Cricut Maker: Knife Blade FAQ

Knife Blade can cut the following materials. Select the links below to learn more about cutting different materials with Knife Blade. 

• Balsa wood
  • 1/32"
  • 1/16"
  • 3/32"
• Basswood
  • 1/32"
  • 1/16"
• Cricut Chipboard
• Craft Foam
  • 1.5mm
  • 2mm
  • 3mm
• Leather
  • Garment Leather, Soft 2-3 oz. 
  • Garment Leather, Soft 4-5 oz. 
  • Tooling Calf Leather, Stiff 2-3 oz. 
  • Tooling Calf Leather, Stiff 4-5 oz. 
  • Tooling Calf Leather, Stiff 6-7 oz.
• Matboard
  • 2 ply
  • 4 ply

When cutting with Knife Blade, there are a few steps you will need to take to prepare your Cricut Maker machine and material for cutting. 

1. Ensure that your material is only 11" wide, and align it with the top left corner of the adhesive area on your machine mat to prevent it from passing under the large rubber rollers on the roller bar.  

2. Tape the material down to the mat on all four sides to prevent slippage while cutting.  

3. Move the white star wheels on the roller bar all the way to the right to give clearance for thick materials and to prevent them from leaving track marks on your material. 

Knife blade is compatible with Cricut Maker machines only. It is operated by a drive mechanism that Cricut Explore models do not have, and with which they cannot be upgraded.

Knife Blade is ideal for cuts of moderate detail, no smaller than ¾". This includes the size of interior cuts. For best results, interior cuts should be no smaller than ¾". Width of cuts should not be smaller than the diameter of a pencil. Due to the pressure and multiple passes required to cut through thicker materials with Knife Blade, thin lines or pieces smaller than ¾” may separate or fall apart during cutting. For this reason, we recommend keeping lines at least as thick as a standard wooden pencil, and shapes no smaller than ¾”. 

Note: If some interior “negative” pieces are smaller than ¾” they may be destroyed during cutting, but the surrounding cut will likely be fine. If you notice negative pieces popping off the mat during cutting, use a brush or spray air to clear them from the cutting area.

Knife Blade functionality has not been added to the mobile app at this time. Knife Blade cuts require multiple passes, often more than ten. Depending upon the complexity of your image and the material being cut, the time needed to complete these cuts can range from minutes to hours, which would restrict the use of your mobile device for that period of time.

At this time, it is not possible to create new custom material settings using Knife Blade.

When using a cut setting for Knife Blade materials, the blade makes multiple passes along each cut path, adjusting the pressure slightly with each pass until the cut is complete. All of the preprogrammed cut settings have been rigorously and meticulously tested to arrive at a setting that provides the best experience cutting that material with Cricut Maker and Knife Blade.

Several passes of shallow cuts with gradually increasing pressure on each pass is the best use of machine resources, allows for more precise cuts, and provides the longest life for your Knife Blade and cutting mat.

Fast Mode is not available when cutting with Knife Blade.

Knife Blade cuts through dense materials up to 3/32" thick with ease and safety. The Adaptive Tool System in Cricut Maker machines controls the direction of the blade and the cut pressure to match the material to a greater degree of precision and control than can be accomplished by hand.

Read this Help article with step-by-step instructions for replacing your Knife Blade.

Knife Blade is intended for use with thick, dense materials such as balsa wood, Cricut Chipboard, leather, and craft foam up to 2.4mm or 3/32". Because of this, Knife Blade will wear quickly compared to other blades.

However, the life of the blade will vary depending on the density and thickness of the material you are cutting, as well as the intricacy of your design. Thick chipboard will wear a blade more quickly than soft leather. 

For most Knife Blade materials, a StrongGrip Mat is recommended. Craft Foam may stick well to the StandardGrip Mat instead.

The mat’s adhesive is designed to firmly hold cuts in place and to release cuts without damage. Because Knife Blade cuts with more pressure, the mat needs assistance in holding thick or dense materials in place. Taping the material to the mat will help secure it so that as the blade cuts, the cut images stay in place.

Dust or debris generated when cutting with Knife Blade may gather on and around the gear guard on top of the Knife Blade Drive Housing and cause it to squeak while in use. Use a soft brush, such as a paintbrush, to gently clear any dust or debris from the Knife Blade Drive Housing. 

Important: Do not remove the housing from Clamp B to clean it off if you are in the middle of a cut.