Over time you may notice your Cricut machine isn’t cutting like it used to. Take a look to see if the blade can be sharpened before you decide to replace it. Follow a few simple steps to learn how to sharpen a Cricut blade.
To sharpen a Cricut blade, create a ball with tin foil and jab the blade through the foil. The friction from the tinfoil with each stab will sharpen your Cricut blade. Ensure you keep your hands away from the foil and blade while sharpening.
Sharpening a Cricut blade can buy you a little more time before you need to replace it.
In fact, learning how to sharpen the blade will benefit you in more ways than one. Simply opening up your machine and checking your blade will help you find scraps blocking your cuts.
So take a look at this post to learn how to sharpen your blade step by step. This article also covers how often you should sharpen your blade and when to replace it altogether.
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How to sharpen Cricut blade
To sharpen a Cricut blade, remove it from the machine and clear it of any leftover material. Once the blade is clean, stab or slice aluminum foil to sharpen the blade. Keep your hands away from the blade and foil while sharpening.
The first thing you’ll have to do is open your machine and locate your blade. Cricut gives instructions on how to change your blade that will help you locate it.
Each machine is a little different and you may have a different blade for different jobs. However, sharpening is the same for each type of blade.
Once you open your machine, clean and remove the blade. You can begin to sharpen it using the material of your choice. Sharpen a Cricut blade the same way you would other blades or knives by using an emery board, sandpaper, or a knife sharpening stone. These tools can be found for a few dollars online or at hardware stores.
When sharpening a knife, even steel won’t restore an edge to the knife. What sharpening does is maintain the knife and help keep the edge longer. The same process is true for a Cricut blade.
Using different materials to keep the blade sharp only works if your Cricut blade is well maintained. This means to sharpen your Cricut blade you’ll need to check for debris and dust often and continually sharpen.
Eventually, the blade will need to be replaced because sharpening only helps maintain the blade a little longer.
Does aluminum foil sharpen Cricut blades?
Aluminum foil can sharpen Cricut blades. Tinfoil tends to be the most popular choice because it’s the most delicate. By using foil it’s less likely to damage your blade. There’s also a high chance that you have some foil in the pantry right now.
How do you sharpen a Cricut blade with aluminum foil?
To sharpen a Cricut blade with aluminum foil you have two choices. Option one is to place foil on a cutting mat and run your machine. Option two is to ball up aluminum foil and stab or slice your blade into the tinfoil.
Follow these steps to sharpen Cricut blades.
- Remove the blade
- Clean the blade by removing any material debris from previous cuts
- Gather aluminum foil into a ball
- Sharpen by rubbing the blade across the aluminum foil or jabbing the blade into the foil
For another technique try laying your foil down in your machine and using it to cut. Slice a few different lines and shapes into the tinfoil. This method has a few drawbacks as it can get messy. Also, with a dirty blade, this method won’t work.
Be sure you open the machine and take a look at the blade first to be sure there is no material or dust left behind.
When you use foil to sharpen your Cricut blade be sure to use the heavy-duty brand. While foil is the most popular tool to use, you may also slice or stab emery boards or fine sandpaper to sharpen your blade as well.
How often should you sharpen your Cricut blades?
You should sharpen your Cricut blade every 3-6 months or when the blade gets dull. Vinyl can dull the blade quickly, so check the blade often for debris and sharpen after each major cutting session.
It’s safe to sharpen your blade whenever you find your cuts are not making it through the material in one slice.
Once you have your favorite sharpening tool, keep it nearby for an impromptu sharpening session. Instead of throwing away your aluminum foil ball, keep it in a drawer as you would a knife sharpening stone.
Sharpening your blade simply extends the life, but eventually, you’ll need to replace the blade. A blade replacement is easy to find and can be purchased for anywhere between 7 and 40 dollars depending on the blade.
How do I know if my Cricut needs a new blade?
A Cricut machine needs a new blade if it begins to get dull and give shallow cuts. After sharpening and cleaning, if cuts are still not crisp and have messy edges, it’s time for a replacement Cricut blade.
Cricut states that blades need to be changed at different intervals. Once your cuts are not crisp it’s time to change out the blade. A good rule of thumb is to replace your blade every 6 months to 1 year. However, if you cut vinyl often your blade will dull faster than someone who cuts only paper.
Once you’ve sharpened your blade multiple times and removed all debris, check to see if the cuts are still dull. A cut that doesn’t go all the way through will tell when you need to replace your blade.
Often you can increase the pressure on your machine and cut for the time being, but once you are constantly increasing your pressure it’s time to get a new blade.
Summary: How to sharpen Cricut blade
Now you know the best way to sharpen a Cricut blade. First choose your sharpening material from an emery board, sandpaper, sharpening stone, or aluminum foil. Once you have your material use your Cricut blade to slice or stab the material until your blade is sharp.
The best material to use is tinfoil because it’s delicate and won’t damage your blade. You’re also more likely to already have foil on hand. Make the job easy by balling the foil up before you sharpen your blade.
Of course, you can get creative, as we crafters often do, and cut into the foil on your machine. However, this method can get messy and you need to make sure you always clean your blade first. You’ll be surprised how much better your machine cuts after you clear it of dust and debris.
Once you’ve cleaned and sharpened your blade every 3-6 months and you find your cuts are still shallow or dull, it’s time to move on. When you replace your blade, will depend on how you use your machine.
Every blade will need to be replaced at some point. Luckily, you know how to sharpen your blade with ease, so you can replace it less and save money.