Guillotines & Trimmers

What is the Difference Between a Guillotine and a Paper Trimmer?

Guillotines and paper trimmers serve a very similar purpose, but have some key differences in how they function and achieve that purpose. You’ll find that, through their design, guillotines are best suited to high-volume cutting jobs while paper trimmers are better suited to lower-volume jobs.

Guillotines use a heavy-duty level blade (much like guillotines of old) that slices downward in a single motion. Thanks to the heavy-duty blade, guillotines can often cut through 20 to 50 (or even more) sheets in one pass. They’re the perfect solution when you need to do bulk cutting jobs and don’t need as much precision. This makes them a good fit for offices, print shops, and school printrooms.

Paper trimmers make use of a rotary blade that slides along a straight guide rail. Given that the blade is much smaller than a guillotine blade, paper trimmers are better suited to smaller batches of cutting. They’ll usually be able to cut somewhere between one to 20 sheets of paper in one pass. But thanks to the guide rail and more manageable blade size, paper trimmers are better suited for precision cutting and trimming, such as with trimming photos or art projects. They’re a good option for low-volume use in an office or in schools for crafting, classrooms, etc.

What Safety Mechanisms are Included in the Range of Paper Trimmers that Office Choice Stocks?

We’ve listed some of the common safety mechanisms that tend to feature in most paper trimmers, including those stocked here at Office Choice. However, we strongly advise you to read up on the safety features of the specific paper trimmer you’re interested in to ensure it includes those that are most important for workplace or school safety.

• Blade guards/blade covers: Most paper trimmers keep the blade covered with a devoted guard or cover that ensures users will not accidentally come into contact with the blade itself.

• Safety lock: Many paper trimmers will have a safety lock for the blade that keeps it secured in place when not in use.

• Finger guards: Along with a blade guard, paper trimmers tend to include finger guards that will keep fingers away from the cutting edge during active use.

• Enclosed rotary blade: Most paper trimmers use rotary blades, and these are often enclosed in a cartridge or casing so they can be moved and used for trimming safely.

• Non-slip base: Paper trimmers use rubber feet or grips that ensure the entire trimmer cannot move during operation, which prevents unexpected slips that could otherwise lead to injury.

How Can a Paper Trimmer Help Streamline Document Preparation?

There are many ways in which a paper trimmer can streamline document preparation. The key way it does this is through simplifying the process of trimming documents to their necessary dimensions with clean, straight cuts every single time. And when you can stack multiple pieces of a document and trim them in one go, it cuts down on preparation time by a notable degree.

They’re ideal for trimming edges, resizing pages, or cutting down multiple sheets at once. Many models also include measurement guides and grids for easy reference, allowing users to achieve accurate cuts without the need for rulers or extra tools.

What is the Maximum Paper Thickness Most Office Guillotines Can Cut?

Guillotines can cut through papers of varying thicknesses, but there is a general indication of what they can do in one pass. With the guillotines stocked at Office Choice, all of them note how many sheets of paper can be cut through relative to 80 gsm. 80 gsm is the measurement that’s most common with the standard paper used in most offices and home printers.

While gsm (grams per square metre) isn’t an exact indication of paper thickness, it is a good general guide. Typically, the higher a paper’s gsm, the heavier and thicker it will be.

Regardless, if the guillotine you’re considering cuts through (for example) 20 sheets of 80 gsm standard paper, then stack 20 sheets of general printing paper and measure the thickness that results in. This will be a helpful jumping off point to understanding the thickness you can cut through.

What Cutting Sizes are Supported by the Trimmers that Office Choice Stocks?

While the paper trimmers and precision paper cutters in stock at Office Choice may note a specific paper size they’re designed for (e.g. A3 or A4), you’ll actually find that most paper trimmers cover a range of sizes up to the maximum they’re designed for. 

So, with an A3 paper trimmer, it could also be used to trim and cut papers to sizes such as A4, A5, A6, A7, Letter, Legal, B5, B6, etc. The paper trimmers include the dimensions for each paper and document type size and you can adjust the guide rail and blade to get these precise trims.