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Cut settings finder

Choose your machine family and the material on the mat. The finder gives the blade, the mat grip and where to start, then you confirm it with a small test cut.

Short answer

Use the fine point blade for vinyl, iron-on, paper and cardstock, the deep point blade for thicker items, the Knife Blade (Cricut Maker only) for chipboard, balsa and leather, and the rotary blade for unbacked fabric. Start with the maker's preset, run a small test cut and change one setting at a time.

Find your settings

1. Machine
2. Material

Cricut Explore Adhesive vinyl

Blade
Fine point blade
Mat
StandardGrip (green)
Preset
Choose this material in Design Space and keep its preset.
Pressure or depth
Default
  • Cut a small test shape first and change one setting at a time.

Blade, mat and pressure

Three choices decide a cut. The blade sets how thick a material can be, the mat grip holds it still without tearing it on the way off, and the pressure or depth sets how far the tip goes in. Change one at a time, or you will not know which change fixed the cut.

Side view of fine point, deep point, Knife Blade and rotary blade housings with the materials each one cutsFine point45 degree tipvinyl, iron-onpaper, cardstockDeep point60 degree tipmagnet, foamthick cardstockKnife BladeMaker onlybalsa, chipboardleather, to 2.4 mmRotary bladeMaker onlyunbacked fabricfelt
The four Cricut blades. The deep point blade has a steeper 60 degree tip than the 45 degree fine point. The Knife Blade and rotary blade need a Cricut Maker.

Which mat grip

Light blue LightGrip, green StandardGrip, purple StrongGrip and pink FabricGrip mats with example materialsLightGripCopy paperThin cardstockVellumStandardGripVinylIron-onCardstockStrongGripChipboardBasswoodMagnet sheetFabricGripCotton fabricFeltBonded fabric
Cricut mats by grip. Match the grip to the material so it holds still during the cut and peels off without curling.

Kiss cut or through cut

Vinyl and iron-on want a kiss cut: through the film and only scoring the liner, so the design stays on its backing while you weed. Paper, cardstock, felt and wood want a through cut. If a vinyl cut goes through the liner, lower the pressure; if it will not weed, raise it a step.

Kiss cut goes through the vinyl film and only scores the liner; a through cut goes through both layersKiss cutfor vinyl and iron-onThrough cutfor paper, card, felt, woodVinyl film on adhesive, over the linerBlade tip stops just inside the liner.Blade tip goes through every layer.On vinyl this cuts the liner and lets pieces fall out.Layers not to scale. The red line marks where the blade tip ends.
A kiss cut leaves the design on its liner for weeding. A through cut separates the piece completely.
Test cut resultWhat to change
Vinyl will not weed, edges still joinedRaise pressure one step, or check the blade for a dull or dirty tip
Liner cut through or mat scoredLower pressure one step
Paper tears or dragsCheck the blade, then lower pressure; try a lighter grip mat
Material shifts during the cutClean or replace the mat, and smooth the material down
Thick material only partly cutUse the stronger blade the finder suggests, or add a pass
Fixes for a test cut. Make one change, cut another small shape, then compare.

More detail is in cut settings and materials and troubleshooting.