How To Snap-off Utility Cutter Blades
Olfa Utility knives are used commonly for cutting a range of materials like paper, card, fabrics, textiles, foam, carpet, underlay, plasterboard, thin plastics, balsa wood, tape, wallpaper, shrink wrap, PVC, vinyl, leatherette, vinyl flooring, window tint, car wrap etc..
When the quality of the cut is not smooth and the utility knife feels like it is dragging through the material been cut instead of cutting through, it is time to snap-off the blade to expose a new sharper edge.
Olfa blades are pre-scored at 1cm segments; when the blade or tip becomes blunt simply snap the blade at the next segment to expose a new sharp tip and edge.
Caution: The blades on Olfa cutters and knives are extremely sharp and will cut through your fingers like a hot knife through butter so take extra care when handling the blades. always use safety glasses when snapping a blade segment. A blunt blade or broken segment may not look sharp but is still very sharp to cut your skin.
You must never at any point try to snap-off a blade segment using your fingers even if you are wearing gloves, always use a pair of pliers to hold the part of the blade you want to snap-off.
If you are in doubt and not sure on anything or simply just need advice please contact us, we are more than happy to help and answer any question you have.
Here is a guide on how to snap-off a segment from an Olfa utility cutter blade
Check if the Olfa cutter you are using comes with its own built in tool to snap-off the blade segments; otherwise you will need a pair of plies to carry out this task safely. Watch a video
Look closely if the blade in your Olfa utility knife has diagonal score markings running every 1cm along the blade, these are the score marks that allow the blade to be snapped for a new sharper tip.
Snap The Blade
Step by step
Extend out the blade to the next score mark
Face the knife away from you
Hold the exposed end of the blade with a pair of pliers next to the score mark, make sure the pliers are parallel to the score line.
Holding the utility knife tightly Snap the blade in a downwards action away from you, blade will snap at the score line close to the pliers.
New Sharp Tip is exposed
Compare the old tip and the new tip
Nice new sharp tip ready to use.
Dispose the used snapped off segment of the blade safely in a sharps container.
If your utility knife runs out of score lines to snap off, the blade has come to the end of its life and needs changing, order new replacement blades for your Olfa tool
How to change the blade of a Olfa snap-off utility cutter
Customer Reviews
I’m really impressed by the service here. Ordered some replacement blades for my cutter and they arrived a few days later in perfect condition exactly what I needed. Also they were nicely packaged. The original cutter I’ve used constantly for four years now and still going strong. As many other brands mean I must throw away the cutter when the blade becomes blunt. Adding to more plastic waste we really don’t need. So simply changing the blade each time is a brilliant solution. Thanks again for the great service. Now I just need to know where to dispose safely of the used blades. Any ideas please let me know. Peace N
Fast delivery, well packed.
Perfect place in Birmingham for OLFA spare blades outlet, ideal for local collection.
Was easy to place the order, and it arrived very quickly thank you
First rate product, super sharp blades, and love the case with the spare compartment for used blades which is so useful and makes it very easy to dispose of used blades. Quick delivery, great service. All in all this is such a professional company with tools of the highest quality. I cannot praise this company highly enough - an easy 5 stars
Superb quality knife, solid sliding catch, blade very firm doesn't rattle in casing. It is basically of the highest quality. Arrived quickly, excellent customer service - replied promptly to email, and delivered in letterbox friendly packaging as requested. Just a great quality professional company with top notch quality products. Will not hesitate to buy again if I need anything else . Cannot recommend highly enough!
Excellent product and such speedy well packaged delivery
easy to order and speedy delivery !
Great quality mat and exactly what I was looking for size wise.
Exactly what I expected. A minor glitch on the order page of the web site was sorted out promptly & politely. I have a talent for upsetting user-friendly interfaces, so am NOT complaining!
Very quick delivery. I have been using these blades since 1971
Great Product, most useful Olfa website on the internet, local to home was able to collect from Birmingham outlet, olfa spare blades for the scraper and other olfa cutters i have
Olfa tools, always the best
Quality product, prompt delivery
Great quality and will save me working with blades getting more & more blunt.
Fast Delivery..thanks
Perfect. Excellent quality.
I have been wanting to buy a new snap-off 18mm utility knife for a number of years. I have two old ones where the blade had started to slip. I purchased a cheap version on Amazon, and returned it as it was even worse. I then came across the name of "Olfa", and the fact that they actually invented the idea of the snap-off blade. I purchased my first Olfa knife and I am delighted with it. I wish I had discovered them years ago. I am only a little older that the first Olfa snap-off knife. If I ever have to buy another snap-off knife in the future (maybe a 9mm version) it will certainly be from Olfa. I wish I found you earlier!
Great products, well packed and super speedy delivery
Just what i need, Spare Blades for my Olfa tool
