Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $579.00
Sale Price: $397.00
Today's Bonus: 31% Off
I know my paper cutters. I regularly used Premiers, X-actos, and even an old No. 4 I got at a yard sale. This is far and away the best of the lot, and it's not even a close race. The 1038 is simply in another class.
First, the guards. On the 1038 they're very easy to deal with. They don't slow you do and you would REALLY have to work to cut yourself. Many of the other models simply don't have guards or if they do it's the one wire to stop you from sliding your fingers under the blade. The 1038 has the stop fingers guard AND another guard that sheaths the blade when it's in its upright position. Smart.
Second, squareness. I've never adjusted the 1038, have moved it here and there and from place to place, and it's always dead on at 90 degrees. Very nice. The adjustable sliding arm also locks down at a dead on 90 degrees, which is nice. This allows for much faster work. The 1038 also has an outrigger arm that extends out to hold the cut-off part of the paper horizontal. I've never seen this on another paper cutter and it greatly helps you get the exact, 90 degree cut you want. The outrigger arm can be adjusted for any length of paper, and can be fully retracted for when you're trimming off very short pieces.
Third, performance. As noted, you get 90 degree cuts. The hold down really holds down the paper, so even when you're cutting many sheets you get no shifting. I have cut up to 30 sheets at a time, and I'm sure I could do more (I believe the machine is rated up to 40). You get nowhere near this amount on other machines. Go above 8 or 9 on a Premier and the paper will shift and you'll get a mess. The table is also very smooth and has a hard painted finish, which means if you spill some glue or Coke on it it can easily be scrubbed off. In a real working environment this is going to happen, and once you've tried working on a sticky paper cutter you'll know how important this is. Also, spare parts and service are readily available. Keep in mind that most paper cutters are designed to be thrown away when the blade gets dull. Not so this beast.
I suggest you watch the video on youtube. It gives you a good sense of what the machine can do and how it works. Overall, it's fantastic. It's German made and allows you to work very quickly and to get excellent results. Do I have any complaints? Not really. The arm does not automatically rise up after a cut the way it does on other cutters. This is a safety feature, I believe, but in some ways it's rendered moot by the blade sheath. Regardless it's not a pain to simply raise the arm back up yourself.
I love this machine. In my job I use it every day and will for years to come. It's quality and will last many a lifetime. With things like this, things you will use regularly, this machine is a strong argument for the old saying: buy the best and cry once about the high price, or buy the cheap one and cry every time you use it about the poor performance.
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