Now would be a really good time....

how do you tell if pins are dull?

L

" frood wrote:
Don't forget pins get dull, too!

On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 06:02:14 GMT, "lisa skeen"
wrote:

Because they're so dang expensive for what you get, that's why! I think
it's absolutely RIDICULOUS what they charge for rotary cutter blades.

L

I like to buy the 10 or 20 rotary cutter blade pack at Hancock's of
Paducah. That is the only thing I buy from them, most of the time, so
I always have a blade when I need a change. I do have a sharpener,
and I will sharpen a blade once, then use it on something like fleece
and then it goes into an different, marked canister, that is where the
dead blades in my house live.
If you have a box of 20 waiting for you, it's easier to change the
blade when it needs it. It really makes a difference.


-- Jo in Scotland

lisa skeen wrote:
Because they're so dang expensive for what you get, that's why! I think
it's absolutely RIDICULOUS what they charge for rotary cutter blades.

L

"hfw" wrote

change the blade
why do I take so

long to do that or change rotary cutter blades??)

--Heidi




Did you guys see the tip on simply quilts?? They said you just have to
flip it over and put a drop of sewing machine oil on it...I haven't
tried it yet. Wonder if it works??!?!?

Roberta (in VA)

Polly Esther wrote:
Now would be a really good time to tell you how much you've meant to me,
especially in 2005. Many times, you were my only hold on the real world.
(Now that I say it, that's scary, you know?). I love all of you dearly,
Polly




I'm just glad that "we" could be here for you - it's the least we could do

Roberta (in VA)

I hadn't heard about flipping the rotary blades over, but I do know
that cleaning the "gunk" out from between all the working/rolling stuff
and putting a teensy bit of sm oil on it makes all the difference.
Now, that's NOT a drop of oil! That would leak out on your fabrics....
I put a drop of oil on something like a scrap of freezer paper and then
use the tip of a pin to put a teensy bit on each side of the blade.
Also, when changing blades be sure the blade isn't screwed in so tight
it won't turn. (I always had to check my quilting students for that.)
Also, it can be so loose that it wobbles- not good for a straight cut!

Another tip- as you disassemble your rotary cutter, put all the
thingies in the order that your removed them with the "right" side up.
That way it'll go back together the way it came apart. That makes a
big difference in how well it operates and how long the blade lasts.

Most of us have more than one rotary cutter- put your "not good enough
for cloth" blades in your least fav cutter, mark that cutter so you
know it's a "dull" blade and use it for paper cutting. That's stuff
like cutting thru freezer paper for the printer or cutting thru Wonder
Under, cutting wallpaper or scrapbooking supplies, etc.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Roberta wrote:
lisa skeen wrote:
Because they're so dang expensive for what you get, that's why! I think
it's absolutely RIDICULOUS what they charge for rotary cutter blades.

L

"hfw" wrote

change the blade
why do I take so

long to do that or change rotary cutter blades??)

--Heidi




Did you guys see the tip on simply quilts?? They said you just have to
flip it over and put a drop of sewing machine oil on it...I haven't
tried it yet. Wonder if it works??!?!?

Roberta (in VA)

Lisa, you are correct... they charge horrible prices for rotary blades!
But, like Jo, I buy the big packets of rotary blades from Hancock's of
Paducah. It averages a little over $2.00 per blade and that's more
reasonable than LQS or WalMart prices. But in the big picture, if I'm
spending a hundred dollars (or much more, usually) for the fabric for a
quilt, then what's $4-5 (at full retail price) to be sure I get good,
clean, accurate cuts? You can cut 8-10 layers of fabric with a new
blade (if you're very brave, align your fabrics accurately and measure
really well) with much less effort. I consider my time to be worth a
something and there's less stress on my poor old joints with a nice
sharp blade. The smaller frustration/aggravation level is a good
value, too! ;-)

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

lisa skeen wrote:
Because they're so dang expensive for what you get, that's why! I think
it's absolutely RIDICULOUS what they charge for rotary cutter blades.

L

"hfw" wrote

change the blade
why do I take so
long to do that or change rotary cutter blades??)

--Heidi

Pins are dull if they don't glide right into the fabric like a hot
knife into soft butter! A good investment is a new package of long,
thin straight pins with glass heads. Glass heads won't melt if you
accidentally iron over one of them. It's more effort and frustrating
to use dull pins and they can snag a thread and ruin a piece of fabric.
I also keep a small, well marked, container of "gooky" pins... that's
the ones I use with fabric glue for gluing down 3D appliques.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

lisa skeen wrote:
how do you tell if pins are dull?

L

" frood wrote:
Don't forget pins get dull, too!

Right back atcha, Polly! Hang in there, Reds. Nancycog in MD

Scary? Terrifying, Miss Polly!!
HUGS to you and yours, PAT in VA/USA

Polly Esther wrote:

Now would be a really good time to tell you how much you've meant to me,
especially in 2005. Many times, you were my only hold on the real world.
(Now that I say it, that's scary, you know?). I love all of you dearly,
Polly

Celebrating the little baby steps of improvement with you.

--
http://community.webshots.com/user/snigdibbly
SNIGDIBBLY
~e~
"
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http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/snigdibbly.
http://www.ebaystores.com/snigdibbly...ox&refid=store
"Butterfly" wrote in message
...
Tell that Hairy Butt Gang thanks for the first smile of the day.

Butterfly (off to PT..it's working, I can turn my head to the right a bit
further ; )

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote in message
oups.com...
..... to change your rotary cutter blade (clean and oil the cutter,
too), clean, oil and install a new needle in your sewing machine, renew
the "don't slip thingies" on your fav rulers, wind some spare bobbins,
remind yourself to write 2006 and tell your spouse, SO, children and/or
furbabies that you love them- along with a kiss or three and a snuggle.
It's all good stuff!

This public service announcement brought to you by....

The HairyButt Gang in MO.