Paper cutters are used in a surprising variety of businesses. From small copy shops to larger facilities where manufacturing or processing paper products is the name of the game, various sizes of industrial paper cutters are critical to rolling out in-house designs and products.

For paper cutter training, to make sure safety is a top priority, business decision-makers can find resources on the web for helping to get staff savvy about using an office paper cutter the right way. Readers looking for manual or electric paper cutter training can find:

1. Links to office paper cutter training programs and materials for safety in use.

2. Online tutorials, guides, and safety tips for using a custom paper cutter or paper cutter blades and other gear from various sites that promote good management of this kind of equipment.

3. Tips and info on paper cutter models from online forums where those involved in the industry post about their experiences.

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Find paper cutters training options

Use the sites of public agencies or other organizations to find training resources for staff on using paper cutters in the work place. Office safety programs like these include details on using manual or automatic paper cutter models and similar equipment in ways that protect the workers and the machinery alike for longevity and accident-free operations.

I recommend: Get office and classroom safety training including tips on paper cutters from pages like this one at Loss Control, on the website of the San Diego County Office of Education. Or select courses or materials for general office training to include specific training on paper cutters and equipment from schools around the country by browsing syllabus options such as this one from California State University.

Find more on paper cutters safety from online info pages

Other sites will include authored articles, guides, tips, or info sheets on how to best use and deal with electric or manual paper cutter models on site.

I recommend: Learn about paper cutter safety online from BluePage. Or get paper cutter safety articles like this one: "Paper Cutter Safety is No Accident" from AllBusiness.com.

Look for info from public web forums on paper cutters

Readers can also find more helpful paper cutter resources in the form of opinions or narratives from those who post on forums relevant to the industry. Let these 'street-level' bits of information be a guide to selecting training and education options for operating the kind of equipment a business has in house.

I recommend: Find posts on paper cutters for digital photography on Velocity Reviews. Find more at GetCrafty.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure any paper cutters education and training includes full attention to OSHA and other federal and local guidelines for worker safety under the law. This kind of training helps limit business liability in the case of an accident.

Scissors are great for cutting paper, as long as you’re only cutting a few sheets at a time. To cut a lot of paper or cardstock or to cut along a straight line, you need a paper cutter.

Paper cutters make short of work of paper cutting projects with precision and professionalism. Industrial paper cutters can cut three-inch thick paper stacks, while a manual paper trimmer may cut only a single sheet at a time. Both feature attachments to keep the paper in place as it’s being cut, so that you can get sharp 90-degree corners.

Paper cutting equipment comes in the following types:

1. A moderate-use manual paper cutter, with a lever, arm or guillotine; to cut through 10 to 50 sheets of paper at once.

2. A high-volume manual paper cutter, cutting from 200 to 800 sheets at once.

3. A rotary paper cutter, either manual or electric, with a circular blade for cropping photographs, artwork and blocks of text for professional graphic design.

4. A corner rounder, used for business cards, playing cards and other items.

5. A business card cutter or slitter, to cut a sheet of cardstock into business cards, badge cards, educational cards and labels.

6. A perforator or form cutter for making tear-away coupons, checks and brochures that require a detachable component.

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Slice into your work with the right paper cutter for your needs

If you don't have to cut paper very often, a lever-action manual paper cutter will probably meet your needs. If, however, you need to cut a lot of paper or have many other tasks to perform, an automatic paper cutter may suit you better.

I recommend: Whitaker Brothers offers both manual and electric paper cutters, including programmable models, while Advanced Document System & Supply offers lever and stack cutters, as well as automatic paper cutters.

Buzzsaw through your projects with a rotary paper cutter

A rotary paper cutter cuts through not only paper, but also plastic, poster board and matte board, making it ideal for commercial or personal art projects.

I recommend: Lamination Plus sells handheld and as free-standing rotary that can cut in either direction. Factory Express also offers rotary cutters from Dahle, Martin Yale, Carl, GBC and Rotatrim, many of which feature self-sharpening blades.

Cut the cards with a custom paper cutter

Not every paper-cutting task is suited to a standard manual or electric paper cutter. Some projects require special shapes or sizes not possible with a guillotine, rotary or stack cutter.

I recommend: Filmsource sells a manual card cutter that can cut over 60 cards in a minute’s time. Factory Express offers table-top and floor-model business card slitters that can cut up to 500 cards per minute, as well as perforators and corner rounders.

Replace those dull paper cutter blades

No matter the make or model, paper cutters are only as good as the blades in them, and those blades need to be replaced periodically.

I recommend: FactoryExpress cuts it with replacement paper cutter blades and other parts for many industry-standard paper cutters, while Advanced Document System & Supply also offers such accessories as knife guards, lubricants and jogger blocks and clamp pads to hold your paper in place without marking it.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Pick up paper cutters by their non-bladed edges and carry them with the blade locked down and away from you.
• •  Place the paper cutter where it won't get bumped or jostled, either while you're using it or between uses.
• •  Leave the blade safety guard in place when using the paper cutter and lock the blade in place with the blade latch when not using it or when cleaning up between uses.
• •  If your paper cutter uses a tension spring, make sure the spring is in good condition. If not, don't use the cutter until you replace it.
• •  Pay attention to the task when you're using a paper cutter, both to make sure you cut the paper the way you want and that you don't cut yourself in the process.

Whether you’re catering to home crafters using paper cutters for scrapbooking and card-making projects or businesses that need commercial trimmers to slice through documents or artwork, familiarizing yourself with the product’s terminology will help you order and suggest the right paper cutters. Although paper cutters essentially perform the same basic functions of cutting, scoring, perforating or adding a decorative edge, some customers may request features like a rotary blade and edge light, while others don’t have a need for them. Consider this overview of the basic terms to ensure your products entice your target market.

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Guillotine trimmer

If your elementary school had a paper cutter in the office, it was probably the traditional guillotine trimmer style. Adept at slicing through several layers of paper or other materials, the guillotine trimmer has a long, extremely sharp blade on a swing arm attached at the top of the trimmer. To cut, customers must position the paper under the blade and press down to slice.

I recommend: Blue Page covers paper cutter safety tips, particularly in reference to guillotine-style paper trimmers. The site also features articles on paper cutter materials, computer controls, terms and related resources.

Rotary blade

Instead of the guillotine blade on a swing arm, some paper trimmers have a rotary blade housed in a cartridge that the user slides up or down the guide arm to make a cut. Some paper trimmers include interchangeable rotary blades that have scoring, perforating or decorative edges to turn the trimmer into a multi-function tool.

I recommend: Paper Cutter Store provides descriptions of different types of paper cutters, including rotary trimmers. Information also covers the types of materials that work best with a rotary blade.

Cutting bar

Also called a guide bar or cutting arm, the cutting bar on manual paper trimmers typically holds the cutting blade in a track that lets it slide up and down to make the actual cut. Some trimmers have a stationary cutting bar, while others swing up on hinges to allow customers to easily position the paper.

I recommend: Scrapjazz discusses different types of cutting bars on a variety of paper trimmer models. The site also covers additional paper trimmer features in its selection guide and product reviews.

Clamp

Often aided by a long magnet along the cutting surface, a clamp on a paper trimmer holds the paper steady. The automatic clamp is handy when positioning paper, particularly when making precision cuts.

I recommend: Product and feature descriptions at Lamination Plus detail the benefits of an effective clamp when trimming paper.

Edge light

An edge light, also called an illuminated cutting line or optical cutting line, will show customers where the paper trimmer will make its cut. An add-on feature to deluxe paper trimmers, the light eliminates the need to make pencil marks to ensure the trimmer is cutting the paper or artwork in the right place.

I recommend: Genesis Trimmer discusses the benefits of an edge light, as well as ways to use and install it on this particular paper trimmer.