Technical Difficulties

I just had to go buy a new rotary cutter. Want to know why? See that little piece of plastic between the two rotary cutters?

As I was slicing some fabric, that little piece came flying off the side of my rotary cutter. It actually flew across the room, and bounced off the wall! Anyway, that little piece is the button for retracting the blade. This tool is over ten years old (it predates the house I'm living in now), and I guess it just wore out from overuse.

I once dropped an open rotary cutter from table height, and had it slice through a leather sneaker leaving a small cut on my foot. I usually sew barefoot, so I got lucky that time! Not wanting to take any chances, I went right out and got a new rotary cutter. I see that the button for retracting the blade has been redesigned. I wonder if breaking off and flying across the room was a common occurrence? 

And I have to ask, don't you love the color of the new cutter? It makes me smile just to see it on this grey, cloudy, rainy, windy day (we are having a little Nor'easter here).