Rotary cutter blades and sharpeners
06-20-2015, 02:30 PM
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Nevada
Posts: 6,958
I found the best thing for extending the life of a blade is using the aluminum foil trick (taking a piece of aluminum foil, folding it several times, and cutting it up). It helps, and is relatively inexpensive. I still buy new blades. I actually just bought an Olfa 10 pack of 45 mm blades for 29.99 a couple of days ago.
06-21-2015, 07:51 AM
#23
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 46
06-21-2015, 08:14 AM
#24
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Portland OR
Posts: 91
I've used the Harbor Freight blades and love them. They are sharp, fit my Olfa cutters perfectly and last a long time. I like them better than the Fiskar and Olfa blades I got at Joann's by a lot--and they were about $.75 a piece when purchased in quantity of ten on ebay.
06-21-2015, 01:45 PM
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 1,472
I buy my blades at Harbor Freight and when they do finally get dull, I put them in a tall medicine bottle that just fits them and save the dull ones for things I don't want to use my good blades on. When it gets filled up, I can just toss it away without worries of anyone being hurt by them. They only cost about a dollar each, so I don't mind replacing them as often.
06-21-2015, 01:50 PM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Indiana
Posts: 449
Originally Posted by barbrn1128
Wal mart has blades and they are very affordable compared to what you pay elsewhere
06-23-2015, 04:10 AM
#27
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 38
Originally Posted by ranbro
I purchased the ones from Aliexpress and they would have a hard time cutting butter. Waste of time, effort and money. I also had purchased the electric rotary blade sharpener and that too was an even bigger waste of money.
06-23-2015, 05:58 AM
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,198
I buy the 45mm carpet cutting blades at Harbor Freight. They run about $1.99 each. Some have not had good luck with these, but I haven't had any problems with them.
One board member posted that she uses a Sharpie to mark her blade with a dot, then if it starts skipping, she turns the blade over and marks that side with two dots.
I got one of the blue Dritz sharpeners, which doesn't really sharpen, but it does smooth out the nicks which cause the blade to skip. It's a temporary fix, but it does extend the life of the blade a little.
I have one rotary cutter which is a dedicated paper cutter for trimming printed patterns (PP, applique). When I change blades on my fabric cutter, I put that one in my paper cutter.
To dispose of the used blades, I have an Altoids tin that is clearly marked USED BLADES. I think I have a dozen or more in that tin and there's room for many, many more.
One board member posted that she uses a Sharpie to mark her blade with a dot, then if it starts skipping, she turns the blade over and marks that side with two dots.
I got one of the blue Dritz sharpeners, which doesn't really sharpen, but it does smooth out the nicks which cause the blade to skip. It's a temporary fix, but it does extend the life of the blade a little.
I have one rotary cutter which is a dedicated paper cutter for trimming printed patterns (PP, applique). When I change blades on my fabric cutter, I put that one in my paper cutter.
To dispose of the used blades, I have an Altoids tin that is clearly marked USED BLADES. I think I have a dozen or more in that tin and there's room for many, many more.
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