What you need to know about picking a Rotary Cutter!

To start we are not going to talk about Olfa vs Fiskers, as that is like debating Coke Vs. Pepsi, you will find the brand that you like best.  Personally, I have several brands and really don’t see much of a difference in the tool itself each brand. What we will review is the kind of rotary cutter, and how you can find the one that works best for you.

You do not want to join the Rotary Club

Before we go any further, rotary cutters are NO JOKE, they cause injury and will hurt you if you do not pay attention while using them.  There is a term used in the quilting community called “Rotary Club” this means the quilter has cut themselves so badly that they needed medical attention.  Not to scare you, but the week I started quilting I was reading a forum post by a quilter with 15 years experience. She said she had her quilt on the floor while she was squaring it up, and left her blade open sitting on her quilt.  She forgot about her rotary cutter and went to lift the quilt off the floor. When she picked the quilt off the floor the rotary cutter flew in the air, and the open blade cut her in the face, right below the eye. She now has a scar on her cheek but is grateful her eye was spared.  This story is to show you rotary cutters must be used with care at all times, and NEVER leave your blade open.

 

Now let’s talk about the different kinds of cutters.

 

Outside of the open blade danger, one thing you want to think of is your cutting surface and height.  You always want to keep your shoulders in a neutral position.  Meaning you don’t want one shoulder lifted higher than the other shoulder, this will cause long-term damage.  

 

The Safest Option in Rotary Cutters

Olfa 45mm Deluxe Handle Rotary Cutter

The Olfa is a great option on the safety front, you have to squeeze the handle for the blade to open.  Once you let go of the handle, the blade will automatically close. There is a button you can push to keep the blade open at all times, however using this will lose the safety bonus of this rotary cutter.  As safety goes, this cutter is very good. There still is a chance of injury, but with the automatic closure, it’s greatly reduced

Fiskars 45 Millimeter Softgrip

The Fiskars Softgrip is great for tired hands, or people who suffer from arthritis.  The handle is very light and comfortable it has a strong grip to help you with control of the cutter.  

 

 

Straight Handle Rotary Cutters

OLFA Rotary Cutter RTY-2/G

 

This is the rotary cutter that every quilter will eventually own.  There are no bells or whistles, but it’s a great workhorse.

 

OLFA 9551 Straight Handle

This is the rotary cutter that I reach for the most often.  This cutter is shorter than the rest and allows me to leave my shoulder in a neutral position. If your cutting surface is at the same height as a kitchen table, you will not need this feature.  My quilting surface is right above my hip, so the shorter rotary cutter helps save me from future shoulder pain. The huge drawback is the blade is small and must be replaced more often than the standard size blades.  The price of the blade is less expensive as a standard size blade, but be prepared to have more blades on hand.

Arteza 45 MM Rotary 

This is a hybrid of a straight rotary cutter and one with comfort features.  Personally, I like how the grip feels in my hand, I feel like I have more control over the cutting process.  Most quilting injuries happen when you are cutting the fabric, so extra control is very important.

 

Now back to safety, there are a few more things you can use to keep you safe.

 

Fons and Porter Klutz Glove, Large by Fons & Porter

Fons and Porter make a glove for your non-cutting hand, this will protect your hand if your rotary cutter gets away from you.

 

Quilt Gallery Grippers QGGQGSGRIP Quilt Gallery Ruler Gripper Super Grip

This handle goes on top of your larger rulers and keeps your non-cutting hand out of the of danger.  It also gives you better control of your ruler and keeps it from moving around while cutting.

 

Let me know if you have a favorite rotary cutter, or how you keep safe in using them.  

 

 

While I don’t promote anything that I have not tried and think it’s awesome, there are affiliate links in this post!