Hello all. I'm going to be buying my first rotary cutter soon, so I felt the need to ask all of you people out there about your likes, dislikes and favorites. What size and brand of rotary cutter do you use? Do you find different uses for the different sizes? Thanks. I already have a self-healing mat and a clear rotary cutter ruler.

i love my fiskars. heres a pic of the one i have

I have a fiskers like Bev does and I also have an Olfa. I like them both. Keeping the blade sharp is the secret to happy cutting.

i like the shape of mine. its easy on the wrist. i need to get some blades tho :cry:

Me too! I have 3 different sizes. I find I use the 45mm most...like the smaller one for smaller cuts or on corners. I use the momma one..the big one for cutting into stacks or thicker fabric. The fiskars blade change is easy too when you need to replace...and, I love the push w/the thumb on the top to push out the blade and then the button to retract it quick. I like to keep mine closed when not in use...I value my toes!LOL Skeat

I prefer my Olfa, 45mm, not the straight ones though. I have a couple of the smaller ones, and have never used them(got them in an auction lot). If you're going to do a lot of cutting, and I'm assuming you will be(LOL), get the ergonomically shaped one.

I have a Clover I got at Ebay and I love it.

I have a fiscars as well as what some of the other ladies have. I love the grip I have with it.

I have a Fiskars, just like Bev's, Skeat's and LoriJ's!
I really like it, and I use my 45mm the most too.
I don't enjoy the ones I have that you have to push up and down to expose the blades, and consider them, much more dangerous.

I've used the Fiskars cutter for years. I got one of the sideways handle Martelli cutters and love it! I have a bad shoulder and it really helps reduce the pain in that shoulder when I do a lot of cutting.

Martelli for sure!! I picked one up at a quilt show and will never go back to the old style. I have no trouble cutting 8 layers with this one. :!:

I have every brand of rotary cutters. My kids see one and say I know mom uses those so that what is usually in my Christmas stocking. :-) It seems walking in a quilt shop means honing in on one item that looks familiar and then leaving as fast as possible. The best one I have ever used is the Gingher rotary cutter. It's weighted and the gingher blades are coated.

I use my Olfa ergonomic the most.I love the safety feature that lets you lock it closed, they can be dangerous to small children, or ladies that forget to close the blades and then drop them off of the cutting table. I have had two ladies gash their feet when that happened in class, be careful! I have 3 sizes of Olfas, use the 45 size the most.

Ginher for me.

Olfa Ergo here too.

I was going to say the same thing. I loved my Fiskars but I love my Martelli even more. I have shoulder issues as well and this one is much easier on it. I can also cut sitting down, and through 6-8 layers as well.

I have the Fiscars that i use the most. i close the blade after every cut. i am such a clutz that i know that i would be the one to cut off a toe or something! i'm having an issue with keeping the nut tight on it. My blade gets all wobbly if i don't tighten it after every few cuts.

I use Olfa. I like the 60 and use it more than the 45, which is what I started off with.

I'm drooling for a Gingher! One of these days I'll get it.

I love my Martinelle too!
Dix

Thanks for answering my questions! I now have a Fiskars like Bev and many of you have. I now also have a 6x24 clear ruler and a 12 1/2 square ruler. I already had a mitering ruler and a cutting board. So now I'm all set. I've cut the binding for my quilt and made a few practice 3-inch squares, and so far I'm very pleased. Why did I insist on using scissors to cut out my patterns??? LOL

I have 3 Olfas BUT I saw the Martinelli "dance" at a Sewing expo and used one there. I will purchase that one next - It felt great in my hand and easy to use. Much nicer than my Olfas.

Fiskar just like Bev.has

Ditto! The 45mm is the one to start with, but you may also want a very small one for detail work.

I have Olfa and Fiskars, - but I bought a Marteli ergonomic at a show early in the year.
Since I developed carpal tunnel in June, the has been the best foresight I have ever had. I may be having trouble prepping food in the kitchen, but still have no trouble using this cutter.

Gingher---son and daughter-in-law gave me one for Christmas---toally awesome---daughter-in-law is a many award winning quilter---and really great

At a quilt class recently, our instructor said she gets double duty out of her rotary cutter blades by flipping them over. Her husband is a woodworker and said that is what he does with certain saw blades. I have tried it and you do get some extra "life"out of them.

Have both Olfa and Fiskars, 45 mm and 60 mm. I love the Fiskars for the button-push safety and it fits nicely in my hand.

Learned about the bigger cutters last year and that's my favorite now! Find it easier to cut with the bigger ones - don't have to push so hard.

Olfa ergo here as well. 60mm for cutting lots of layers, 45mm for squaring up and 28mm for teenie tiny stuff. have used the friska but after a while my wrist and hand give up but with the ergo can keep going for much longer and cutting out is no longer such a pain.

JoAnns had a sale on notions. I bought a blade, got one free. Not bad!

I love my fiskars(?I think) that you squeeze to use. I have been using an olfa and keep forgetting to close it. If I am cutting curves, I use my small olfa(straight one).

I have one rotary cutter and have used it since I started quilting. It is a Olfa 45mm Ergo cutter with a safety lock button. I love it and find no need for any other. But that is just me. LOL

Nice tip, will have to try that. Thank you.

I use Olfa 45. It's a pink one!!

When we started quilting we bought a Fiskars like Bev's. I like it fine, but I have a new favorite. When I went to ebay to buy replacement blades I found a buy it now deal on a bunch of blades and practically got an Olfa ergonomic for free. I loved it as soon as I started using it and now I hardly use the Fiskars any more. Both of them are 45mm; we don't have any other size. As an added bonus the erogonomic is Susan Koman pink and part of the sale supports breast cancer research. My MIL is a survivor, so we like to buy SK products when we can.

Darren

Just reread my previous answer and realized it wasn't clear about my Fiskars. When I release the handles, they close automatically. Someone else was using them which is why I was using my olfa.

Funny you should ask. I've been drooling over the Ginger Rotary cutter for months now, in the morning I'm going to get one with my JoAnn's coupon for 50% off. Can't wait! I'll let you know how I like it. :D

I have several (so does my mom.) Our favorite is by Martelli. It is a 45 degree cutter made for either right or left handers. Cost is about $25.00. You get absolutely NO hand cramping. I once cut an almost 3000 (yes - three zeros!) piece quilt out for my mom in ONE NIGHT! No cramps. You just can't beat that. The handle is L shaped so your arm does the work, not your wrist. I also find that I don't bear down as hard which also results in cramping. Good luck! You may have to try several before you find the one you are most comfortable with.

oh yes this is my favorite too!! I refuse to use anything else now. Feels just right in my hand and I can cut forever with it through multiple layers!!