Helpfully, my particular mat is labelled so I don't forget what it is. It's by EK Success and I didn't buy it - it was a demonstration product that I was allowed to keep when I foolishly lost the job. It's one of my 'must have' tools too, I would cheerfully shell out for another if this one met a nasty end. Although I can't imagine it will. It's a great surface to work on, totally flat and totally cleanable - not very often you understand, but when the need arises, I stick it in the sink and scrub it.It doesn't blunt the blade - it's the paper and card that blunt blades - after all, you don't actually use the blade on the glass, huh. The self heal mats are great, but this is for me, a step up. No healing to be done for sure, and occasionally my teenier projects slide when I'm cutting...because I've not allowed room to hold them. But the glass doesn't absorb the energy that I put into cutting like the self healing mat does - the blade will never stick in the mat and the cutting is therefore a bit easier I think.
As for breaking it..well I dunno, I think you'd have to go some; it's tempered obviously, and I use it as my heat gun base too - although sometimes that causes condensation on the mat surface which is a minor annoyance. It sits on my desk, and once a month it gets passed to my tote for transport to a crop and back. That's not to say that I haven't dropped it, but it's hasn't been from desk height, and I can't say if it's landed flat or on a corner - these things happen so fast!!
I like the grid - I occasionally remember to use it for lining straight stuff up too! So there you have it, my glass mat and thoughts thereon. The best use this glass mat has is that it forms the border/barrier of use-able space on my desk. I can see that once the mat is covered in stuff, the whole desk top needs to be sorted, So it's a closet barometer too!
I'm not a snob about it - I use it and love it, I don't mind if you've got a self healing mat and love it, there's no tool-up-man-ship here, this 'review' is just doing what I do best - talking about myself!
so what did you do - swear at the boss, demand a double pay rise - quit telling me about the glass ( which i agree is a Superior product) and tell me
ReplyDeleteWhy did you get the heave ho?
i'm trying to recall if I ever got sacked before I managed to flounce away?
Dxxx
This has come at just the right time Julia!! It was only the other day I was asking myself, Lou, do you fancy a glass mat? And truth be told, I do. The biggest glass surface I have (apart from the windows and shower walls) in my house is my cutting mat for the Making Memories Slice. I use that with my Slice (obviously) as well as my Martha Stewart Circle Cutter, it gives much cleaner lines.
ReplyDeleteSo thank you, for your little 'review'. I think it will come in most helpful when the time comes to move on (step up) from my self healer and go for the hardcore glass option.
:) xo
You are so right about the glass cutting surface but mine isn't nearly as fancy as yours. It's an old (we're talking 70s) Corningware cutting board which even has little veggies decal down in the corner. But it's tough and smooth. It's easy to clean alcohol inks and paint off and the only way to go with circular cutting tools. It even has little rubber feet on the bottom to keep it from sliding.
ReplyDeleteThe self healing has it's good points too glass has a lot more!
Thanks for sharing! :o)
The glass is great Mrs D but give us the juicy goss? xx
ReplyDeleteWell, well, what could you possibly that was so bad that you got the heave? As you know we WOYWWers are by definition nosy and you've peaked our/my curiosity - I'll be making up scenarios in my mind all day now! oh, and yes, I can see the virtues of the the glass cutting mat :) Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great 'must-have' Julia. I did wonder about it blunting blades but now you mention the fact that the paper and card blunt the blades it seem so obvious :-/ though I have recently used an old chopping thingy as a cutting surface but it's a bit small
ReplyDeleteHappy Saturday ;-)
Anne xx
You are so funny, tool-up-manship, indeed, i love your mat and if i wasnt such a firm believer in those that have and those that dont, i may have to have one of these, but just gotta be happy with not having one and wish all i can that someday i may just see one somewhere and have to get it.
ReplyDeletesmiles
Paola
If you've got a tool and love it then why not shout about it? It looks brill to me. It was lovely to get a comment from you today...not heard from you in a while and was begining to think you wern't 'speaking' to me [as if] :-) :-)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
A x
I love my self healing but probably would like a glass mat except for the sensation of blade on glass. Had to laugh about the lack of grid use ....me too ... DD goes mad when she see me working with things all skew wiff ... and says loudly as she passes 'use the lines ...thats what they are there for' ...'are they?' I retort...lol
ReplyDeleteI love your glass mat. Especially love that it has to be marked "glass mat" - derrr!!
ReplyDeleteMy cutting mat is under my craft sheet and has several pieces of scrap paper on top too, so I rarely use the lines to line anything up - though sometimes I do drag it from beneath said craft sheet to actually cut something on it!
That is all really interesting Julia, I have often wondered about if the mat would blunt blades or if it was ok to use with a heat gun etc...When my self healing mat can no longer self heal I will get one.
ReplyDeleteI have a glass mat as well..but I got mine from the discount shelf at Home Hardware (in Canada) for $2. It is for bakers so has that type of measurements on it but I am still glad that I have one.
ReplyDeleteI admit, I've never heard of a glass mat until you brought it up on Wednesday. As someone who is craft knife challenged, it is not a tool I reach for when making art. In fact, I think I have the first blade that came with my X-acto and I suspect it is still sharp. My desk has a craft mat, but no glass mat. I like your reasons for using it and preferring it to a self healing mat. If I ever get over worrying that I'll cut my fingers off using my craft knife, I might find a need for one. Until then, I'll enjoy yours from afar.
ReplyDeleteBTW, is that a clean desk I see, or did you photograph the mat at someone else's desk (grin)?
ReplyDeleteYou've totally sold me on it. I love the idea that I can use my heat gun on it. However, one word of caution. I had one drop on my foot; the corner hit me and I limped for a couple of weeks!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget the whole "break the tip of your knife in your self-heal cutting mat" too. I've done that more often than I care to mention, usually followed by copious expletive deletives... I'd love a glass cutting mat, and now I know - thanks to you - that EK Success made them, I may be able to track one down if they no longer do.... Ta muchly!
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm, yet something else I haven't tried and I do definitely respect your experience opinion. I have a large self healing mat bought dead cheap from The Works years ago and still going strong. I do also have a large silicon sheet for when using my heat gun and Sir T!m's Distress inks. Oh and I have painted some stuff and the paint just peeled off the silicon. Oh well, perhaps when it's time to replace ......
ReplyDeleteThank you Julia for showing us what a glass mat is...now I want one! Where would one purchase such an item do you suppose, if one lived in the States?
ReplyDeleteHi Julia wasn’t blogging when you reviewed this started a few weeks late! And hadn’t found WOYWW. Well it’s certainly stood the test of time that is for sure. One I’m looking at had very good review two years ago, not dissimilar to your review so that’s handy. Appreciated your comments very much!
ReplyDeleteHugs Shaz in Oz.x