Cricut, Designs

Cricut Blades: The Ultimate Guide

If you want to learn about the many different types of Cricut blades and how to take care of them, then this is the guide for you. Blades can be complicated to understand and a lot of people assume that they only need one type of blade for everything. However, that is not the case. Different Cricut blades come with different uses. 

These blades are what allows a user to use their Cricut machine in order to cut different pieces of their projects. There are different types of blades that you can use, depending on the kind of material you are working with. Currently, there are eight different types of blades available, including three different crafting tools. 

  • The Fine Point Blade (Available in Silver and Gold).
  • The Deep Point Blade (Available in Black).
  • The Bonded Fabric Blade (Available in Pink).
  • The Knife Blade (Available in Silver and works only with Cricut Maker).
  • The Rotary Blade (Available in Silver and works only with Cricut Maker).
  • The QuickSwap Perforation Blade (Available in Silver and works only with Cricut Maker).
  • The QuickSwap Wavy Blade (Available in Silver and works only with Cricut Maker).
  • The QuickSwap Debossing Tip (Available in Silver and works only with Cricut Maker).
  • The QuickSwap Engraving Tip (Available in Silver and works only with Cricut Maker).
  • The QuickSwap Scoring Wheel Tips (Available in Silver and works only with Cricut Maker).
  • The Cricut Joy Fine Point Blade (Available in Silver and with a white cover, works only with Cricut Joy).

All of these tips and blades are able to cut through different kinds of materials. If you use the wrong blade for the wrong material then that can damage both the material and the blade itself. However, you shouldn’t stress about it, since your Cricut Design Space software will inform you of the blade you should be using with your material.

On the other hand, it is still wise to know the differences between the many Cricut blades, so that you would know which blade to get while purchasing your materials. Plus, not all of the blades work with one machine; hence, knowing about the different types of blades will also help before you even purchase your Cricut Machine.

People often compare a Cricut machine to a printer; however, that is not the case as there is a major difference between the two. A Cricut machine is a lot more complicated and the user needs to consider several things before the cutting process, during it, and after it as well. One thing that can greatly increase the chances of success during a project is when you are aware of all of the Cricut blades plus the materials they are able to cut. This guide is going to help you achieve just that. 

The Anatomy Of A Cricut Blade

The Cricut blades are extraordinary when it comes to their design and one can feel their high quality while holding them in the hands. Not to mention, they do their job exceptionally well and are beautiful to look at.

Moreover, Cricut blades come with some unique terminology that might be difficult to understand for some individuals. However, you don’t have to worry about that as all that is explained below.

In addition to its functionality and colors, a blade also comes with its own unique housing. In this case, the ‘housing’ is what’s holding the blade in its place. Once the time comes for you to change your blade, you are not required to change its housing. Then there’s also the ‘drive housing,’ which is specifically made only for the Cricut Maker, and they’re different when compared to the standard housing blades due to the presence of a golden top gear. These gears are driven by the Cricut Adaptive Tool System. These drive housing blades have a plastic cover as well. 

When it comes to the blades, they resemble a small nail. These blades are placed inside the housings. When the cuts formed aren’t sharp anymore, that’s when the blades should be replaced. Also, it should be noted that all of the blades for drive housings look different. 

Different Types Of Cricut Blades And Tips

Currently, there’re seven to eight different types of blades available, including three different types of tips. You can use all of these tools with your Cricut Maker; however, only three of these tools can be used when it comes to the Cricut Explore Family Machine. Listed below are all of the different types of blades, including the materials they are able to cut.

The Fine Point Blade

This blade is the most common one and it is present in all Cricut Machines. It is constructed with German Carbide, making it a great-quality and highly-durable material mostly used for manufacturing cutting tools. With this blade, you can make intricate cuts. It’s made to cut through medium-weight materials. Previously, it used to come in a silver color, but now it comes in a lovely golden color. It can be used with the Cricut Maker and all Cricut Explore Family machines.

Aside from the change in color from silver to the new gold, there isn’t any other difference when it comes to the housings; this includes the blade that comes inside it when the machine is purchased. However, when purchasing a replacement blade for your Cricut Maker or Explore, make sure you get the one that has a white cap and not a grey cap, since the grey one was for the previous models of Cricut machines.

Materials That Are Compatible With The Fine Point Blade

  • Cardstock.
  • Printer paper.
  • Heat transfer vinyl (HTV) or iron-on vinyl. 
  • Vinyl (printable, glitter vinyl, holographic, outdoor). 
  • Parchment paper.
  • Washi tape.
  • Light chipboard.
  • Canvas.
  • Vellum.
  • Faux leather (paper thin).

The Deep Point Blade

This is the perfect blade to use if you want to cut materials that are thicker. This blade can be used with the Cricut Maker and all Cricut Explore Family machines. When it comes to the angle of the blade, the fine point blade’s angle is 45 degrees, while this blade’s angle is 60 degrees, making it a lot steeper. Because of this, the blade can penetrate and make intricate cuts even in thick materials. This blade comes in black color and should be used with its own housing, meaning other blades cannot be used in its place, like bonded fabric and fine point. 

Materials That Are Compatible With The Deep Point Blade

  • Aluminum foil.
  • Craft foam.
  • Metallic leather.
  • Genuine leather.
  • Corrugated paper.
  • Magnetic sheet (0.6mm).

The Bonded Fabric Blade

This blade is similar to the fine point blade; however, it can only be used with fabric so it’s color-coded. Don’t use the bonded fabric blade with vinyl or paper, if you want to have a good experience while using it on fabric. Moreover, before you cut the fabric, it should be bonded onto a backing material. The backing is a certain type of material, like heat and bond, which you need to stick to the fabric that you’re using in order to use this specific blade. If your fabric isn’t bonded properly, then there is a risk of stretching and tearing apart the materials, which might also end up damaging your mat. 

Moreover, this blade can be used with the Cricut Maker and all Cricut Explore Family machines. It comes in pink color and you can also use it with the housing of the fine point blade, including the pink fabric mat. Don’t have a pink-colored mat? You can use this blade with the standard green mat as well. 

Materials That Are Compatible With The Bonded Fabric Blade

As mentioned above, each one of these materials should be bonded before using the blade.

  • Silk.
  • Oil cloth.
  • Denim.
  • Polyester.
  • Cotton.
  • Burlap.
  • Felt.

The Rotary Blade

This is a fantastic blade. The Adaptive Tool System drives the rotary blade; hence, this blade only works with the Cricut Maker Machine. This blade’s drive housing can’t be used with other blades. In order to change the blade, a particular kit is required. 

This blade can pretty much cut any fabric. Also, you aren’t required to have a backing material in order to stabilize your fabric on a mat. Moreover, the rotary blade comes with the Cricut Maker as well, which is great since usually a user has to purchase these tools either in a bundle or separately. You can only use this blade with a Fabric Grip mat.

On the other hand, despite being a great blade, it comes with certain limitations. The cut you are trying to make in a project or image size needs to be about 3/4th of an inch (or 19 mm). Using this blade to cut smaller projects is going to end up shortening your blade’s lifespan.

Materials That Are Compatible With The Rotary Fabric Blade

  • Bengaline.
  • Bamboo fabric.
  • Cashmere.
  • Canvas.
  • Cotton.
  • Corduroy.
  • Chiffon.
  • Felt.
  • Denim.
  • Fleece.
  • Silk.
  • Gauze.
  • Nylon.
  • Microfiber.
  • Lycra. 

The Knife Blade 

This is quite a unique blade and it can only be used with the Cricut Maker. You can cut up amazing projects with this blade. For instance, you can make great signs made from wood for your home, you can make sturdy cake toppers, boxes, and so much more.

The StrongGrip mat or the Purple Mat is suitable to be used with this blade. At times, even these mats fail at keeping all of the materials in place, particularly when cutting wood. If the materials that you’re using require more grip then painter’s tape can be used on the edges in order to secure it onto the mat. Also, this blade’s drive housing cannot be used with other blades. 

Materials That Are Compatible With The Knife Blade

  • Heavy Chipboard (2.0mm).
  • Tooling leather.
  • Basswood (1/16 inches and 1/32 inches).
  • Matboard (4 ply).
  • Balsa (1/16 inches and 3/32 inches).

QuickSwap Blades And Tips

Unlike the other blades that come with different housing, through the QuickSwap system, you can use five different tools, which includes two blades and three tips. This is only compatible with the Cricut Maker.

  • The Perforation Blade
  • The Wavy Blade
  • The Engraving Tip
  • The Debossing Tip
  • The Scoring Tip

All of these tools can be used with the same housing. Listed below are the details of these tools. Read on to find out how you can use these great tools with different materials in numerous types of projects. 

The Perforation Blade

With this blade, you are able to create cool projects that have a tear finish. A whole new world of endless possibilities will open once you start to use this tool. For instance, you can create raffle tickets, coupons, and so much more. The materials you can use with the perforation blade are as follows:

  • Metallic poster board.
  • Corrugated cardboard.
  • Felt.
  • Heavy cardstock.
  • Glitter cardstock.
  • Glitter craft foam.
  • Craft foam.
  • Faux leather (paper thin).
  • Iron-on.
  • Vellum.
  • Tooling leather (2-3 oz. or 0.8 mm).
  • Plastic.
  • Foil Acetate.
  • Acetate.

The Wavy Blade

With this tool, you can create a wavy effect on the final cuts, instead of creating the standard lines by using a fine point blade or a rotary blade. Since creating curved-shaped lines in Design Space can be quite complex, this blade can come in handy when trying to achieve this sort of effect. Projects such as banners, gift tags, envelopes, unique vinyl decals, and cards are just some of the many projects that can benefit from the use of this great tool. Plus, this tool can also be used to cut into fabric as well. The materials you can use the wavy blade on are as follows: 

  • Corrugated cardboard.
  • Heavy cardstock.
  • Glitter cardstock. 
  • Poster board. 
  • Metallic poster board. 
  • Foil poster board.
  • Kraft board.
  • Flannel.
  • Cotton denim.
  • Fleece. 
  • Fusible fleece. 

The Engraving Tip

This tool can be used to engrave on different types of materials. The materials you can use the engraving tip on are as follows:

  • Brass.
  • Anodized aluminum.
  • Stainless steel.
  • Bronze.
  • Genuine leather.
  • Faux leather (paper thin).
  • Garment leather (2-3 oz. or 0.8 mm).
  • Tooling leather.
  • Acetate.
  • Acetate foil.
  • Vellum.

The Debossing Tip

With this tip, the material gets pushed in and this ends up creating detailed and beautiful designs. Incorporating debossing into your projects will give it a whole new look. This is all thanks to the many unique details you can add to your designs by using the debossing tip. For instance, you can use the debossing tip to create a beautiful gift box by decorating it with stars, hearts, flowers, and so on. Plus, you can also create 3D monograms and cards. The materials you can use the debossing tip on are as follows:

  • Heavy chipboard (2.0 mm).
  • Light chipboard (0.37 mm).
  • Kraft board.
  • Poster board.
  • Foil poster board.
  • Metallic poster board.
  • Foil acetate.
  • Genuine leather.
  • Faux leather (paper thin).
  • Tooling leather.
  • Vellum.
  • Matboard (4 ply).
  • Heavy cardstock.
  • Craft foam.
  • Glitter cardstock.
  • Balsa (1/16 inches or 1.6 mm).
  • Balsa (3/32 inches or 2.4 mm).

The Scoring Wheel (Tip 01 And Tip 02)

With this tool, you can create edgy and beautiful folds onto your materials. In order to provide you with the best results, the Cricut’s scoring wheel comes with two different tips: Tip 01 and Tip 02. Design Space is going to recommend the tip that is ideal for your project, depending on the material that you pick. If you are using light materials like regular cardstock, print paper, and so on, then Tip 01 is ideal for you. On the other hand, if you are using heavy materials and coated materials like glitter cardstock, chipboard, metallic poster board, and so on, then Tip 02 should be used. Listed below are a couple of the materials that this tool can be used on:

  • Damask chipboard.
  • Heavy chipboard (2.0 mm).
  • Flat cardboard.
  • Corrugated cardboard.
  • Kraft board.
  • Foil Kraft board.
  • Corrugated paper.
  • Plastic packaging.
  • Foil acetate.
  • Cardstock.
  • Copy paper.

Cricut Joy Blades

This device only comes with the fine point blade. This blade’s housing comes with a white cap and this blade is a lot different as compared to the other blades. The blade of Cricut Joy isn’t interchangeable; hence, the user should always use its respective housing. The materials that this blade can cut through as are follows:

  • Copy paper.
  • Cardstock.
  • Glitter cardstock.
  • Smart Iron-on (without the need of a Cricut mat).
  • Smart vinyl (without the need of a Cricut mat).
  • Writable vinyl.
  • Insert cards (with the card mat).
  • Foil poster board.
  • Corrugated cardboard.

Blades That Have Been Discontinued

Listed below are the blades that have been discontinued and are not available anymore in the market. 

  • The standard blade housing.
  • The Cricut cake blade and housing.
  • The deep cut blade and housing.
  • The scoring tip and housing.

Frequently Asked Questions: Cricut Blades

1. Are all of the Cricut blades interchangeable?

Same housing can be used with the bonded fabric blade and the fine point blade. Plus, the QuickSwap tools can also use same housing; hence, if you have one already then you just need to purchase the blade or the tip. On the other hand, the remaining three blades, which are the rotary blade, the knife blade, and the deep point blade, can be used only with their respective housing.

2. From where can one purchase the Cricut blades?

You can find all of the Cricut blades plus tips from stores like Joann, Michael’s, and even Walmart. Also, Cricut has their own official website, where you can easily find all of these blades and other Cricut products. This makes finding the products a lot easier as compared to looking for them in different stores. Plus, you can order your products from their official website while staying in the comfort of your home. 

3. For how long will a Cricut blade last?

Even though these blades are designed to last for a long time, there will be a time when it will be necessary for you to replace your blade with a brand new one. The lifespan of your Cricut blade depends upon the kinds of materials you will be using it with, how often will you use your blade, and how well do you take care of your blade.

For instance, materials like cardstock and paper are a lot harder on the blades as compared to a smoother material, such as vinyl. Hence, if you mostly work with harder materials like paper or cardstock, then you will need to replace your blades a lot more often. 

Moreover, blades like the knife blade and the deep point blade that cut through thicker materials will require replacement more often due to the pressure that’s put on these blades in order to achieve a clean and smooth cut. When your cuts start becoming dull and less sharp, you will then know that it is time to get new blades.

4. How can one replace their Cricut blades?

It is not at all hard to change your Cricut blades. In fact, it is quite a simple process. However, you do need to take precaution when handling blades as they are extremely sharp! The deep point blade, the bonded fabric blade, and the fine point blade are easy to change. All you need to do is to press the top of your blade, take it out using your hands, and finally insert your new blade while the housing is upside down. 

5. How can one take care of their Cricut blades?

You can increase the lifespan of your Cricut blades if you take good care of them. You are making quite the investment when you purchase these blades; hence, you should make sure that they are well taken care of. Below are a couple of tips you can follow when it comes to taking care of your Cricut blades.

Firstly, one of the best ways you can increase the lifespan of your blades is when you use them with the correct materials. For instance, do not get tempted to cut a thicker material by using the fine point blade, in case you don’t have a deep point blade. In this situation, it will be better if you just bought a deep point blade instead to cut the thicker material. If you do end up using the wrong blade, this will not only increase the damage to your blade, it is also going to negatively affect your project since the cuts won’t be as smooth. Hence, using the right blade with the right materials is highly important for the blade’s lifespan. 

Furthermore, keep the plastic covers of your blades, including the scoring wheel, which comes with a drive housing. The cover is going to protect the housing’s gears. Once the cover is removed, the blade and housing are exposed to tiny particles, such as dust and hair. Make sure to put them away once you are done using them. 

6. How can one store their Cricut blades?

One of the great ways to store the Cricut blades is within the Cricut itself. Or, you can also keep them in a small container or box. The compartments within the Cricut machines are designed specifically to hold the blades. When it comes to the replacement blades, there is a metallic magnet present that is going to keep them in one place. Moreover, wherever you decide to store your blades, make sure that you keep them away from children, pets, or anyone who might not recognize the blades.

7. What are some problems one can come across with their Cricut blades?

Sometimes, you might come across an issue with your blade that ends up frustrating you. For instance, the blades aren’t cutting well, your material is getting dragged, the blade ends up cutting too deep, or it isn’t cutting at all. In this case, all you need to do is check the settings in order to solve these issues, especially if you changed them recently in order to cut another material.

You could face a situation where your mats aren’t properly stabilizing your material and you have to change them or replace the blade itself. However, if your blade-related problems aren’t being solved then you can check Cricut’s official website, where they have provided the solutions for you by helping you walk through whatever you need to know.

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