# Cutting Thera-band?



## Cave-dweller (Apr 11, 2011)

Hello All,

I'm looking for advice on what surface or base is best to cut thera-band on when using a rotary cutter. I've been using a self-healing mat but I'm not happy with the results I get. I find that when I apply downward preasure on to the cutter the thera-band sinks down in to the compressed mat making it difficult to get a clean and straight cut.

John Webb has a youtube video on making your own bands and he appears to be using glass ( toughened I presume) as a base for cutting. Is this what most of you use? Does this not dull the blade on the rotary cutter?


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## peakshooter (Dec 27, 2009)

Hi,
Had the same problem. I use a cheap wooden kitchen cutting board - think the glass may take the edge off the cutter?


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## akmslingshots (Mar 2, 2012)

I wonder if there is differing qualities of mat? I dont have that problem with either of my mats.

silly question, your blade is sharp right?


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## Danny0663 (Mar 15, 2011)

I second AKM.
It might be the dull blade...

and no, don't cut on glass. It will only dull the blades.
Try using HPDE cutting boards, or even wooden boards.


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## Cave-dweller (Apr 11, 2011)

akmslingshots said:


> I wonder if there is differing qualities of mat? I dont have that problem with either of my mats.
> 
> silly question, your blade is sharp right?


Yeah, It has happened since I started using a brand new cutter with a sharp blade.


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## Cave-dweller (Apr 11, 2011)

Here's a link to that video:






He is definitely using glass as a cutting base. He is a vendor who makes a lot of slingshots so I doubt he would do this if it dulled the blades on his cutters.


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## crazymike (May 8, 2011)

teflon,polypropylene,polyetholene, make very good cutting boards for making band sets.


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## Danny0663 (Mar 15, 2011)

> He is a vendor who makes a lot of slingshots so I doubt he would do this if it dulled the blades on his cutters


Ummm ... yes it will, last time i checked rotor blades weren't tipped with industrial diamonds








It's common sense, sure it may cut a couple of times. But the blade itself will be degraded significantly on hard surfaces.


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## akmslingshots (Mar 2, 2012)

I might be wrong but im sure John uses cutting mats in all his more recent videos.

I have just cut a set of butterfly bands in thera black on a cutting mat, with a blade I have used hundreds of times for leather, paracord, plastic, foam, and elastic/latex. Its still sharp, use it once on a glass surface and I know for sure I will need a new blade instantly.

If you get even just a dull spot there will be little patches that wont cut, making tears when the bandsets are seperated


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## newconvert (Dec 12, 2011)

almost everything mentioned is very bad for a cutting surface, they will all dull the blade very quickly, you either have dull blades or cheap quality blades, i started out with HDPE cutting board and a nice sharp knife worked well except the lines we not so straight. with sharp blades and a self healing mat you dont even need much pressure.


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## newconvert (Dec 12, 2011)

akmslingshots said:


> I might be wrong but im sure John uses cutting mats in all his more recent videos.
> 
> I have just cut a set of butterfly bands in thera black on a cutting mat, with a blade I have used hundreds of times for leather, paracord, plastic, foam, and elastic/latex. Its still sharp, use it once on a glass surface and I know for sure I will need a new blade instantly.
> 
> If you get even just a dull spot there will be little patches that wont cut, making tears when the bandsets are seperated


got your pm, i appreciate your efforts, and the sentiment, many thanks


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## Ryan Wigglesworth (Sep 10, 2011)

Like akm said, I would like to propose the possibility that your mat is inferior quality? Only reason I say this is because I was shopping around and there are some **** ones out there...

also the blade is perhaps not sharp enough if it is pushing the band into the mat rather than cutting it... forgive me if I've mistaken something


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## akmslingshots (Mar 2, 2012)

newconvert said:


> almost everything mentioned is very bad for a cutting surface, they will all dull the blade very quickly, you either have dull blades or cheap quality blades, i started out with HDPE cutting board and a nice sharp knife worked well except the lines we not so straight. with sharp blades and a self healing mat you dont even need much pressure.


NewCon may have hit the nail on the head there, is it a good quality blade? I find the Olfa works real well and others feel the same about the Fiskars. There is plenty of other cheaper brands that don't use a tungsten steel blade that will never hold an edge


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

I agree, I don't think that he is using glass as he called it a chopping board. I think that the noise that you hear is the side of the roller on the steel straight edge. -- Tex


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## Cave-dweller (Apr 11, 2011)

Tex-Shooter said:


> I agree, I don't think that he is using glass as he called it a chopping board. I think that the noise that you hear is the side of the roller on the steel straight edge. -- Tex


Even a casual glance at this video will tell you that the "chopping board" he is cutting on is made of glass. It is one of those glass cutting boards they sell for use in kitchens, like these

http://www.amazon.co...20781011,289863

You can see can see his movements reflected in it and it is clearly not wood or plastic. It's glass! I think that is pretty clear (excuse the pun).


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## Cave-dweller (Apr 11, 2011)

I agree that the glass cutting board is a bad idea. I think I'll have to invest in a better rotary cutter. They are hard to find here in Dublin and the only one I could find was a bit cheap and cheerful. Thanks all.


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## peakshooter (Dec 27, 2009)

Hi,
Might you be able to get a Fiskars from Amazon? Shops selling fabrics or a haberdashers may sell them?

If you have probs getting hold of a cutter pm me.

Best wishes


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Wow Cave-dweller, you are so right about the glass cutting board. I had never seen one! I know that my roller knife will never cut on one. I have a good cutting mat to use mine on. -- Tex


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

theres no such thing as glass cutting boards, think about this for a while, why would you use a glass surface to cut on? it would break under the downward pressure. its a acrylic or plex sort of cutting board . or the same type of "glass" you see clear patio tables made out of. it looks like glass but its not, i have one of them . it breaks in big pieces if it does break .


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## peakshooter (Dec 27, 2009)

Hi,
You can certainly get glass (pyrex type) cutting boards and work surface protectors over here in the uk and have been able to do so for quite a few years. Not saying that are practical or logical







, but you can certainly get them

Whatever is being used in the film, there are probably better solutions.


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

peakshooter said:


> Hi,
> You can certainly get glass (pyrex type) cutting boards and work surface protectors over here in the uk and have been able to do so for quite a few years. Not saying that are practical or logical
> 
> 
> ...


PYREX, thats the "plex" i was thinking of but couldnt remember. my point was that its not pure glass.


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## crazymike (May 8, 2011)

Spend 45 bucks on a good blade and 50 bucks on polyethylene and go


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## Devoman (Oct 15, 2010)

crazymike said:


> Spend 45 bucks on a good blade and 50 bucks on polyethylene and go


Or you can make one and just get the blade





  








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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

My mat does not do that. I believe you need another mat. Mine is thin yet does not indent by the blade. Glass is to hard to cut on.


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## crazymike (May 8, 2011)

Nice cutter very nice well now I got to make one thanks for showing your idea. Cool !


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## newconvert (Dec 12, 2011)

akmslingshots said:


> almost everything mentioned is very bad for a cutting surface, they will all dull the blade very quickly, you either have dull blades or cheap quality blades, i started out with HDPE cutting board and a nice sharp knife worked well except the lines we not so straight. with sharp blades and a self healing mat you dont even need much pressure.


NewCon may have hit the nail on the head there, is it a good quality blade? I find the Olfa works real well and others feel the same about the Fiskars. There is plenty of other cheaper brands that don't use a tungsten steel blade that will never hold an edge
[/quote]yes sir, a few cuts and they are through. its worth it to get the olfa or fiskars, i havent changed blades yet, even cutting leather with mine.


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## AZshooter (May 1, 2011)

As you work with the rotary cutter, you will find that if you strop the blade on a piece of leather this wil keep the blade perfectly sharpe,,,much like a barber prepares a straight razor...Also, Tandy leather offers some informative tutorials on sharpening and stropping tools...you might even strop on a piece of grey cardboard treated with some of Tandy`s jewelers rouge...practice the sharpening techniques and go slowly...


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

I'm a huge fan of the OLFA Tungsten Carbide blades. They seem to outlast everything, including the TiNi coated ones from Fiskars.


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## newconvert (Dec 12, 2011)

Hrawk said:


> I'm a huge fan of the OLFA Tungsten Carbide blades. They seem to outlast everything, including the TiNi coated ones from Fiskars.


i wanted olfa, but they dont sell them anywhere around here, and i get tired of waiting for and paying shipping fees


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

AZ shooter said:


> As you work with the rotary cutter, you will find that if you strop the blade on a piece of leather this wil keep the blade perfectly sharpe,,,much like a barber prepares a straight razor...Also, Tandy leather offers some informative tutorials on sharpening and stropping tools...you might even strop on a piece of grey cardboard treated with some of Tandy`s jewelers rouge...practice the sharpening techniques and go slowly...


I kind of do the same thing with a hard cardboard buffing wheel.


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

i wanted olfa, but they dont sell them anywhere around here, and i get tired of waiting for and paying shipping fees

I really cant imagine it would be that much in postage or take very long from one US address to another.

http://www.olfa.com/RotaryCuttersDetail.aspx?C=17&Id=106


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## JetBlack (Mar 9, 2012)

Glass dulls blades. Believe it.


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## newconvert (Dec 12, 2011)

JetBlack said:


> Glass dulls blades. Believe it.


yeah your right! so why do they sell so many glass cutting boards? cause they are pretty


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## newconvert (Dec 12, 2011)

i wanted olfa, but they dont sell them anywhere around here, and i get tired of waiting for and paying shipping fees

I really cant imagine it would be that much in postage or take very long from one US address to another.

http://www.olfa.com/...spx?C=17&Id=106
[/quote]WOW! i just checked out the site brrrrrrrrr! for the same items from fiskars i paid around 27 dollars, olfa is closer to 75 dollars


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

newconvert said:


> WOW! i just checked out the site brrrrrrrrr! for the same items from fiskars i paid around 27 dollars, olfa is closer to 75 dollars


How do you come up with that price ? If you check the 45mm rotary cutter that comes standard with the tungsten blade, it is listed for $20.99.

http://www.olfa.com/RotaryCuttersDetail.aspx?C=20&Id=70


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## newconvert (Dec 12, 2011)

Hrawk said:


> WOW! i just checked out the site brrrrrrrrr! for the same items from fiskars i paid around 27 dollars, olfa is closer to 75 dollars


How do you come up with that price ? If you check the 45mm rotary cutter that comes standard with the tungsten blade, it is listed for $20.99.

http://www.olfa.com/...aspx?C=20&Id=70
[/quote]i see what your looking at, what i bought was the cutter w/installed blade 5 spare blades, and an 6"x18" self healing cutting board for 27 bones


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

I've had proper cutting mats, I now use a sheet of MDF.

I needed something bigger when I started dissecting all the Roo leather for sale.


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## pgandy (Aug 15, 2011)

I strop frequently and am finding long life with my rotary cutter blades and good service, much better than before stropping. The cuts with this blade are countless. When I first got my self healing mat and cutter I noticed that the cut wasn’t clean requiring me to go back. It didn’t take long to discover that the uncut portion occurred at uniform intervals indicating a bad spot on the blade, so much for factory fresh blades. I use a Fiskar.


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## DecoyOctopus96 (Nov 16, 2013)

I cover the rubber in masking tape and then use a razor knife. It works fine, no breaking after almost two weeks of solid usage, BUT I can't help but cringe at the quality of cut, it's just so rough, looks like I chewed the bands into shape. And until I read this, I didn't even consider the fact that it could be what i'm cutting it on, I'm just using a wood counter in my shed... maybe I should try something else. I want a rotary cutter, but don't really have the money to spend.


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## myusername (Oct 5, 2013)

i got a self healing mat from hobby lobby. its not "squishy" like other mats but it heals just as good. it feels like a solid piece of hard plastic. very durable and whatever im cutting never "sinks down" into the mat.


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## myusername (Oct 5, 2013)

just realized this is a resurrected thread.


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## Greavous (Sep 29, 2013)

I re-wrap leather steering wheels for a living and part of the process is skiving/thinning/tapering the leather at the sewn seams. I do this with an Olfa segmented blade knife and work upon a large piece of glass. The glass is simply there to provide a solid and dead flat surface. Glass dulls an edge very quickly. What happens is the leading edge gets rolled over and all cutting stops. Hence the segmented blade, snap,,,,, back to work.

I am also a guy who hates spending money on things which are ridiculously priced. Im not cheap, i just hate getting screwed on things I need which have unnecessarily inflated prices. The disc replacement blades are such a critter. I try to be a positive thinker and every day im glad that my truck does not run on printer ink. The set of bands I cut i used scissors and as we all know, that produced less than satisfactory results. I got to thinking, that pizza cutter in the kitchen drawer looks and functions exactly like what i need and dont want to spend stupid money on. Keep in mind we are talking about a pennys worth of plastic injected into a mold and probably about another penny worth of steel punched from a sheet and edge sharpened. Not $20. So I sat down with my diamond slip stone and pizza cutter and honed a new edge on that thing! Once I got it cutting continuously along the circumference I tightened up the pin in the middle and cut up some TBG. But Im better now, I returned the pizza cutter to the drawer and now own two Olfa disc cutters and some replacement blades. Just watch your fingers when cutting up pizza over here. You could wind up with toppings you never tried before!


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