New OLFA cutter!

I've been watching for this since it was first advertised over a year ago, and finally it showed up!

Not at a quilt shop, but at the Big Box store...and 40% off! So it cost $17.99.
I was so excited to show it to you, I took some fuzzy pictures...please accept my apologies!

OLFA Quick-Change Rotary Cutter

A new cutter is a great thing...fresh blade, especially!.... but what does this baby really do?
I did not understand about the left hand/ right hand deal until I actually used it.
It has a split guard, so only half of it opens to expose the blade.
Here you see it opened for right handers:

And here it is opened for left handers:

Each of the guards is controlled by one of the black parts on the side of the handle. That may take a bit of getting used to! But it also means anybody can use the same cutter without fuss.
If you are left-handed, or share your cutter in a group, this is great!
Each person will just open the side of the blade they need to use, because I know all of you remember to "Cut & Click" ..... meaning you always close the blade when you have completed a cut, and your arm is extended out away from yourself.

The handle is very comfortable. If I change my mind after cutting an entire quilt, I will let you know! But I did compare it to the curved handle OLFA, which I like very much, and it's about the same thickness.

What about the "quick change" blade?
FANTASTIC!
Here is the back of the cutter. The black part on the handle is like a switch that you slide down.

Here it is in the open position:

It makes a very satisfying click sound and a metallic "cling"...because the blade falls right out onto the table! No screw, no pesky little curved washer thingie that is always so darn confusing!

This is what you've got: the piece that holds the blade on has a axle that goes through the hole in the blade and then the handle. You click the switch back up and it holds the axle in place!
The guards stay on the handle, so you don't have to get lots of pieces stacked back into place.

I know you are wanting to find out the real question: Will I be able to use my wavy blade on this new cutter?
Yes, you can!
I had to remove one from another cutter, so I could try this out. It sure did have a lot of irritating pieces to get apart and then juggle back together.

So even though OLFA has not paid me to say this...but I wouldn't turn down a box of blades or another cutter if they wanted to send them to me!....this new cutter is great.

There is a lot of good info on the OLFA site. They have the blade changing demos under "customer service", which is not where I would have thought to put them! But I found them anyway.

As usual, I want to be cutting out a new quilt with my new toy....
instead, it's back to the machine quilting marathon!