Help! Paper cutter cutting bottom sheets shorter than top of stack.
Printers,
I have an old Triumph 4810 that is completely manual. No digital gauges or adjustments. I’ve noticed that it is cutting my stack of paper at an angle, and the paper is getting shorter as the blade comes down. I typically cut 1 - 1.5 inch stacks of Lettra at a time. I’ve attached some pics hoping that this makes more sense. First pic shows the difference between top and bottom sheet. 2nd pic shows how my crop mark gradually disappears bc its cutting inside the boundary of the crop mark and the blade comes down.
This happens roughly 75% of the time so I’m assuming that there is a variable that happening that I’m unaware of. I am cutting cotton stock, and I’m aware that it is very soft. If it did move from blade pressure, I would assume that I would get crooked cuts, but thats not the case. I’m getting perfect straight cuts, it just the blade is coming down from an angle, giving me gradually shorter sheets.
Any one have this problem and advice on how to correct this?
Maybe an 1/8 of an inch shorter when cutting 1.5" tall stack of Lettra.
Sorry. Can't figure out how to rotate photo. The blue is the cutting stick and the paper is being clamped down. Notice the crop mark on left edge gradually disappear.
Probably a combination of dull knife and not enough clamping pressure. I have this problem if I try to cut too tall of a stack, particularly with 220 Lettra.
There may also be “gibs” that guide the blade which need periodic adjustment.
Related discussion: http://www.briarpress.org/23125
Lettra is hard stuff to cut.
Your blade is probably dull. You probably think it is OK. It needs to be extremely sharp.
With Lettra you need short stacks and very hard clamping pressure.
Sounds like a dull blade and not enough clamp pressure per Jonsel. I don’t know if Triumph cutters have jibs but that is also a possibility - but usually that adjustment doesn’t show up suddenly. Something that might help short term is to carefully wax the blade with Johnson’s paste wax this will reduce friction. Long term is to sharpen the blade, you should talk with your sharpening service about changing the angle of the grind for cutting soft stocks. If they are worth their salt they should know what I’m talking about.
The small hand cutters require some patience. This illustration may be useful.
cuttingPaper.png
It looks like a classic case of “draw” wherein the blade, if not very sharp, will pull each successive sheet out as it cuts, those sheets pull out the ones below, creating the eventual problem of a tapered cut. If you have not personally had the blade resharpened, then odds are it’s dull, not matter that it seems sharp (and is—be careful!).