Paper jams are the most common frustration when it comes to shredding. When a jam occurs, it is usually due to overfeeding, mis-feeding or fast feeding paper into the shredder. By being aware of these common shredding mistakes, along with having a shredder with the right jam prevention technology, you can keep your shredding experience hassle-free.
Overfeeds
When too much paper is fed into a shredder at one time, this can cause a paper jam. Knowing the sheet capacity (or how many sheets your machine can handle) can help prevent jamming. Also, you can help eliminate overfeeds by having a shredder equipped with a jam prevention system that can electronically sense when too much paper has been inserted into the machine.
Mis-feeds
Inserting paper that is folded, creased or wrinkled can also cause a misfeed paper jam. A shredder with advanced jam prevention can power through mis-feeds or cleanly reverse out the paper so that it can be removed – both eliminating this cause of a paper jam.
Fast Feeds
Fast feeds are caused when a stack of paper is fed into the machine before the shredder has finished shredding the previous stack. Shredders equipped with an advanced jam prevention technology that can detect fast feeds will pause the shredder, allowing you to remove the excess paper before it turns into a paper jam.
How To Oil Your Paper Shredder For Consistent Performance
Like your car, your paper shredder needs to be oiled regularly to maintain optimal performance. To oil your shredder, simply hold down the reverse button. Squeeze oil across the entire paper entry while holding down the button. Hold down the reverse button for another 10 se
conds to ensure the lubrication has spread through the cutters. It only takes seconds to keep your shredder running well, as regular oiling prevents cutters from locking up over time.
What Oil Should You Use For Your Shredder?
Do not use aerosol oils to lubricate your shredder. Such lubricants are petroleum-based and can be a serious fire hazard. Use only vegetable-based oils like Fellowes Shredded Oil for all cross-cut paper shredders. Also use High Security Shredder Oil for large capacity paper shredders and Fellowes commercial shredders with the Auto-Oil feature.
How Often Should You Oil Your Shredder?
When you notice the shredder is experiencing difficulty shredding, or gets jammed easily, then it’s probably time to oil. If you use your shredder occasionally, then oiling your shredder may only be necessary every two months to maintain good performance. If you use your shredder a lot, however, then your best practices are to oil your cross cut shredder every time you empty the waste bin.
