How to Sharpen Paper Cutter Blade
Many businesses depend on paper cutter blades to quickly and efficiently cut different types of paper. Unfortunately, the blade can become dull over time, which will make it difficult for the blade to cut through the paper. Dull blades also increase the risk of injury as they may cause cuts or tears in the paper. Fortunately, there are some ways you can sharpen a dull blade without having to purchase an entirely new one!
Sharpening a paper cutter blade is not an easy task and can be time-consuming. It can also be dangerous, so it is important to take the necessary precautions to complete the process safely. This blog post will walk you through how to sharpen paper cutter blades using common household tools.
5 Reasons Why Need To Sharpen Paper Cutter Blade:
There are many reasons why you need to sharpen your paper cutter blades. A sharp blade will provide better cuts. An increased number of cuts before the blade requires replacement and longer blade life due to decreased wear. Here we have given some reasons why it’s important to sharpen paper cutter blades. As we know that paper cutter blades are made of a tough metal but over time the blades will become dull and they will require sharpening. A paper cutter with a dull blade can cause many problems like tearing the paper, making jagged cuts, and not cutting through the paper cleanly.
1. Improved Cutting Performance:
Paper cutters with sharp blades are better because they cut more cleanly and safely. This is because the blade kerf (the width of material removed by a cutting action) is narrower. This means that less force is required to use the paper cutter, and the blade will not tear or pull the paper as it makes its cut. As a result, the paper cutter will last longer and cut more efficiently.
2. Increase in Cuts Before Replacement:
Sharp blades make better cuts than dull blades, and they last longer due to a reduction in wear. This allows you to get more uses from your blade before having to replace it. Sharp blades are safer to use than dull blades. This is because the increased friction of a dull blade can cause it to slip and cut you. Sharp blades have less friction, so they are less likely to slip.
3. Longer Life of Blade:
Dull blades cause an increase in friction between the paper and the blade, which will cause abrasion and a thin layer of paper dust on the cutter surface due to the loss of material from the blade surface. These conditions lead to shorter blade life due to faster wear. Note: Over time, paper fiber will build up on the cutter surface and under the blade. This is normal. Use a soft cloth to wipe off the blade edge after cutting and clean the underside of the blade when changing blades or before storing the cutter.
4. Improved Productivity:
Sharp blades ensure better cuts and reduced downtime between the time it takes to replace a dull blade because of the increased number of cuts the sharpened blade can be expected to provide before needing replacement. In short, productivity is improved with reduced downtime for blade replacement. Increased productivity is one benefit. The other is safety. With increased performance comes increased safety because workers will find themselves operating tools that can do the job faster and more efficiently, which means less time spent on the job site.
5. Improved Cost of Ownership:
Fewer replacements mean lower costs associated with replacement parts and maintenance, which can lead to a decrease in your total cost of ownership. In addition, you will not need to replace blades as frequently, saving you money over the long term.
You Can Check It Out to Sharpen Plastic
10 Household Items You Can Use to Sharpen Paper Cutter Blade:
1. Metal File:
A metal file is a coarse tool used to quickly remove large amounts of material and make rough surfaces smooth. As it is made from metal, the paper will leave brief but deep grooves in the side of the blade, which are generally not visible until after several cuts. If you only need to sharpen your blade a few times a year, it might be worth the extra time and effort to use a metal file to sharpen your blade.
2. Sandpaper:
Sandpaper is used to remove small amounts of material such as paint or wood in preparation for finish work or making an object smooth. However, sanding paper will not remove any significant amount of material from the blade and will only be useful for making your blade sharp if it has become blunt due to frequent use.
3. Emery Cloth:
Like sandpaper, emery cloth is used in preparation for finish work or to make an object smooth. However, emery cloth will not remove a significant amount of material from the blade and will only be useful for making your blade sharp if it has become blunt due to frequent use.
4. Ceramic Coffee Mug:
Ceramic is known to be a tough material, and by placing the blade in the ceramic mug will cut down on some of the metal is removed. This might be effective if you only need to sharpen your blade once or twice a year.
5. Steel Ruler:
The sharp side is great for making rapid short strokes against the edge of your blade and can be an effective way to clean up any nicks in a paper cutter blade if you only need to do so a few times per year.
6. Glass:
The edge of a piece of glass can be used to remove small amounts of material from your paper cutter blade, but the results will not last nearly as long as when you use a metal file or emery cloth.
7. Diamond Sharpener/Strop:
The sharp side of a diamond sharpener or strop can be used to remove small amounts of material from your blade, but the results will not last nearly as long as when you use a metal file or emery cloth.
8. Metal Polish Paste:
Metal polish paste is similar to metal polish in that it will remove small amounts of material from your blade. However, the results will not last nearly as long as when using a metal file or emery cloth.
9. Sanding Sponge:
These sponges are used to remove small amounts of material from the surface you are sanding and can be used similarly when trying to sharpen your paper cutter blade. However, it will not last nearly as long as using a metal file or emery cloth.
10. Diamond Whetstone:
A diamond whetstone is a coarse tool used to quickly remove large amounts of material, like a metal file. However, the results will not last nearly as long as when you use a metal file or emery cloth, and due to the hardness of diamond, it can often damage your blade if it has nicks in it.
Steps To Follow: How to Sharpen Paper Cutter Blade
Using a paper cutter is not as fun as some other types of office equipment, but it’s still necessary. Sooner or later (sooner, in most cases), you will need to replace the blade. When this happens, you’ll want to know how to sharpen a paper cutter blade.
Step 1: Find Out the Type of Blade
The first thing you have to do when you need to know how to sharpen a paper cutter blade is to find out the type of blade that your particular paper cutter uses. Different blades will call for different types of sharpening methods. For example, you’ll need to use a slightly different method if your paper cutter has an oiled type blade instead of a dry one. If you can’t tell the difference, don’t worry. There are only two kinds of paper cutter blades out there.
Step 2: Take the Blade Out
Next, if you have an oiled blade on your paper cutter, you will need to make sure that you sharpen it while it’s still in the machine. You may want to take the blade out and sharpen it by hand, just because it’s a little difficult to sharpen an oiled blade while it’s still in the machine. Either way you choose is fine, though.
Step 3: Cut Several Strips of Sandpaper
Take your paper cutter blade out of the machine and then cut several strips of sandpaper so that you can fit them into the sharpening slots. Next, take your sandpaper and place it in the sharpening slots. Ensure that you have enough on there so that the blade doesn’t move around while you’re trying to sharpen it.
Step 4: Rub Pencil Eraser Across Your Paper
Now, take a pencil eraser and rub it across your paper cutter blade several times. How many times is up to you, of course, but this is the method that most people use to sharpen their blades. It takes about ten minutes or so to do a decent job of sharpening your blade using this method.
Step 5: Wipe Off All of the Residues
You’ll then want to wipe off all of the pencil eraser residues from your paper cutter blade with a cloth, and you should be done. Now you can reinsert the blade and get back to work cutting your paper. Hopefully, there will be more cuts in your future, and you’ll not need to sharpen this paper cutter blade again for quite a while.
Step 6: Remove All of the Internal Components
If you happen to have one of those dry blades instead of an oiled one, you will need to take apart the paper cutter. First, you’ll have to remove all of the internal components, including the blade, and then you can sharpen it by hand with a file.
Step 7: Put Everything Back Together
Once you’ve filed your paper cutter blade down so that it’s nice and sharp, then all that is left to do is put everything back together, and you’re done.
Safety Measures and Precautions:
1. Do not remove the blade from the cutter as injury may occur
2. Turn off the power before using a sharpening stone or sandpaper on it
3. Do not touch the blade with your bare hands, as this will cause injury
4. Before touching one of these, use a soft cloth to gently wipe clean any leftover debris and oil on a blade.
5. When sharpening, use heavy grit sandpaper (180+) and ensure that it has no jagged edges before using it on the cutter blade
6. Start sharpening at an arced angle of 5-8 degrees on the blade rather than a flat angle
7. Stop sharpening as soon as the motion of the sandpaper creates a polished surface, and you see a reflection on it.
Can You Sharpen Paper Cutter Blade With Aluminum Foil?
If your paper cutter blade has become dull, you might be tempted to sharpen it by running a sheet of aluminum foil along the edge. But can you take metal off of other pieces of metal without ruining the blade?
Fortunately, the answer is yes! If your paper cutter is made from steel but not high-carbon steel, you can use aluminum foil to sharpen the blade without any risk of ruining it. Aluminum foil is just hard enough to take off a little bit of metal without damaging the blade, in much the same way that an eraser is sometimes used to remove pencil marks.
How to Lubricate a Paper Cutter Blade?
It is always better to keep the paper cutter blade sharp, but if you need to lubricate your paper cutter blades, it is really simple. First, you need to pour some engine oil into a container and dip the edge of your paper trimmer in it for around 15 minutes.
After that, take it out and wipe off the excess oil using a paper towel. Then you can place your blade back into its slot after verifying that there are no additional loose components attached to the blade.
When Can You Use Aluminum Foil To Sharpen A Paper Cutter Blade?
Aluminum has a very soft surface. So, if your paper cutter blade is made from low-carbon steel (which most blades are), running an aluminum sheet over the blade about 50 times will make it sharp enough to cut paper again.
If this doesn’t do the trick, you can try cutting through some aluminum foil, which should sharpen the blade up more. This works because aluminum is softer than steel. If that still doesn’t work, it’s time for a new blade!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you sharpen a paper guillotine blade?
Yes, you can sharpen a paper guillotine blade. However, it is important to be very careful when doing so as even the slightest mistake could result in serious injury.
Why is my rotary cutter skipping?
There are a few things that can cause your rotary cutter to skip. The most common reason is that the blade is not sharp enough. You can fix this by using a sharper blade or by taking the blade to a professional sharpener.
Another common problem is that the motor is not running smoothly. This can be fixed by cleaning the motor and adjusting the belt tension.
If the problem persists, it may be necessary to replace the motor.
Final Thoughts:
Now that you know how to sharpen paper cutter blades, there is no reason to ever worry about dull blades again. You can now swap out your paper cutter’s old blade for one of the new ones in no time flat, which will be much better for your papers and your binder clips and paper fasteners.
Remember that there may be slight variations in the sharpening process depending on what kind of blades you have. Have any suggestions or comments about this article? Please leave them in the comment section below. Also, if you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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