is my blade shot?

[gabagoo]

I am not sure of this strangeness. I replaced my teflon strip a couple months ago so I know thats not the problem. As you all know as the blade slowly gets dull you increse your pressure for cutting. What does it mean when all of a sudden this slow dulling reverses and now the blade seems to be shearing thorugh the material in different places? Is it theblade totally shot? If I reduce the cut pressure it cuts ok but I can see the vinyl sort of looks like it is lifting a little and on a truck we did this morning I was looking at the vinyl and it appeared to look as though the edges just were not sitting on the vehicle the same as the main body of each letter. I even repressed them down but still it had a look of a slightly lifted edge. I have been cutting vinyl for a long time but can't say that I have really seenthis before. What do you think this is....dull blade or maybe something worse?

 

[jiarby]

maybe a broken tip...
They costs a few bucks...always keep a spare around.

I bought a separate blade holder for my 60° so I wouldn't have to keep guessing about the depth every time I swapped.

 

[bob]

If you think you need a fresh blade, you do.

Since you seem to be having troubles with the pick up/set down you might want to blow the dust and crud out of your tool carriage paying special attention to the up/down mechanism. You also might want to put just a dab of silicone grease on the tip of a toothpick and grease the tiny ball bearings in your blade holder.

 

[os101king]

Do you have a replaceable cutter strip? We had our CAMM1 for over a year before we had to replace it.. at that point couldn't figure out what was wrong, but it sounds similar to your problems.

 

[TLG]

Did this happen with a roll of material you hadn't cut before? I've noticed a similar problem sometimes. Wasn't the blade as much as inconsistencies in the material.
Bob also has a point. Can't keep the plotter too clean & lubed.

Good luck.