Knot Sew

The rotary cutters we use are discribed as a rolling razor blade. Well what I have bought so far I consider junk. For the price of one blade your lucky to be able to cut one quilt. I just had the second handle fall apart.
Today I am going to the hardware store and look for a cutting knife that has replaceable blades. I know there are all kinds, one thing they have in common is they're sharp. I want to get one that uses inexpensive blades. I will post later and let everyone know what I find. :wink:

patricej

i own one or two fiskars cutters, several dritz cutters, and several of some wierd brand i got for $1 each at Big Lotts.

the first fiskars i bought fell apart. i bought another because it used to be the only brand they sold at WalMart and the only brand i'd ever heard of.

by the time i decided i wanted one with a bigger blade, WM was also selling Dritz cutters. they were less expensive than fiskars, so that's what i bought.

i like the dritz much better. they are sturdy and stable. the fiskars cutter feels flimsy, wobbly, and generally like junk in comparison. much easier to achieve an accurate cut. it's easy to take apart and put back together. in fact you can't put it back together any way but the right way. it cuts easily through as many as 8 layers of fabric. and they are safe, safe, safe to use. i did manage to cut myself once but only because did something incredibly stupid while using it in a way it wasn't designed to be used.

i treat my cutters like i do my computers. i push them to their known limits and beyond. i have used the dritz; abused the dritz; but i have not been able to make it feel cheap.

far be it from me to discourage independence and exploration of new frontiers. i hope you find something that cuts fabric as easily as a rotary blade. especially through more than one layer. when i first got into quilting, i tried box cutters and craft knives. i already had those and didn't want to pay for a rotary cutter if i didn't need to. neither worked well at all for me. So if you haven't tried a Dritz yet ....

Country Quilter

I only own two rotary cutters...the first one was a KIA which I really liked but it wasn't very ergonomical (I think thats the correct term?) so I bought a Fiskars with the wide grip handle.... the screw does keep coming loose on it but I just give it a twist to tighten it now and then.... Next time I will try the Dritz.....let us know how you come out with your new experiment Ruth!

k_jupiter

Take a utility knife to one of those rotary cutting pads and kiss the pad goodbye. They are meant for rotary cutters only.

Try the OLFA. I is an engineer and I don't usually buy junk. The OLFA is a nice tool. For most hands a 45mm is best. Don't get the straight one, get the one with a curved handle. Very comfortable, very accurate with a good rule.


JMHO.

tim in san jose

Becky

Ruthie

I have used fiskars for quiet awhile. I agree that the replacement blades are not cheap, I really push the limits on mine, sometimes I find that it's not alway the blade. I'll take mine apart, clean it and re-oil it, and then sometimes turn the blade over. and I'll get more miles. But please if you find a cheaper solution and just as worthy, please let me know.

june6995

My first rotary cutter was the cheap variety JoAnn used to have on a slaes promotion for $1. I bought one and thought it was pretty good, so I went back and bought a dozen. Consider that I had a dozen new blades as well.

After a while I wanted one of the bent handle style and bought a Fiskar. I am still using it 6 years later. Recently I purchased an Olfa simply because I had a problem getting the old blades off the Fiskar. I later learned that a quick shot of WD-40 does the trick. Just let it set a few minutes.

I have cut and pieced my way through about 3 dozen quilts. I do not let my blades get so dull that I have to use a lot of effort. Therefore, I have no deep grooves in my mat. I have had 2 mats. With the first one I cut everything in the center before I realized it was full of fibers. (Don't forget to e-mail the manufacturers and tell them what you have found to be a problem. Fiskar is exceptionally understanding.) I bought a new mat, and turn it to use on the other side when trimming. I also learned that you can dry scrub the mat to clean out the fibers. I gave the old one to someone who wanted to experiment with cutting fleece for Linus blankets.

Remember it is cheaper to buy where they are sold at reasonable prices in quantity. We buy a stash of fabric, so why not have a stash of blades to make our cutting simpler. The service I use is:

http://www.houseofhanson.com/lpsharp.html

I would never use a box cutter. That is sheer folly to assume you won't have an accident if it slips. My daughter nearly lost the tip of her finger in art class with one of these objects. Please reconsider your intent.
June

Leslee

I agree with Tim. My first OLFA rotary cutter has lasted for years and it's the straight-handled one with the 28mm blade. The rounded handle ones hadn't even been invented at the time! 8)

3incollege

You can buy sharpeners for your rotery cutters. they ar around $24
I know that seems expensive but they really do work. Or use your Joanne coupons to buy the blades. I wouldn't use a utilty knife or any thing like that on your fabric and it will ruin your mat and rip up your fabric. The only other thing you could do is go back to use scissors and cut everything by hand if you don't care about accuratcy, or time it takes. but I wouldn't waste the money on any other tool. Good luck I know You get frastrated. Donna

patricej

dritz. promise. better than fiskars. as good as olfa. less expensive than both.

patricej

shop around a little and you can find sharpeners for much less. (unless you and i use different brands and yours is better? is there more than one brand?)