Paper Cutters & Trimmers

Paper Cutters and Trimmers

Hobbyists and enthusiasts use paper cutters for preparing crafts. Professionals use these items for slicing stacks of sheets and cutting special shapes. Whether you are working in an office, in a classroom, or in an industrial environment, a paper cutter can be a useful device for making repetitive cuts.

Here are a few choices to consider depending on the cutting job that you need to have done.

• Guillotine cutters: Guillotine cutters are devices that are designed for cutting small stacks with a blade mounted on a lever arm.
• Rotary trimmers: Rotary trimmers make use of a round blade.
• Stack cutters: Stack cutters are designed to saw through large stacks of sheets.
• Form cutters: Form cutters slice defined shapes, windows, and perforations.
• Corner trimmers: Corner cutters use blades to slice and remove corners.

Many cutters are powered manually. Others are powered by an electric motor. Hydraulic power is sometimes used to drive the blade in industrial models designed for cutting through large stacks. Some electric and hydraulic cutters are operated by logic circuits that permit automation.

Consider the types of cuts you want to make. Will you make mainly straight cuts, or do you require perforations, special shapes, and windows? Will you cut only a few sheets per day, or do you need to shear thousands? Also, think about the accuracy required. Do you need high precision cuts for stationery and crafts, or do you only require the ability to easily slice sheets in half? A very heavy cutter is not as portable as a lightweight one. Do you need to transport your cutter from place to place?

Some cutters are suitable for uses other than cutting paper. Specialty rotary cutters are used for cutting photographs. Some heavy-duty cutters can slice through thin sheet metal. Others are suitable for cardboard or materials like plastic sheeting. Be aware that cutting tough materials can increase wear and tear on the cutter, especially on the blade.

Trimmers and cutters complete the same tasks. While no hard and fast rule exists, some refer informally to devices designed to drive a blade through small stacks of sheets as trimmers and refer to devices that can shear large stacks as cutters.