mount cutter blade change

[muffinski]

How often is too often with regards to changing blades on a ultimat futura. Been struggling with mount cutter in recent weeks I reckong the mount cutter gremlins have been in playing tricks. How many cuts do you make before changing a a blade? I tend to use Keencut tech d and only use arcadia mount board standard thickness, I change the slip frequently. I am also aware that blades are cheaper than mount board.

[Graysalchemy]

How long is a bit of string, change it when you feel the cut is not up to scratch. I would personally change it every session.

[Jamesnkr]

session.

I wonder how long that is. You sometimes make more frames in a day than I make in a year...

[muffinski]

At the moment it feels like is needs chaning after 10 cuts of so, this feels a tad to few cuts personally than what I am use to.

[Graysalchemy]

As I said its not a given length of time or number of mounts cut its when you start getting mounts you are not happy with. I would change my blade at the start of a cuttings session and if it is likely to be a big session like that on thursday then it will probably get change 3-4 times.

[John Ranes II, CPF, GCF]

The "life" of a blade is typically dependent upon...

• The condition of the machine and not the brand of the machine.
• How deep the material being cut.
• The quality of the mountboard (matboard) being cut....and of course vendors sources and qualities have been known to vary from time to time.
• The Slipsheet being used and any excess depth of the blade dragging through the slipsheet.
• The care of handling the blade during insertion and storage - as to NOT abraid the edge in any way.

All this being said, a framer seeking perfection might change a blade after a complete double mount (that's 8 cuts and 16 ups & downs!)

Normally most framers seeking quality cuts are probably going to change a blade after 3-6 mounts maximum. As Grays alludes, "You can feel the blade starting to drag..."

I believe anything longer is a bit of a gamble.

John

[Graysalchemy]

I hope to get more than a couple of mounts out of a blade on the CMC I have 150 double mounts to cut on thursday.

[John Ranes II, CPF, GCF]

I hope to get more than a couple of mounts out of a blade on the CMC I have 150 double mounts to cut on thursday.

Indeed! CMC's are a totally different animal. It's not uncommon to go days and weeks on one blade. The OP is using a manual table top cutter.

John

[Graysalchemy]

Yes a manual cutter wears quicker due to the blade going in and out rubbing up against metal for one thing.

[prospero]

Blades are funny things. You can put in a new blade and use it all day. The next day it will be dull.
For this reason I like to start off with a new blade.

Same thing happens with disposable razors.

[John Ranes II, CPF, GCF]

Yes a manual cutter wears quicker due to the blade going in and out rubbing up against metal for one thing.

That would be true only on some of the older Keencut mount cutters, but probably not true the Keencut Futura which uses a cartridge / magazines as does the Fletcher machines. It would not be true on the Valiani Astras either or the C&H Advantage.

John

[Graysalchemy]

I used to have a keencut ultimat gold back in the dark distant past pre CMC

[muffinski]

So heres the really frustrating thing I can make two cuts that go through 3rd doesnt quite, forth all the way through and this is after changing blade etc

[muffinski]

Having spoken with Kencut direct they advice using the tech s 012 blades for whitecore mount board, sadly only half the use for the same price as the double sided ones. Tech d apprently are for "normal" mount board which is what I thought white core was.....

[louisesimon]

Main thing is to experiment, you'll get differing levels of success. I stopped reading there recommendations and just tried them all until I got good results. Also tried the gold edged ones from Lion and found them to be utter rubbish.

[David McCormack]

I use the Tech-D 012 blades for all my white core 1.5mm board (Arqadia & Daler) without problems, I'm sure there's no reason why you shouldn't continue using them?

With regards the blade not always going through the board make sure there is no flex in the machine and that your worktop is dead flat. Use pieces of mountboard underneath the cutter to stop it bowing on larger mounts.

[John Ranes II, CPF, GCF]

So here's the really frustrating thing I can make two cuts that go through 3rd doesn't quite, forth all the way through and this is after changing blade etc

OK... the blade once set for depth should hold it's consistency on all four sides of an opening. If you are having problems with it not cutting through, this is more than likely NOT an issue with the blade. I would suspect that it is one of the following...

• The clamp is not staying flat through the entire cut on at least one cut...too much pressure or not enough pressure?
• You are not keeping the pivot assembly down to it's full extent and holding it down through the entire cut?
• The pivot assembly is somehow become loose from the head itself causing depth issues?
• There is too much play in the cutting head so that the blade is drifting away (more shallow cut)?

These are honestly the key possibilities for this issue...even those that are unlikely!

Having spoken with Kencut direct they advice using the tech s 012 blades for whitecore mount board, sadly only half the use for the same price as the double sided ones. Tech d apprently are for "normal" mount board which is what I thought white core was.....

I assume that the tech s012 is a "Single Edged" blade? (Please confirm). Single edged blades were produced by the blade makers for all the major mount cutter firms. C&H was the first to introduce the SE blade as a mechanical means of compensating for "hooking" in the cuts.

In regards to standard paper core mats, white core mats (buffered and pH neutralized) and conservation quality boards of standard thickness, a traditional .012 double honed blade should work just fine!

If you are having "hooking" issues, then Keencut's advice to switch to their tech s 012 blade might help your issue, but this doesn't sound like your problem at the moment.

I use the Tech-D 012 blades for all my white core 1.5mm board (Arqadia & Daler) without problems, I'm sure there's no reason why you shouldn't continue using them?

With regards the blade not always going through the board make sure there is no flex in the machine and that your worktop is dead flat. Use pieces of mountboard underneath the cutter to stop it bowing on larger mounts.

David's comments mirror what I just stated as well.

[David McCormack]

I assume that the tech s012 is a "Single Edged" blade? (Please confirm).

Yes John, the Tech-S is a single sided chisel type blade

[Steve N]

I concur with everything the honourable member and my good friend from the other side of the pond has said

[StevenG]

Good post - don't know how I missed it earlier. When to change blades??..... well, as everyone has said it just depends on this that and the other but you'll know when it's time, you normally don't even have to look - you'll just know by the feel of the movement. I also have a Futura and had similiar issues at the start, I found the cutting head does have a little movement and can go off track easily of not held just right, solid grip etc works wonders All blades are not created equally either, I've seen me changing the blades after one mount whilst the next one will be fine for several cuts! Over time I've tried different blades but at the moment my blade of choice is the D-12's, according to the manual the single sided blades are better for trimming v-groove sides.... this seems to be true but would Joe Bloggs be able to tell the difference in a finished cut??? I doubt it . Blade depth can creep back too if the turn screw thingy wotsit isn't tightened properly.

Have I actually answered the question though!? No, it would appear not........ I change mine everyday at least once. The cost of making another mount and replacing a blade are miles apart & like to keep the hassle levels at a low