Why You Should & How to Oil Your Shredder
With very few exceptions and unless indicated, paper shredders need shredder oil to continue to function properly. It is very common for paper dust and other residue to build up inside of the cutting assembly. After time, this residue can become packed together like cement or cause sheets to stick to the cutters. Oil serves to soften this packed dust and counteract sticky residue build-up, which allows the proper movement of the cutting head and the paper through the cutter head. The proper movement of this head will push the dust and paper out of the paper shredder. The finer the cut the paper shredder makes, the more oil it will need. Small particle cut shredders and high security specification machines require frequent oiling. Paper shredders, as with all electromechanical equipment, will not operate efficiently unless they are properly maintained. Periodic oiling is necessary to allow the shredder to operate at maximum efficiency. Frequency of oiling will vary greatly with the volume of use and the shred size. A shredder with a 5.8mm shred width used only 1 to 2 hours per week will only require a fortnightly oiling. A crosscut shredder, however, should be oiled every 1/2 hour of shredding time. The procedure for oiling a shredding machine is very simple and can be carried out by any operator. The oil is either packaged in a squeeze bottle or in pre-impregnated sheets. Always switch the machine off at the mains point before applying liquid oil. Oil from a squeeze bottle can be applied directly onto the cutting head in a fine stream. This is done through the paper entry throat. Take 1-2 seconds to oil from one side of the opening to the other. Run the machine in reverse for about 10-15 seconds to allow the oil to transfer to all parts of the cutting head. The final step is to shred a few sheets of paper to remove any excess oil. Alternatively, impregnated shredder oil sheets can be shredded like an ordinary sheet of paper to apply the oil. Some shredders come equipped with an oil reservoir and apply the oil to the cutters automatically as it is needed. This reservoir should be topped up from a squeeze bottle as and when necessary or indicated. Shredder oil is the only lubricant which should be used on your shredder. Shredder oil is of special formulation which leaves no residue on the cutters. Other oils will attract paper dust and in turn clog the cutting head.
Our full range of shredder oil products can be seen here.
The video below shows how to oil HSM shredders, but the process is the same for all makes, so this can be used as a useful guide.