Cricut fine point blades and tools for ALL Cricut EXPLORE and Cricut MAKER machines
If you are new to Cricut and you are looking for a comparison between the Cricut EXPLORE, MAKER and Cricut JOY machines, and the additional tools, the easiest way to see the difference at a glance, is to print off, or save the three separate PDF documents below.
A brief history of the current Cricut machines…
The Cricut EXPLORE machine was the first machine to be released in 2014 and it has seen subsequent upgrades with the ‘EXPLORE One’ then the Cricut EXPLORE Air 2 in 2016, and finally the Cricut EXPLORE 3′ in 2021.
The original Cricut MAKER was first launched in 2017 and the MAKER 3 was released at the same time as the EXPLORE 3 in 2021. Where it uses the some of the same housing, blades and tools as the EXPLORE machines, Cricut rebranded all the ‘fine point blades’ in 2017 and added colour co-ordinating housing. The purpose of this is to help users quickly identify blades and housing at a glance, and use them with specific materials to help preserve the life of the blades. For example: you wouldn’t use fabric scissors to cut paper, so there is an option to use a separate housing and blade.
The Cricut JOY was released in 2020, and was the first machine to use smart vinyl.
Following the document/PDF, each section briefly explains the difference between the ‘fine point blades’, ‘foil transfer tool’ and ‘scoring stylus’ which are used with all EXPLORE and MAKER machines. Then we cover the ‘adaptive housing’ and ‘quick swap tools’ which are used with the original MAKER and the MAKER 3 machines. Â
Finally, we go on to cover the housing and tools which are used with the Cricut JOY. If you are not aware, the housing is different where the machine is much smaller, so it uses different pens and tools.
The document below covers the fine point blades which can be used with the Cricut EXPLORE and MAKER machines. It also briefly explains the different coloured housing with co-ordinating coloured blades to help users.
Below is a summary of the blades.
Fine point blades and housing
The ‘silver’ or ‘gold’ housing is to be used with the ‘fine point blades’. The EXPLORE machines were initially shipped with the silver housing and a ‘German carbide fine point blade’. However, as part of the rebranding, Cricut has renamed the blade to a ‘premium fine point blade’, although this is still made with the same German carbide steel. Â
At a glance, the ‘premium fine point blade’ is identified as a gold blade with a white protective cap.
Replacement fine point blades
When it comes to purchasing the replacement blades, there can be confusion in some countries, as blades may still be sold under under the original branding/packaging, for example: in some countries you can still purchase the ‘German carbide fine point blade’. You can also purchase standard replacement blades in a 2 pack for 10 pack which are more cost effective and they are ideal for cutting card and paper, where the German carbide steel is not required.
To add further confusion, some countries still sell blades for earlier machines, for example: The Cricut EXPRESSION. One way to avoid purchasing the incorrect blade is to ensure that somewhere on the packaging it states that the blade can be used with Cricut EXPLORE machines.  The MAKER uses the same ‘fine point blades’ as the EXPLORE machines, so providing it states EXPLORE machines on the packaging, the replacement blade will fit into the same silver or gold housing.
Below are two examples of older packaging/blades which can be used with the EXPLORE and MAKER machines:
German carbide fine point blade
This is identified by a silver blade with a red protective cap. The packaging will state it for use with EXPLORE machines.
Standard fine point blade
These blades are sold either in a 2 pack or 10 pack and the blade is silver. On older packaging, the protective cap is grey and it states the blades can be used with EXPLORE machines. With newer packaging, the blades remain silver, however, the protective cap is white; the same as the premium fine point blade.
The ‘premium fine point blade’ is recommended for use with:
- Paper
- Cardstock
- Kraft board
- Poster board
- Adhesive vinyl
- Iron on (HTV)
- Other thin to medium weight materials under 1 mm
When you cut Cricut materials, you will be asked to select a material and the screen prompts will tell you which blade to install.
If you cut mixed media, for example: card and vinyl, you have an option to purchase a ‘premium fine point blade and gold housing’, so you can reserve the ‘silver housing and blade’ for card and paper crafts and use the gold housing for vinyl and other materials. This not only provides a quick swap, it guarantees that you use the correct blade every time, and you may even be pleasantly surprised by how much longer the blades continue to cut with less wastage.
Bonded fabric blade and housing
Cricut introduced the pink housing with the ‘bonded fabric blade’ to match a pink fabric grip cutting mat. The blade is exactly the same as the ‘premium fine point blade’ and ‘German carbide fine point blade’. However, the colour distinguishes its use for fabrics only. By dedicating the blade for fabrics only will also prolong the life of the blade.
The ‘bonded fabric blade’ is recommended for more intricate cuts on:
- Bonded fabrics, for example: Heat N Bond
- Cricut felt
The ‘bonded fabric blade’ can be used with the silver housing or the gold housing.  If you only do an occasional cut of fabric, you may use the ‘premium fine point blade’, although a test cut is always advised first for avoid wastage of fabric.
Replacement blades
The ‘bonded fabric blade’ is identified as a pink blade with a pink protective cap and the packaging states it can be used with the EXPLORE machines.  The MAKER uses the same blade as the EXPLORE machines.
Deep point blade
The ‘deep point housing’, replacement blade and protective cap are all black.  The ‘black housing’ is for the ‘deep point blade’ only, as the housing is shorter (shown on the above document for the fine point blades ). It has a 60° angle blade which is specifically designed to cut thicker materials of 1 mm and over.
CAUTION:
Using a ‘deep point blade’ in the silver, gold or pink housing may cause damage to your machine. Also, using one of the fine point blades in the black housing may also cause damage to your machine. The Cricut materials list provides information about the cut settings and which blades to use.
The ‘deep point blade’ is recommended for intricate cuts on products such as:
- Magnet
- Medium garment leather (up to 1.6 mm)
- Mylar
- Craft foam
- Cricut natural wood veneer (walnut or cherry)
- Other soft materials up to 1.6 mmÂ
Foil transfer tool
The ‘foil transfer tool’ is used with the Cricut foil transfer sheets and can be used to add outlines to your projects. The foil transfer tool’ comes with 3 interchangeable tips; fine, medium and bold.
The foil transfer tool can be used on:
- Cardstock up to 100 lb (270 gsm)
- Deluxe paper
- Watercolor paper
- Pearl paper
- Vellum
- Printable vinyl
- Printable sticker paper
- Kraft board
- Matboard
- Poster board
- Copy paper (printing paper)
- Photo Paper (glossy, up to 200 gsm)
- Photo Paper (Matte, up to 230 gsm)
- Faux leather
- Smart paper, sticker cardstock (on mat)
At the time of publishing this article, the  ‘foil transfer tool’ is/was only compatible with the desktop app. However, this may change in the future as Cricut are continuingly improving the Cricut Design Space apps on iOS and Android. You can find more information about the ‘foil transfer tool’ on Cricut’s website here.
Scoring Stylus
The ‘scoring stylus’ lets you add light score fold lines when making cards, envelopes, boxes and 3D projects. Â
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Whilst this tool is compatible with the MAKER, the scoring wheels (only compatible with MAKER machines) gives a more defined score line and can apply more pressure, so it can be used on stronger materials such as acetates and craft acetates.
The scoring stylus is put into clamp A, so this allows you to cut your project and score in one step without the need of changing tools or mats.  Full details about the ‘fine point blades’, ‘housing’ and ‘tools’ can be found here on Cricut’s website.
The good news with all of the above blades and tools is, if you upgrade from a Cricut EXPLORE to a Cricut MAKER, you can still use the same housing and blades, cutting mats and all of your materials.
Does the EXPLORE 3 and MAKER 3 use different blades and housing to their earlier machines (EXPLORE family and original MAKER)?
If you are looking for a comparison between the EXPLORE family and EXPLORE 3, OR the Cricut MAKER and MAKER 3 machines, they use exactly the same ‘housing’, ‘fine point blades’ the ‘foil transfer tool’ and the ‘scoring stylus’.
At present, the only main difference between the machines is the EXPLORE 3 and MAKER 3 are 1″ wider than their earlier models and they can cut ‘smart materials’ (no need for a cutting mat). By using ‘smart vinyl’, both of these machines can cut a single image or repeated cuts up to 12 feet (3.6 m) long and up to 12.5 inches wide. When using regular adhesive vinyl and iron on vinyl, both the EXPLORE 3 and MAKER 3 use the same cutting mats and cut the same size as the EXPLORE Air 2 and MAKER.
At the time of publishing this article, there are/were approx. 10 smart materials, which include:
- Smart vinyl
- Smart iron on
- Smart paper sticker cardstock
It is highly likely that Cricut will be releasing more smart materials. More information about smart materials can be found on Cricut’s website here.
TIP:
If you do upgrade, don’t be too hasty to put your EXPLORE or MAKER back into its box or sell it. If you are not aware, you can actually use two or more machines at once by opening up new dialogue boxes of the Cricut Design Space app. You also have the option to use three different Apps: Desktop for Windows or MAC, iOS and Android. If you are running a small business, this will effectively double your output where you can cut card and vinyl on both machines.
Roll holder
If you are likely use the 12 foot rolls of ‘smart vinyl’, there is an option to purchase a roll holder for the EXPLORE 3 and MAKER 3 machines.
CAUTION:
You will find that there are ‘3rd party tools’, ‘pen adaptors’ and’ materials’ which are advertised as safe to use with your Cricut EXPLORE or MAKER machines. However, if you do choose to use non-branded tools, 3rd party accessories and/or non Cricut materials with your machine, you just need to be aware that this can invalidate any remaining warranty on your machine.
Adaptive housing for the Cricut MAKER machines
If you are new to Cricut, and you don’t know what machine to get between the Cricut EXPLORE and Cricut MAKER, this cheat sheet will help you to see at a glance what additional materials you can work with, where the ‘adaptive housing’ provides options for cutting fabric and wood, and the ‘quick swap tools’ provide options for scoring, perforation, debossing, engraving and cutting bevelled edge on cards. Â
At present, the only main difference between the MAKER and MAKER 3, is it can cut 1″ wider using smart materials. If you’ve skimmed through this article, it was covered in the section just above the ‘roll holder’ accessory.
The document below can be printed, downloaded and can be shared. It shows the adaptive housing and additional tools which can be used with either Cricut MAKER machine.
It is the ‘adaptive housing’ and the ‘quick swap tools’ that provides the Cricut MAKER with endless possibilities, and this is what sets the machine apart from the EXPLORE machines. The ‘rotary’ and ‘knife blade’ gives you approximately 140 additional products to work with, whether it’s cutting something as delicate as tissue paper, then fabric and leather, right through to more dense materials such as Cricut chipboard. Â
Rotary blade
Firstly, the ‘rotary blade’ and a 12″ x 12″ (30.48 cm x 30.48 cm) pink fabric grip mat are included with the Cricut MAKER. This blade provides effortless cuts through most fabrics without the need of a fabric backer, for example: Heat N Bond, and its gliding and rolling action cuts fabrics quickly and accurately. Surprisingly, not only does the ‘rotary blade’ cut fabric, it can also cut delicate papers too.
The ‘rotary blade’ is recommended for soft fabrics and other soft delicate or less dense materials over ¾ inch (1.9 cm) or larger. At the time of publishing this article, Cricut lists just over 130 materials on its website which can be cut with the ‘rotary blade’. Below are just some of the materials:
- Crepe paper
- Tissue paper
- Handmade paper
- Mulberry paper
- Outdoor vinyl, bonded
- Delicate fabrics such as tulle and organza
- Medium fabrics like cotton
- Extra heavy fabrics like burlap, faux suede and denim
- Silk and taffeta
- Mesh
If you are new to Cricut, it is worth noting that the maximum cut using the rotary blade is 11.5″ x 24″ (29.21 cm x 60.96 cm) on a 12″ x 24″ cutting mat. When cutting fabrics, the ‘rotary blade’ should always be used with the ‘fabric grip (pink) mat’ as this is made with material that will withstand the pressure of the blade.
CAUTION:
Cuts under ¾ inch (1.9 cm) may cause the blade to scrape as it tries to make a small turn, and this could damage your mat and may diminish the life of the blade.
Knife blade
The ‘knife blade’ is suitable for the occasional projects.  It allows you to cut through thicker and more dense materials up to the depth of 2.4 mm. It is ideal for cuts of moderate detail no smaller than ¾ inch (1.9 cm), and widths of cuts no smaller than the diameter of a pencil. The reason for this is thin lines and pieces smaller than ¾ inch may separate or fall apart during one of the cut passes.
The ‘knife blade’ is designed to cut the following materials:
- Cricut chipboard
- Cricut basswood
- Balsa wood
- Craft foam
- Leather
- Mat board
The duration of the cut will vary, depending on the material, size and intricacy of the image(s) being cut, and materials need to be taped down onto a 12″ x 12″ (30.48 cm x 30.48 cm) or 12″ x 24″ (30.48 cm x 60.96 cm) ‘strong grip mat’ – this is purple in colour. Information about preparing the materials for ‘knife blade’ projects can be found on Cricut’s website here.
Cricut recommend that you use their products with the ‘knife blade’, as these have been tested and have pre-defined cut settings. Using non-Cricut materials with the ‘knife blade’ may void any remaining warranty on your Cricut MAKER machine, unless they have been validated by Cricut.
BEFORE YOU USE YOUR KNIFE BLADE
The ‘knife blade’ needs to be calibrated before you use it with your Cricut MAKER, and you need to ensure that the white star wheels on the roller bar are moved all the way to the right. This gives clearance and ensures you don’t end up with track marks on your finished cut. Full details about the ‘knife blade’ can be found on Cricut’s website here.
If you are new to Cricut, you should familiarise yourself with the size of Cricut’s materials, and actual cut sizes, as all products need to be taped down on all 4 sides.Â
Below are some examples:
Cricut ‘heavyweight chipboard’
These sheets are 11″ x 11″ (27.94 cm) and the maximum cut size is “10.5” x 10.5″ (26.67 cm)Â
Cricut ‘Basswood’ and alternative products
Cricut offers two sizes of basswood; 6″ x 12″ (15.24 cm x 30.48 cm) and 11″ x 11″ (27.94 cm) packs. Where their products are not available in all countries, Cricut has verified basswood with a thickness of 1/32″ and 1/16″ can be used with the knife blade. The maximum cut sizes on Cricut’s website are 10.5″ x 11.5″ (26.67 cm x 29.21 cm) and 10.5″ x 23.5″ (26.67 cm x 59.69 cm). Full details about cutting ‘basswood’ with the ‘knife blade’ can be found on Cricut’s website here.
‘Balsa wood’ as an alternative product to ‘basswood’
This is a similar product to ‘basswood’, and it is likely to be available through a local or online model shop.  It can be quite difficult to find, and you are likely to get other results such as basswood, plywood and chipboard when searching online, so make sure you check the information carefully before you buy.  Cricut have verified you can use 1/32″, 1/15″ and 3/32″ ‘balsa wood’ with the ‘knife blade’. The maximum cut sizes for ‘balsa wood’ are the same as ‘basswood’.  Full details about cutting ‘balsa wood’ with the ‘knife blade’ can be found on Cricut’s website here.
In addition, it is recommended that you carefully research the minimum cut sizes and cut times as a Cricut MAKER may not be suitable for your needs.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
The ‘knife blade’ is only compatible with the desktop app and the Cricut MAKER needs to be connected to a desktop machine via the USB cable (which came with the machine).
Thicker materials require multiple cut passes with gradually increasing pressures. This means cut times are significantly longer (which can take several hours) to cut one piece of material. Design Space will tell you approximately how long it will take to cut after the first cut pass has been completed. It calculates the expected cut time remaining. This is based on how long the first pass took and based on how many passes are pre-programmed for that material. As the machine cuts, it displays the percentage completed, the cut pass the machine is on, and how many total passes are expected.
Cricut advise that the machine should not be left unattended whilst using the ‘knife blade’, as small interior cuts and other debris pops off whilst cutting and this needs to be removed from the path of the blade. It is also recommended that you allow your machine to complete all of the passes.
Further information about the ‘knife blade’ and cut time expectations, can be found on Cricut’s website here.
If you run a business and plan to cut your own blanks,
a laser cutting machine will be more suited for your needs.
Quick swap housing
The ‘quick swap housing’ is designed to work with the ‘adaptive tool system’ in clamp holder B of the Cricut MAKER. You only need one ‘quick swap’ housing, and you can expand your collection of ‘quick swap tools’ when you are ready. Â
At the time of publishing this article there are/were 6 different quick swap tips.  As you can see there are endless possibilities with these tips, and who knows, Cricut may release more tools in the future. Â
To swap the tools over, you just press and hold the button at the top of the housing and it is released, and you can insert the new tip. Some of the tools come with a clear protective cover, which can be removed once the tip has been inserted into the housing. Also, if you want to organise your tools as you add to your collection, it’s worth knowing that Cricut sells an easy accessible tool organiser. This holds up to 10 Cricut housing and blades in the upper compartment and up to 9 quick swap tools at the bottom compartment.
Firstly, it’s worth mentioning that the Cricut MAKER recognises each ‘quick swap tool’ and it perform a check, to ensure you have inserted the correct tool before continuing to make your project. One tool some users confuse is the ‘rotary tool’ with the single ‘scoring wheel’, so this saves your project if you have complexed cuts along with scoring lines. You will see at a glance, each of the quick swap tools are numbered.
Full details about the adaptive housing and quick swap tools can be found here on Cricut’s website.
(01) Single and (02) double scoring wheel
Where the MAKER has the ability to apply up to 10X more pressure than the ‘scoring stylus’, these two tools create clear defined scoring lines which make folding easier, particularly on projects as small as 1 cm, so before you rush out and buy a ‘scoring stylus’ you might want to save up and just buy the ‘scoring wheel(s)’.
The ‘single scoring wheel’ is perfect for uncoated light materials including crepe paper, light cardstock and printable acetates.
The ‘double scoring wheel’ creates 2 deep score lines on coated or heavier materials such as craft acetates, heavyweight card for making boxes and poster board.
(11) Perforation blade
This cuts precise and evenly spaced ‘perforation’ cuts on a wide variety of projects such as:
- Advent calendars
- Adverts with a tear off slip with a telephone number
- Tear out booklet pages and journals
- Raffle tickets
- Candy/sweet holders
- Shaker cards with an accessible backing
(21) Debossing tip
The ‘debossing tip’ creates detailed depressions in a variety of materials to add dimension and flair to your projects without the need of an embossing folder and a separate embossing machine.
In addition to paper and card, some of the materials tested with the debossing tool are:
- Craft foam
- Faux leather and genuine leather
- Foil acetate
- Cricut heavy chipboard
- Transparency
- Vellum
A full list of compatible materials tested with the ‘debossing tip’ can be found on Cricut’s website here.
(31) Wavy blade
The ‘wavy blade’ adds a decorative edge to any design quickly and in half the time of scissors. The specially sculped stainless-steel blade is great when making original decals, envelopes, cards, gift tags, and many more items.
(41) Engraving tip
The ‘engraving tip’ allows to you personalise single line designs and text, create monograms, draw decorative flourishes and embellishments on a variety of materials, including:
- Soft metals, for example: dog tags, aluminium and copper bracelets and brass and aluminium plaques
- Acrylic and plastics
- Faux leather and real leather
- Acetate sheets
- Vinyl record
A full list of compatible materials tested with the ‘engraving tip’ can be found on Cricut’s website here.
Cricut blade and tools for the Cricut JOY
The document below can be printed, downloaded and can be shared. Don’t let the its size fool you, as it was the first of the Cricut machines made to cut smart materials (no need of a cutting mat).
This document can be used for a comparison against the Cricut EXPLORE and Cricut MAKER machines.
Firstly, if you’ve skipped through the previous sections, and are new to Cricut, the JOY uses a completely different housing than the Cricut EXPLORE and MAKER machines and this includes its own pens.
Cricut JOY blade
This blade and housing is white and silver and it can be used with all Cricut JOY materials, including:
- Smart materials without the need for a cutting mat (adhesive vinyl / iron-on / smart labels)
- Infusible ink transfer sheets
- Regular adhesive vinyl / Iron-on vinyl
- Card inserts
- Cardstock and poster board
A full list of the materials can be found here on Cricut’s website.
Cricut JOY foil transfer tool
The ‘foil transfer tool’ is used with the Cricut foil transfer sheets and is perfect for adding foil accents to invitations, gift tags, cards and more.  The foil transfer tool’ for the Cricut JOY comes with 1 tip.
At the time of publishing this article, the  ‘foil transfer tool’ is/was only compatible with the desktop app. However, this may change in the future as Cricut are continuingly improving the Cricut Design Space apps on iOS and Android. You can find more information about the ‘foil transfer tool’ on Cricut’s website here.
Where you can purchase housing, blades and tools
If you are a Cricut Access subscriber in a country where Cricut has an online store, you automatically get 10% off supplies or up to $50 USD off equipment using your login details. In addition, if you follow an influencer or are a member of a Cricut Facebook Group who are part of the Cricut Expert program, they will usually share a CRICUT GROUP DISCOUNT CODE which gives an additional 10% off (or $50 USD capped on equipment). Shipping can be costly, so it is recommended that you do shop around. Â
Aqua Design Studio is working towards an accreditation, and will post information/discount codes under affiliate links once approved by Cricut and/or other retailers.
DISCLAIMER:Â
All information has been collected from various web pages including Cricut’s website, and was correct at the time of publishing this article. Where possible, links of compatible materials tested by Cricut have been included. It is advised that you always follow Cricut’s guidelines for verified materials tested and use their pre-cut settings, as using incorrect materials or settings may invalidate any remaining warranty on your machine. You can read our full disclaimer at the bottom of the terms and conditions on our website here.
If you have found this article useful, please leave a comment below stating what you found most helpful. Your comment may help others who are new to Cricut and and are looking to purchase a machine for a specific use.
