Document shredders FAQs

What types of cuts are there in document shredders?


DAHLE document shredders come in three different cut types: strip cut, cross or particle cut, and micro cut. Cut types describe the kind of particles that are created when shredding a sheet of paper. Strip cut means the sheet is sliced into...

What is Particle cut?


Particle cut (also known as cross cut) means a sheet of paper is shredded into small particles. The sheet is sliced both vertically and horizontally, so small particles are all that remain after shredding. The size of these particles depends on...

What is crosscut?


Cross cut (also known as particle cut) means a sheet of paper is chopped into small particles. The sheet is cut both vertically and horizontally, so that only small particles are left over. The size of these particles depends on the security...

What is strip cut?


Document shredders with strip cut shred a sheet of paper into multiple strips. The width of these strips depends on the security level. Strip cut does not always reliably prevent reproduction of the destroyed data, so this type of document...

Do document shredders need to be serviced?


Ensuring that your document shredder has a long, trouble-free service life requires occasional maintenance. In addition to emptying the waste container, for some devices this includes oiling the cutting rollers. Oiling maintains your shredder’s...

What is the operating time of my shredder?


Every document shredder has an individual run time. Depending on the device’s cutting capacity, a document shredder can operate for a certain amount of time before it needs to be paused for a while. So run time refers to the amount of time for...

How large should the shredder be (collection volume)?


The right waste collection volume for your document shredder depends on two factors. First, establish how many people will be using the document shredder. The more people use the device, the bigger the waste collection volume should be. As a rule...

Which document shredder suits me?


Do you have piles of old documents, but you just can't find the right document shredder? Do you not know what to look for with all the technical details? With our interactive document shredders advisor you can find the right product in just a few...

What may be shredded?


Any DAHLE document shredder can easily destroy data in paper form, but some devices will also shred CDs, DVDs and cards. Many DAHLE document shredders have separate collection bins for paper, CDs, DVDs and cards, allowing you to separate and...

What are the security levels?


ISO/IEC 66399 (DIN 21964) defines seven security levels for destroying data using document shredders. The security levels are named by abbreviating the respective type of data carrier and adding ascending numbers from 1 to 7, for example P-4. The...

Can I use any oil for my document shredder?


Our document shredder oils are specially designed for regularly shredder oiling making them perfect for maintenance of your device. Our document shredder oils are biodegradable meaning any leftovers from the oiling process can be easily disposed...

What document shredder oil should I use – oil paper or bottled oil?


Both are suitable for maintenance of your document shredder. The only difference lies in the handling: oil paper is pre-prepared and ready to use. All you have to do is unpack it and feed it directly into the document shredder. For document...

How do I oil my document shredder correctly?


Some of our Dahle Cross Cut document shredders need to be regularly oiled to ensure their smooth function. Bottled Dahle document shredder oil or oil paper is perfect for this. Simply use bottled oil between two sheets of paper to ensure nothing...