Challenge Paper Cutter Question

Did you try a shorter stack than the one shown in the photo?

Hi Arie! Yes, I did. As with this stack, it creased the paper without cutting it. I talked to a rep at a company that services paper cutters (only modern ones of course) who recommended I try a big stack if the little one didn’t work.

Sarah,

You need to mount the cutter on a stand, to bring it up to working height. You will get better leverage when it is properly raised.

Also, post another picture showing the blade in the lowered position.

Michael

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Another trick is to wax the front side of the blade, which has to push the cut paper out of the way. Just rubbing it with a broken candle piece should help that, followed by buffing the wax with a cloth. But a table-top cutter like that requires a fair amount of “push” strength to cut very wide sheets. That is the advantage of putting the cutter up higher, such as on a table as suggested. Leaning over and putting your upper body weight on your straight arms, and sort-of lunging at the bar might gain you enough momentum to start the blade going but you’ll have to build up to it. If you begin with shorter stacks of paper and work up that will help, because the mechanical advantage of the bar linkage increases the lower you get with the bar.

Bob

Make sure it’s bolted down. I flipped one over back in the day because it wasn’t.

Well, I meant to take more photos today and forgot—picture soon!

It’s good to know that the lack of leverage on the ground can be a factor—it gives me hope that the thing isn’t just busted. I will renew my search for a table or work bench strong enough to support it. And good to know about waxing the blade, as well; a used candle will be easier to find than that table!

I have an old Morgans & Wilcox cutter I was using before I got this Challenge cutter, and it has a longer and more substantial lever—I never had a problem using it on the floor. However, it has no safety mechanism of any kind, and given I have students in my shop sometimes, I’m hoping to upgrade with the Challenge cutter, which has a pin you pull before the blade will lower.

Thanks very much for these suggestions!

And good to know on the bolting! I can barely move the thing so can’t imagine flipping it, but that’s why I need advice :).

If you want to use it on the floor and to stabilize it, a couple of 2x4s about a foot longer than the width of the cutter across the feet, front and back, lag-screwed to the cutter, should help. You could also extend the handle to increase leverage, with a piece of steel electrical conduit that fits over the handle and adds a foot or so to its length.

Bob

Thanks, Bob, that’s all good to know in case I can’t find the right table—at least in the short term. I know there are workbenches out there, somewhere.

Here are some pictures of the blade down, both with and without the stack of paper.

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One problem here is the handle has been stripped off the bar. It really needs a proper handle because pressing down on the thin edge of a flat bar will never give full leverage.
My Challenge 265 has a handle that’s basically a pipe. Here I’d suggest attaching a couple half-round pieces of wood, matched to the lever size, for a better grip.
Once you get to cutting, there’s the problem of cutting down to the bottom sheet. I can see from the shadow of the back-gauge fingers that the blade is not down on the cutting stick. Start with a fresh section of the cutting stick, cut paper strips the same width and length as its slot, and underlay the stick to level with the bed (by feel). Then loosen the blade bolts slightly and adjust the back screws until the blade will cut a few sheets all the way through.
Others may have a better method. Some just put chipboard under the stack, but that’ll dull the blade more quickly.
I’d add that the blade must be respected, very respected. A friend bought a similar 19” Challenge (US Navy surplus) and made the mistake of wiping the blade with a rag.
The edge of the blade. The cuts did heal.

One other thought about a table. Depending on where you are, many Goodwill and Salvation Army stores have used furniture for sale. If you check with them you might find a suitable low table, something the height of a coffee table or couch side table, that is solidly made, or a sturdy one that is taller on which you could cut the legs to a good workable height. You said earlier you are petite - best if you can find a stand or table that can be made about knee high on you, so that when you lean on the handle to make the cut your hands are about knee height or a bit higher, with arms extended straight. That way you can get the full benefit of your weight and torso muscles.

Also, measure the width (not thickness) of the handle part of the cutter where your hands go, and look for a piece of steel plumbing pipe about 12-15 inches long with an inside diameter the same as the handle outside height, and slide it onto the handle so it is snugly held in place. That will be more comfortable for your hands.

Bob

Also, check the adjustment of the blade- there are two adjusting bolts on top of the blade holder, and the four bolts that hold the blade in place look to be near the top of their slots’ range. Loosening them a little and turning the adjusters a bit while the handle is lowered all the way will enable you to bring the blade in even contact with the cutting stick all the way across - but do be sure the cutting stick surface is not deeply nicked when you do that adjustment. The cutting stick can be positioned in the slot 8 different ways, four sides in two directions because it is not centered under the blade cutting edge. The blade should just nick the stick slightly all the way across when the handle is down against its stop.

Bob

Put 10 sheets of paper in the cutter. Try cutting it. If the blade still just creases the paper then your blade is dull. If so, those “pros” took advantage of you. Cutter blades should be razor sharp. Take it to someone who specializes in sharpening paper cutter blades. Ask local printers where they get their paper cutter blades sharpened.

Also, the blade should only be sharpened on the outer face bevel, so that the cutting edge is exactly the same as the back side of the blade. This is not a steak knife, it is half a scissors. But be sure the blade is adjusted so that when the handle hits its stop it is at least touching the cutting stick all the way across.

Another thought that occurred to me is that if you are, as it appears in the photo, trying to cut a narrow strip behind the blade from the stack of paper in front of the blade, that is the reverse of the way you should do it - the smaller portion of the sheet being cut should be in front of the blade. The remainder stack will have less resistance to being shoved away by the blade bevel.

Bob

I’ve just remembered, that blades have to be ground to a particular angle to suit the material, Leather is so and so, plywood another and each is specific, metals are vastly different angles, I wonder if your blade angle is correct.
Sadly I cannot recall what the right angle for paper is its a long time ago. I wonder if your experts know about this

All good information! The folks who sharpened my blade specialize in industrial blades, including paper cutters, and were referred to me by a fellow printer, so I’m fairly confident in the sharpness of the blade—hence my confusion when it wasn’t cutting. I haven’t had a chance yet to work on the various leverage problems, but will report back as soon as I do. (My studio time is limited, alas, and this week was spent on printing. I’ve got a local commercial printer who will cut paper for me for $10, which got me up and running again. Next, a short strong table, a waxed blade, reversed paper in a shorter stack, and a lengthened lever.)

Try moving the stack to the right. As the blade cuts you can get blade pull which pushes the cutting energy to the left. Make sure you spin the clamp down tight then get it a hard pull. In the one picture your sheets futter as the blade hits, you should not see that happening. Over time blades get shorter as they are sharpened to the point they are to short to work. Find an original manual it should have a blade description with specs. If you blade is short you may be changing the leverage point of the handle. If you buy a new blade get the higher quality type as it will hold a sharper edge. I buy blades from L.A. grinding in California.
I buy paper from Astro paper in San Diego and have them cut the flat stock to press sheet sizes and then make the final job cuts. I have challenge 305 from the 1980 that works great once you learn it’s limitations. I have done all my companies cutting for 45 years. Cutting is a little harder than you might think