Crosscut Paper Shredder

A crosscut paper shredder, which is also known as a confetti paper shredder, is one of the most common document destruction products sold on the market. Their affordability, and ease of use, make this shredder ideal for personal use in a home office or at work.

As with any paper shredder, a crosscut paper shredder will need to be properly maintained so that it will function for many years. First, it is important to read the owners manual. The manual will detail the proper usage and restrictions regarding the shredder. Most low priced crosscut paper shredders will be unable to shred many documents at one time and may not be strong enough to shred paper clips or other small fasteners which are commonly used when attaching documents.

Nearly all home office crosscut paper shredders will get clogged at one point. It is important to not exceed the manufacturers recommendations on the maximum number of documents to shred at one time. Shredding too many documents will cause the blades to jam. Some of the lower priced crosscut shredders do not have a reverse feed, and clearing jams may be difficult. If a jam does occur, one must follow the owners manual instructions. For safety reasons, it is advised that the power to the crosscut shredder be disconnected before attempting to clear any jam.

The blades on any paper shredder must be oiled on occasion so that they remain well lubricated. It's the blade motion which enables a crosscut paper shredder to shred documents, and it is therefore important to oil the blades as recommended by the owners manual. Generally speaking, the more a crosscut paper shredder is used the more frequently it will need to be oiled. The duty cycle, or amount of paper it shreds, is a key factor in determining how often maintenance is needed.