Why Your Rotary Cutter Isn’t Working
Image by Hailey Stitches via YouTube
One of the most important tools for quilters is the rotary cutter. Though it is possible to use your fabric scissors, a rotary cutter can make the cutting process faster and easier. You don’t need to worry about straight lines, and a ruler can easily guide you without needing to put a mark on your fabric. But after a few uses, your rotary cutter may encounter issues, and fail to do its job. Hailey Stitches on YouTube has enumerated some reasons why your rotary cutter isn’t working.
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She has listed 5 factors why it’s not properly cutting your fabric. Most of these are easy fixes, and you can absolutely do it by yourself. I have experienced some of these issues before, and it can be really frustrating, especially when you need to finish a sewing project right away. If you are having problems with your rotary cutter, make sure to check out these troubleshooting tips.
1 – Dull blade
This is the first thing that you need to check when your rotary cutter is giving you trouble. It is normal to get dull blades and you must regularly change them. It is not based on time; it is based on how well your blade is performing.
To change the dull blade, remove the knot and washer on the back, then set them aside. Keep the washer bent side so that it looks like a cowboy hat. Take the centerpiece and remove the old blade. Clean it up and place the new blade. Replace everything in the same order.
2 – Nicked blade
A sign that this is your problem is when you are cutting the fabric and it doesn’t cut through the fabric evenly. The fix to this solution is to replace the blade.
3 – Replaced wrong
You might want to double-check if you placed everything in the right order.
4 – Damaged mat
Another reason why your rotary cutter may be due to a damaged mat. If you’ve been using a nicked rotary blade for a long time, the nick in the blade can actually damage your mat. You can check if this is the issue by putting on a different place on your mat. If it’s suddenly cutting perfectly, your mat needs to be cleaned or replaced.
To clean it, take warm soapy water and scrub the top of the mat. Let it air dry before you use it again. Clean it before you replace it.
5 – Two blades
You might have two rotary blades stuck together. All you need to do is slide the blade apart, if there are two, you know it’s your problem.
Why Your Rotary Cutter Isn’t Working
