Don't Cut off Your Fingers

Guillotine paper cutters are very convenient and helpful, especially when you need to quickly cut several sheets of paper. However, these cutters can also be quite dangerous, especially if you don't use them as you should. Luckily, guillotine cutters are equipped with three different safety features so you'll be able to use your device without injuring yourself. Here are the features so you can familiarize yourself with them:

• The blade guard. This is definitely your cutter's most important safety feature. The blade guard will help prevent your hands from coming into contact with the blade. Even though it might seem tempting, don't remove this part from your cutter. This is true even if you find that the blade guard makes it a little bit harder to cut. It's there for a reason: the safety of you and others. So don't remove it. And if you're looking for a cutter, choose one with a plastic blade guard so you can stay safe.
• The blade latch. Your cutter should have a blade latch. It's a small thing near the front of the device that, when engaged, will lock the cutter's blade in the “down” position. Sometimes it's just a piece of wire or metal but it's an important feature. If you don't use the blade latch when you're done cutting, the blade could spring up, leaving its sharp edge exposed. Someone could touch the blade and become injured, so be sure to use the blade latch every time your use your cutter.
• The tension spring. Finally, we have the tension spring. This is a spring that's attached to the back of the blade. Its main purpose is to prevent the blade from falling down like a guillotine. If that happened and your hands were in the way, you can imagine the results. As with the blade latch, make sure you never remove the tension spring from your cutter. And if the spring becomes damaged, it's time to think about repairing it or getting a new cutter.

These safety features will help you cut your paper safely, but please remember to use common sense when using your guillotine cutter and don't take any risks. Also, if you're in the market for a new cutter, make sure it has a blade guard and latch, as well as a tension spring. Good luck with your cutting and be careful!

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Written by Jeff McRitchie
©2011 www.MyBinding.com