Rotary Cutters

I know that I am not alone in having more than one rotary cutter. I have six maybe seven rotary cutters. I am not completely sure of the total. I have both a Fiskars 45mm and a 28mm. I do have a couple of Olfa 45mm rotary cutters that I got when I first started quilting seriously and at least one 28mm Olfa as well. I also have an OmniGrid 45mm.

The 28mm rotary cutters are best for cutting curves and small tight cuts. I don't use them as much as I do the 45mm cutters. Out of the four 45mm rotary cutters, I use the Fiskars and the OmniGrid more often than the Olfas. 

I was trying to figure out why I gravitate towards these two in particular. At first, I think it was because they were newer. I am a gadget person and I love to try different things. Add to that I have carpal tunnel so anything that helps keep the pressure off my wrists is a good thing.

I bought the Fiskars because I liked the shape of the handle. I thought the handle would be more ergonomic and therefore better for my wrist. It does put less stress on my wrists. 

The OmniGrid cutter I got on sale. In fact I only bought it because it was such a great deal. One day when I couldn't put my hands on my Fiskars cutter, I opened it and tried it out. The OmniGrid is a self-closing cutter. The blade is only exposed when you apply pressure to cut. Which for me is a good thing because I forget to close the blade sometimes. I have gotten nicks on my hands from bumping into an open blade.  But let me tell you, it did take some getting use to.

I keep my Fiskars cutter by my sewing desk and the OmniGrid cutter by my cutting surface. I tend to cut up small scraps sitting down at my sewing desk on a smaller cutting mat. Large scraps, project cutting or any other type of cuts, I tend to do standing at my cutting surface which is about counter height. 

In the past few weeks, my sewing desk has not been an available surface due to "The Husband Factor" I was too tired to stand while cutting up scraps so I pulled a tall chair up to my cutting surface. I proceeded to cut sitting down with the OmniGrid cutter. After all it was the one close at hand. 

It just felt awkward. I could not get comfortable using it, it just did not feel right. I switched to the Fiskars cutter and it was perfect. But when I stood up to cut, the Fiskars cutter, just wasn't working out as well as the OmniGrid cutter. 

What it boils down to is this, when sitting I hold the cutter at a different angle than I do when standing. The sitting posture requires a different positioning of your shoulder and arm. The Fiskars cutter's handle works better for me sitting down. The OmniGrid handle works better for me standing up. I also notice it in the pressure on my wrists when cutting. You know what else I noticed I noticed that I make better cuts using the right shaped handle for the particular position I am employing at the time (standing vs sitting). 

Do you have a favorite cutter? Do you have more than one?