# rotary cutter - how to sharpen?



## GameKeeper (Jul 24, 2011)

Hi everyone







Next topic. Hope You forgive me this flood.

Only one but practical question. How do You sharpen our rotary cutter blade? I have 28mm OLFA rotary with tungsten blade and cutting mat CM-A4 OLFA its great quality and sharp as razor but nothing is forever. I heard about nitric acid method, its good for files but I have doubts about thin blade.

As simple, as cheap, and as fast as You can. How to do this right. Or maybe you don't sharpen it and just throw it away?


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

My mistake


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## GameKeeper (Jul 24, 2011)

I'm not John, You know. But thanks for link







I though I will have to attach the blade onto a dremel or something and spin it while sharpening







Thanks again


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## Elmar (Apr 27, 2011)

I use an akku drill and fixing the blade with the "Olfa"-screw, but a "standard screw and nut will also do, use a layer rubber between screw-blade-nut, so that it doesn't slip but stop if the blade bites the stone. hand-tighten is ok...
Low speed and less pressure. Don't cut into the stone ;-)
A fine diamond sharpener will also work, keep the edge cool...

a short video :


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## GameKeeper (Jul 24, 2011)

Now thats called FUN







Thanks for video also







Its too expensive for throwing it to trash. So next time i will try to sharp it even better than OLFA







(man is it even possible? when new olfa blades are even sharper than my razors).


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

Caution, A rotary cutter blade is not designed to rotate at a high speed and may come apart or shatter, also any heat will cause the temper to change creating a brittle blade. I would not risk attaching to demel tool or any tool. But that is my opinion and not based on experience.


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## slingshot_sniper (Feb 20, 2011)

If the blade is not dull just use a strop with a little polishing compound added now and then to keep it hair popping sharp..that's all


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

One more suggestion ... Check your local fabric shop. Just this week I bought a set of 10 new blades for my rotary cutters ... use them for art projects. Anyway, they also sell a commercially made device for hand sharpening the blades. I have not tried it ... cannot vouch for it. But it might be worth checking.

Cheers ...... Charles


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

slingshot_sniper said:


> If the blade is not dull just use a strop with a little polishing compound added now and then to keep it hair popping sharp..that's all


You should be able to get tons of use if you only use it on a yielding surface like the mat cutters. And as John said above, that is all, stropping.


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## slingshot_sniper (Feb 20, 2011)

Rayshot said:


> If the blade is not dull just use a strop with a little polishing compound added now and then to keep it hair popping sharp..that's all


You should be able to get tons of use if you only use it on a yielding surface like the mat cutters. And as John said above, that is all, stropping.
[/quote]

That's true Ray I recall gamekeeper John saying he gets around a month use from one and that's cutting 10 bands sets a day


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

slingshot_sniper said:


> If the blade is not dull just use a strop with a little polishing compound added now and then to keep it hair popping sharp..that's all


You should be able to get tons of use if you only use it on a yielding surface like the mat cutters. And as John said above, that is all, stropping.
[/quote]

That's true Ray I recall gamekeeper John saying he gets around a month use from one and that's cutting 10 bands sets a day









[/quote]

and his band sets are two per side. Ok if you use it an extreme amount you may need to put it too a very high grit honing surface at some time then strop it.


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## slingshot_sniper (Feb 20, 2011)

Rayshot said:


> If the blade is not dull just use a strop with a little polishing compound added now and then to keep it hair popping sharp..that's all


You should be able to get tons of use if you only use it on a yielding surface like the mat cutters. And as John said above, that is all, stropping.
[/quote]

That's true Ray I recall gamekeeper John saying he gets around a month use from one and that's cutting 10 bands sets a day









[/quote]

and his band sets are two per side
[/quote]

Oh yeah I forgot that one...that's it then don't worry just cut away..in fact get a spare and your set for a year no sharpening required


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