How Paper Shredders Work

Seems simple enough paper shredders shred paper, right? Somehow "Shred" is a catchall term used to describe the machining process to destroy confidential documents to ensure sensitive or private information not revealed to others. Even if all the paper shredders have the same goal, not all have reached their destination in the same way or with the same level of efficiency.

The two main types of shredders are strip cut shredder and cross cut shredder (confetti cut). Strip-cut models are also known as straight-cut or spaghetti-cut and cut the paper into long strips about ¼ to ½ inch wide along the length of the original document. The narrower the bandwidth, more secure shredding. This type of mill generates more waste and less secure because the pieces can be assembled, but require less maintenance and can handle large volumes of paper. Cross-cut/Confetti-cut shredders are also known as micro-cut or diamond. The horizontal and vertical cuts about 500 to 800 small geometric shapes such as diamonds, rectangles and parallelograms. Although these machines are more expensive and may require more maintenance, they provide a more secure shred and require fewer trips to the trash bin to dispose of shreds. The particles that the machine produces more security offered and the slowdown in the shredder is running.