Tip of the Week: Rotary Cutters
When someone comes into the shop looking for a new rotary cutter the first thing we do is gather up all the ones we have and let the customer try them out. It's important to have a rotary cutter that feels good in your hand and has the features that are most important to you (e.g., quick-change blade or auto-close). As far as size, most quilters use a cutter with a 45 mm blade, a few prefer the larger 60 mm, and the 28 mm size comes in handy for certain types of projects. Price is also a consideration and we stock rotary cutters from under $20 all the way up to $79.
Once you've invested in a new rotary cutter you'll naturally want to take care of it so that it lasts as long as possible.
Always keep the blade closed when the cutter is not in use. This is for safety first and foremost, but also to keep the blade from bumping up against something and getting nicked.
Be careful not to accidentally roll your cutter over straight pins. This will nick the blade in an instant.
Keep an eye on your cutter and notice when lint begins to build up in it. When this happens, take the blade out and gently wipe the lint off both it and the cutter with a Kleenex of piece of scrap fabric. Be extremely careful doing this, and also when changing blades.
How often you change your blade depends - of course - on how much you use your cutter. If you're working with flannel or denim you might notice that those fabrics dull your blade a bit faster than when you're using thinner quilting cotton or batik.
Don't struggle or become frustrated using a dull or nicked blade. If you have to apply a great deal of pressure to cut your fabric or if you're consistently having a "miss" in your cutting, it's time for a new blade. Remember - just like a kitchen knife - you're more likely to have an accident with a dull blade than you are with a sharp one.
Dispose of used blades carefully. We don't recommend tossing them into the trash can without wrapping them inside something or putting the old blade inside the case that the new one came in and taping it closed. These blades are uber-sharp when they're new but can still do damage to a finger when they're dull.