OLFA – Rotary Cutters From Japan

Made in Japan, the OLFA range of cutters offers the highest quality of steel and knife mechanisms equipped with the best and sharpest edge. For quilters and craftsman who frequently use scissors to cut fabric, cutting longer and larger quantities of these fabrics can often prove to be quite difficult. For the most part, one can establish some form of accuracy, through extended periods of usage the hand tires and the cuts become less and less accurate. This is when the rotary cutter becomes a very useful tool.

The rotary cutter is usually constructed as below, with a circular blade that rotates along with an attached handle. OLFA was the company that introduced the first rotary cutter in 1979 for garment making and was then quickly well-received by quilters alike. These rotary cutters replaced the big and heavy metallic scissors which had been the industry standard for many years.

Rotary cutter blades can often be resharpened and are available in various sizes. The size of the blade will determine the size of the material thickness that the cutter can cut through. These blades, however, are available in a few different designs for several purposes.

Types of blades

The RB Olfa blades are multipurpose blades that can be used to cut fabric, paper, tape, vinyl, upholstery and more. With these general blades, one can expect to cut up to six layers of fabric at once. These blades are also available in a higher quality tungsten tool steel (H-models) which makes them last two times longer than the ordinary Olfa RB blades. These are referred to as the “Endurance Blades”.

For Chenille-type fabric (fleece, fabric & felt), the ordinary rotary cutter usually finds it difficult to cut through the chenille layers. Olfa Chenille Cutter Blades are ultra-sharp and double-honed specifically for achieving these cuts.

The Olfa Wave Rotary Cutter blades are made of a razor-sharp stainless steel blade which is shaped in a way to produce wave edges as found on scrapbooks and other various paper/fabric crafts.

Used to keep your fabric from raveling, the Olfa Pinking Blade is a great option for keeping your edges from raveling. These blades also add a “teeth” looking edge on the fabric for an added functional and decorative look.

Cutting Mats

To make the process of marking, measuring and ensuring that one does not cut through to your worktable- OLFA has produced cutting mats in various dimensions to assist. These mats are marked with accurate and clear measurements to eliminate any need to use a tape or ruler.

Honorable Mentions

Other new and innovative versions of these rotary cutters can be seen below:

Olfa Compass Cutter

• Perfect for making circles in fabric and paper.

Olfa Carpet Lino Cutter

• Equipped with a flat bottom for controlled cutting without the user damaging the work surface underneath – these are perfect for cutting shrink-wrap off pallets and cutting into poly resin sheets.

View our full range of our Olfa Rotary Cutters on Tools4Wood.