The Humble Rotary Cutter.

Chako · **on:** August 21, 2018, 01:30:20 PM

I do not think this topic has been done before...and I think it is high time to breach the subject. Let's see your rotary cutters, if you have any?

The rotary cutter is a relatively new invention (OLFA in 1979) that is most associated with quilters and the garment industry. I guess my doing leather-work counts in this as I have found them to be a very useful cutting tool in ones toolbox so to speak.

If you are curious about the history of the rotary cutter, you can fill up your knowledge at these following links...

http://www.quilting-tidbits.com/rotary-cutter.html

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-olfa-brand-celebrates-the-35th-anniversary-of-the-rotary-cutter-invention-with-the-creation-of-a-commemorative-quilt-262693001.html

So a rotary cutter is nothing but a glorious pizza cutter (bonus points if you have actually used one as such...I did once as I couldn't find my actual pizza cutter

) with replaceable razor like blades and a moveable guard of some sort. The tool is most useful in doing straight cuts with a straight edge, or radial cuts if you are really good. The blades come in several sizes for different purposes, the smaller ones being best for those curved cuts. A hard non cutting surface or better yet, a self healing mat is a must when using one of these cutters.

Anyhow, here are the photos.

I store most of my rotary cutters in this box.

I have a total of 7 rotary cutters. One is not stored here, but in another place with a self healing mat and is produced by Fiskars.

Here are the two Fiskars stored in my rotary cutter box. I like these for their ergonomics, and push button spring loaded guards.

A pair of OLFA rotary cutters. The blade guard is a simple push pull slider. Not as nice as those of the Fiskars above.

And my last pair. The bottom is a Hobbycraft.

At the bottom I also have enough room to store extra blades.

So there you have it. The humble rotary cutter designed to cut fabric is a very versatile tool. I have cut all sorts of things in the past including pizza. Let's see yours.

Ray S · **Reply #1 on:** August 21, 2018, 08:09:51 PM

I have an Olfa rotary cutter with a 5/8ths inch wheel that I find very useful for cutting felt that I use to re-line machinists' tool boxes.I have several other larger ones(don't know the makers);I'll have to dig them out of my tool box(if I can remember which box they are in).