipped. So I get out my cute little pack of new blades and open it up. The blades are all gooey with the lubricant and I don't want to cut myself this time so I kind of lift up the blade with the screw of the cutter and reinstall. Have the usual bit of a problem with reassembly but get it done. When I start cutting it seems like there's an awful lot of thread residue on the mat, but figure maybe this piece of fabric is just not quite on grain. And it seems to not be quite as responsive as expected. Chalked that up to fuzz sticking to the lubricant. Go do something else for awhile. Come back and straighten the end of my next piece of fabric. There's an extra thread the whole length of my cut. What the heck?!? Look closely at my cutter and I had put TWO blades in there. No wonder it was behaving strangely!

I really do hate handling the rotary blade....i wait far too long and then am always regretful that i didn't do it sooner.

Yes I'm guilty!

I recently purchased a blade shaperner from my LQS. The brand is TURN-SHARP by colonial. It works great. Cost aroung $20 dollars but that is only 2 blades

I had gone through looking at some tutorials from Missouri Star Quilt and they had a ruler that when you used it, it also sharpened the blade. It was a large one. I purchased a couple extra blades when I purchased my 60mm rotary cutter. There is a rotary sharpener out there for about $20.00 also. I get frustrated quickly with things that don't work, like pens. If anything is given(free) and doesn't work, I pitch it. No time to waste and fool around with it.

That's the way I feel too. My time is too valuable to me to feel frustrated. Free or not, if it doesn't work like I want it to then I get rid of it and forget it.

I was lucky enough to win an auction for rotary blades where the final cost was about $1 a blade.

So I finally decided that it was "Penny Wise, Pound Foolish" to try to squeeze out every last cut from a rotary blade or sewing needle. when you figure that the fabric alone for a quilt can easily exceeding $100 then an investment of a dollar or two to ensure that every goes smoothly, seemed worth it to me.

This is my personal opinion. I know others feel otherwise. But I tend to get frustrated when the blade doesn't want to cut or cut all the way though. So it is cheaper for me to just replace them and make things easier.