Product Review: Rotary Blade Sharpener

I have always wondered if a product exists to sharpen rotary cutter blades, but had never really looked into it or researched the options out there.   So, when I was given the opportunity to review a sharpener and share my thoughts with you all here, I was eager to try it out.  

The sharpener is made by USA Sharpeners and is designed specifically for rotary cutters that we use in almost every quilt/sewing project.  

To sharpen a blade using the Orbital Rotary Cutter Blade Sharpener, remove the cover from the sharpener, remove the blade from your cutter (can be 45mm or 60mm), place the blade on the spindle (be careful!), put a few drops of oil on the blade, replace cover with appropriate grinder (there are two--fine and coarse), then sharpen the blade by rotating the wheel.

It really is very easy, but does take a little practice to get the right touch.  Admittedly, the first time I sharpened my blade I didn't do a great job...it was fine, but not great.  There were some unsharpened spots, so my fabric wasn't cutting smoothly. 

So I tried again using a firmer pressure and it worked much better.  There is definitely a learning curve, but it wasn't difficult to get the hang of.  

So, my thoughts on the product:  

I love that I can reuse expensive blades, I don't think it's the same as a brand new factory sharpened blade, and I did feel that the resharpened blade went dull quicker than a new one, but it prolonged the use of my blade, and ultimately that will save me money.

I was pleased with the safety of the product.  The scariest part is transferring the blade from your cutter to the sharpener.  Be careful, we all know the blades are sharp...but once it's on the spindle, it's very safe.

It's simple to use.  I will save the instructions, because I know that I'll forget what I am doing and need to reference them, but it's a pretty simple task.  (you can also download instructions on their website, there is also a video).

Overall it's a great product, I recommend it.  If you have questions, leave a comment.

Kaleidograph

Have you guys seen this new Kaleidograph Toy?  It was new to me, but once I started playing around with it, I'm hooked.  Basically you have different cards, all with different shapes and colors, and you stack them to create patterns.  (it also comes in black and white, which would be very cool too).

I love this sort of toy.  My daughter and I started playing around with them and we couldn't wait to share our creations.   We took pictures of some of our favorites.

  So, I had to make one into a quilt block...I sat down with my graphing notebook and started sketching and calculating, and honestly it made my brain hurt.  I put it aside for a few days and decided to just go for it.  Improv-style.  No planning--and it worked!  It's not an exact match, but I like it that way.  I'm not good enough for an exact match.  

Here's my block:

 Here's my inspiration:  

 What do you think?  I can see a few places I wish I would've used green...but I love that it got my juices flowing.  I would love to do a whole sampler quilt from these creations.

find it here.