Guillotine Blade Sharpening

Our professional guillotine blade sharpening service is suitable for all types of paper guillotine blades and trimmer blade sets up to 1,000mm in length.

Every blade is cleaned, straightened, precision ground and hand-honed before being packed into a secure wooden transport crate for return shipping. Each blade is individually checked for flatness and straightness to ensure it performs as expected when fitted back into your guillotine.

Each sharpen removes approximately 0.5mm from the blade edge, provided there are no chips or damage. Blades with deeper chips or damage require additional grinding and incur an additional charge of £10.00 + VAT. Please let us know about any damage when placing your order so we can assess your blade before sharpening.

Your blade must be returned in a secure wooden transport crate. If you don’t already have one, we can supply one for £25.00 + VAT, including delivery. Blades are normally sharpened and returned within 5-7 working days. If you require a faster turnaround, please contact us before placing your order.

Keeping your guillotine blade sharp saves both time and money. A dull blade can require up to four times more cutting force than a properly sharpened blade, increasing energy consumption and placing unnecessary strain on your guillotine. It can also leave rough, burred edges on the paper, causing problems with paper separation on folders, creasers and other finishing equipment. Regular sharpening helps maintain clean cuts, reduce waste and extend the working life of your blade.

When Should You Sharpen Your Guillotine Blade?

Knowing when to sharpen your guillotine blade helps maintain consistent cutting quality and reduce unnecessary wear on your guillotine. While the operator is responsible for recognising when a blade change is needed, the following guidelines provide a useful benchmark:

• Standard Steel Blade – approximately 2,000 cuts
• High Speed Steel Blade – approximately 4,000 cuts
• TCT / Tungsten Carbide Blade – approximately 12,000 cuts

If your guillotine does not have a cut counter, look out for these common signs that your blade needs sharpening:

• Diminished cut quality and appearance of the media surface on the cut face
• Changes in sound as the knife cuts through the media pile
• The paper pile pulling or moving during the cut
• Scalloping or inconsistent cuts through the stack
• Visible chips or damage on the blade, often identified by marks on the cut edge

Any of these signs indicate that your blade is becoming dull and should be sharpened. Regular professional sharpening helps extend blade life, maintain consistent cutting quality and reduce long-term operating costs.