How to Sharpen Your Paper Shredder Blades

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By Toby Lee Spiegel
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating: (10 Ratings)

Use a Paper Shredder - prevent Identity Theft

Most every household owns a portable electric paper shredder. Paper shredders are available in many styles and sizes, but over time the blades that cut paper get dull. Shredding paper and documents that contain personal and sensitive information that you no longer need or want increases your security and protects you from identity theft.

After shredding receipts, credit card statements, bank statements, and whatever else you've destroyed, your paper shredder blades become dull and will not work properly.

I've had the same paper shredder for over 5 years, and there isn't a day that goes by without me using it. This is what I have found works and makes your paper shredder work just like new again!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Portable electric paper shredder
Kitchen aluminum foil

Step 1

To sharpen the blades on your paper shredder, you'll need kitchen aluminum foil. Any brand will do. Tear off a portion of the aluminum foil and place near your paper shredder.
Step 2

Fold or cut with a scissors the aluminum foil to the size of an 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of paper.
Step 3

Plug your paper shredder into an electric outlet, and turn to the On position.
Step 4

Place the aluminum foil on the top of your shredder and feed it through the shredder blades just as you would a regular piece of paper.
Step 5

Repeat the process again with a new piece of aluminum foil.
Step 6

Your paper shredder should work like new when you use it to shred paper.

Tips & Warnings

I use aluminum foil, however some people have success feeding one sheet of fine sand paper through the shredder.

Comments

genehoffpauir said

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on 11/6/2009 I'm a professional knife and scissor sharpener, and I didn't know this tip! Thanks. 5*

argyle said

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on 1/1/2009 I just tried this with our shredder and it really works. Thanks for the great tip!

Kallicat said

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on 12/25/2008 I never thought about this before. I am going to try it with my shredder in the morning. After having the shredder for over 6 years, I am sure the blades are dull.