Which blade type should I use?
What are the different blade types?
There are 3 different types of blade, defined by their cutting angle. The different angles can be applied to different material types and thicknesses. The diagram below represents how the different angles are measured.
Note that the steeper the angle, the deeper the blade extends.
How to identify which is which
Blades ship with a protective cap, and the colour helps indicate the blade’s angle. Watch out though, it’s easy to put the wrong cap on a blade!
|
Angle (degrees) |
Colour cap |
|
60 |
Blue |
|
45 |
Red |
|
30 |
Yellow |
What are the different blades types used for?
Different blade angles work better for different materials.
Theory
-
A steeper angle (e.g. 60°) can reach deeper, and is therefore used for thicker materials. But, this attracts a higher cutting load (which may cause tearing).
-
A shallower angle (e.g. 30°) has a reduced cutting load. But it cannot reach as far, and therefore is ideal for thinner materials.
A good rule of thumb is to use as shallow an angle as the material thickness will allow.
Examples of use
|
Angle (degrees) |
Colour cap |
Material used |
|
60 |
Blue |
Thick media such as card, rigid vinyl, fabric, cork, and magnet |
|
45 |
Red |
Medium media such as vinyl (adhesive and heat transfer), paper and thin card |
|
30 |
Yellow |
Thin media such as film or window tint |