Killing cutting mat?

[hadeer]

For cutting mats I use a Morn Sun cutting 4530 cutting mat and a Dexter mat cutter., blades no 3. The cutter is a fairly simple affair that you slide along a ruler. The blades have very sharp and very narrow points, cutting is (used to be) smooth and light.
Lateley however, I keep breaking the points of the blades. I seem to have lost it(?) I wonder if this can be caused by an ageing cutting mat. It seems to me that its material is harder than it used to be. Is it possible that the surface has hardened because of drying out?
Any sharing of experience on this matter would be appreciated.
Hans

 

[Frank R]

The mats do dry out and get harder.

 

[Neal]

Dear Hans,

I have found that my blades will break if I have them adjusted incorrectly. Try reducing the amount of the blade that is exposed.

Neal Wydra

 

[Vaughn]

Go with what Neal said...

One should try to have only the minimum amount of blade extended. But the only way I have ever broken a blade tip is to set the cutter down on a surface blade-down...I have never broken a blade while actually cutting a window...but I have always used an extra piece of mat board underneath and not a cutting-mat.

Try an old piece of matboard in place of the cutting-mat to see if it solves the problem.

Vaughn

 

[hadeer]

I had indeed already noticed that using an old mat underneath reduces the risk of breaking the blade. I think that is the way to go, also with the remark of Frank R in mind that cutting mats tend to dry out.
Hans

 

[Jim Jones]

Try blades from other sources. Long ago I got some Dexter blades that were absolutely worthless; so soft the tips would bend when pushed into a mat. That was just one bunch of the Dexter blades I used over many years.