I would like to discuss how often you should change your rotary blade. Obviously when its blunt, but, how long should they last and can they be sharpened.
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I would like to discuss how often you should change your rotary blade. Obviously when its blunt, but, how long should they last and can they be sharpened.
It's been months since I changed mine out and I have cut out at least a few quilts and 4 Christmas tree skirts since I last changed it. It's just now starting to skip, so I will change it before I cut out my next big project. I have heard they can be sharpened, but I have never done that. I replace them when I need to. I watch for deals on eBay for the blades. One time I got an Olfa ergonomic cutter and 20 Olfa blades for $20. :)
Wawak.com has rotary cutter blades priced at 5 for $16.85. If you sign up for their email, they go even cheaper at times.
Do you think it makes any difference if you buy genuine or other?
I've never purchased any blades but Olfa....but I am sure that I don't change my blade often enough. Those doggone things are expensive! Also make sure that you don't accidently get two blades stuck together & put them in your cutter! I did that once...they are coated in oil and sort of suction themselves together. I couldn't for the life of me, figure out why my cutter wasn't cutting like a warm knife through butter....it was a brand new blade. It wasn't cutting through two layers of fabric, I was getting "hairy lint" everywhere and all over my blade. As a last resort, I decided to take my new blade off & "inspect" it and imagine my surprise when I slid the two blades apart!!! Once I had just one blade in my cutter, it worked like a dream. I am much more careful now when I do remember to change my blade! :icon_rolleyes:
I change mine after each quilt I make. Obviously if you are making small things like baby quilts or wall hangings you would change after about each 10. I love using new blades! What a difference they make. You have to buy same brand blades as your cutter. Fiskars blades won't work in an Olfa cutter for example.
Thank you to Iwantitgreen, I just checked out her site suggestion , and the 45 inch Olaf blade is listed at $3.98! Shipping is $4.98, so its a good deal . i guess I will be changing my blades more often now. Thanks!
A dull blade will cut up your cutting mat also..........ask me how I know. :D
AH Pam,,, I'm with you there,,, I guess I am being penny wise and pound foolish,,, using the cheap blades and wondering why my mat feels like a "boot scraping doormat"....LOL... Am going to have to re-think things around here... but I'm weird that way,, I use things until they annoy me too much and I am a very patient person....:).. ie:,,, at least 2 passes for each cut... dumb huh!!!!!!!!!!!
I have only used Olfa blades and generally get them on sale. I also probably don't change them as often as I should. I usually wait until my frustration level gets higher than my frugal level and change the blade. :icon_rolleyes:
I get the carpet blades at Harbor Freight (thanks to somebody telling me about this a few years ago) and haven't had a single problem with them. I get them when they go on sale for $.99 and there are two in the pack. If I do get a bad one in the future I will not mind because I've had so many good ones so far. It is worth it to me to change the blade every few quilts because I can use the blade for paper projects.
I use different blades in different cutters. I buy and use whatever is on sale. They fit and work just fineQuote:
Originally Posted by jjkaiser
I just purchased 10 blades for $20.00, free postage. Hopefully they will be ok?
I just found some in Harbor Freight (45mm), 2 in a pkg for $1.99 and they work great.
What kind of cutter do these blades fit? I would love to try them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FabStripper
I use them in Fiskars and olfaQuote:
Originally Posted by Terri
The Harbor Freight blades are the 45mm blade and should be interchangeable with a rotary cutter that takes the same size blades.
Please please please try the TITANIUM blades that M* sells. You will not be disappointed. They last so much longer. I gave one to my LQS owner to try at her cutting table in the store. That has been 3 months ago and she is still using it. She is now a believer, too.