Today there are literally dozens of different brands of paper shredders and hundreds of different models. While there are a lot of factors to consider when purchasing a paper shredder, one option I recommend paying special attention to is the security level. The paper shredder’s security level will ultimately determine how safe and secure your shredded documents are.

Shredder security levels are based on a scale ranging from 1 to 6. This scale, excluding Level 6, is determined by DIN 32757. This is the European standard used for paper shredder security.  Security Level 6 requirements, established by the United States NSA, came out after DIN 32757 was created. Each of these security levels serve a purpose.

Security levels start off with 1, being the least secure, and end with 6, being the most secure. I will explain the pros and cons to each of these security Levels.

Paper Shredder Security Levels

Security Level 1 - This level is the least secure and is rarely used for shredding sensitive information. It is typically used purely for shredding non-sensitive records or for creating padding or packaging material. This security level can be both strip cut or cross cut. These are the specific dimensions of DIN Security Level 1:

• Strip Cut: 10.5-11.8mm
• Cross Cut: 10.5mm x 40-80mm Cross Cut

Security Level 2 - This is the most common security level you will find in a strip cut paper shredder. This includes 1/8″ and ¼” strip cut shredders. It also includes some cross cut shredders that have larger cross cut particles. This can be used to shred a variety of material, and is hard to re-assemble, but is probably not enough security for most businesses. These are the dimensions of DIN Security Level 2:

• Strip Cut: 3.9-5.8mm
• Cross Cut: 7.5mm x 40-80mm

Security Level 3 – This security level is the most common used today by cross cut paper shredders in business. It is HIPAA and FACTA compliant and is good enough to shred client records, patient information, invoices, bills and other material. Material cut at a Level 3 is difficult to reassemble. This is the security level I recommend for most people. These are the dimensions of DIN Security Level 3:

• Strip Cut: 1.9mm
• Cross Cut: 3.9mm x 30-50mm

Security Level 4 – This is probably one of the least common security levels. It is more secure than Level 3, but not yet high enough to be considered high security. This is used by businesses and offices that want a little more security than the typical cross cut shredder, while still having a higher shred capacity than a high security shredder. These are the specifications of the DIN Security Level 4:

• Cross Cut: 1.9mm x 15mm

Security Level 5 – Up until a few years ago this was the highest security level available and was used to shred all top-secret documents. While the Level 5 is still used to shred highly sensitive material, most government and military entities now use a Security Level 6. This security level is still commonly found and is still widely used. Particles cut at this level are near impossible to re-assemble. These are the dimensions of DIN Security Level 5:

• Cross Cut: 0.78mm x 11mm

Security Level 6 – This is the highest security level available for a shredder. Paper cut by a Security Level 6 shredder almost looks like dust. A single sheet of letter-size paper is typically cut into 15,000+ particles. This security level is very popular for use with government and military. It is used by the U.S. Department of Defense, the NSA and many more agencies. These are the dimensions of the Security Level 6:

• Cross Cut: 1mm x 4-5mm

Which Is Best?

The level you use will depend entirely upon what you are shredding. I can safely tell you that the Security Level 3 is considered by many experts to be the most well-rounded level for most individuals and businesses. A Security Level 3 has a good sheet capacity, can still cut paper into tiny particles and are affordable.

You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions about paper shredders.

Counterfeit bill detection is a necessary evil in a world where high-tech printers and ever-smarter criminals are producing counterfeit bills that can fool most people. Counterfeit money detectors, and many bill counters, help quickly catch counterfeit bills before it becomes a serious problem. I personally recommend any business that deals with tangible cash on a regular basis to use a counterfeit detector. One popular method for catching counterfeit bills is MG (magnetic) detection.

Legitimate US currency implements magnetic ink in strategic locations to help thwart counterfeiters. Many modern counterfeit money detectors, and most bill counters with counterfeit detection, will check for magnetic ink.

Most manual counterfeit money detectors require that you slide a bill over a magnetic sensor. If the bill is legitimate, it will usually audibly and visually indicate that it is real. The process takes just seconds and is faster than manual UV detection or counterfeit ink pen detection.

Most modern bill counters, equipped with counterfeit money detection, will scan for UV (ultraviolet) and MG (magnetic) properties. These bill counters count bills at a speed of hundreds of bills per minute. As the bills are run through the machine, sensors scan the bill for magnetic properties. This is probably the fastest way to check a bill for counterfeit properties.

Is magnetic ink scanning 100% foolproof? While nothing is 100%, magnetic detection is very reliable. Bill bleaching, which can be a problem for some counterfeit detection methods, will typically ruin the magnetic ink properties, rendering the bill useless to counterfeiters.

Considering the reasonable cost of counterfeit bill detectors, with some MG scanners costing less than $30, I recommend investing in a solid machine. The savings in catching a counterfeit bill alone will make up for the cost of the machine.

Our ABC-75, at the time of this article, costs $41 and includes UV (ultraviolet) detection, WM (watermark) detection, MG (magnetic) detction and also includes a magnifying glass. This is a video demo of me using teh ABC-75, including the magnetic ink scanner:

At ABC Office, we offer about 10 different counterfeit detectors (found here), which range from manual operation to automated operation. We also offer almost 2 dozen different bill counters (found here), with about half having counterfeit bill scanning capabilities.

We have over a decade of experience with counterfeit bill detectors, so please feel free to contact us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

If you have been shopping around for a bill counter or a counterfeit money detector, you have probably come across the phrase UV or ultraviolet. UV detection is an important part of verifying the authenticity of a bill. UV scanners are commonly used to detect counterfeit banknotes. The way UV detectors work is simple, yet very clever.

All US denominations, except the $1, have a UV stripe embedded in the banknotes paper / fabric. While it is visible with a back light, this stripe becomes illuminated when a UV light is held over it.

This shows you where the UV stripe is located on a $10:

We have a guide, found here, that shows you where the stripe is located on $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills. You will notice that the strip is located in different places, depending on the denomination. There is a good reason for this. One popular method for counterfeiting a bill is to use a real bill, say a $5, bleach it and reprint a higher denomination on that bill. If you are unaware of where the stripe is located, the bleached bill may pass a counterfeit detector.

Ultraviolet (UV) counterfeit detectors come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them are portable and require the operator to visually confirm the stripe, where others simply pull in the bills and use a sensor to scan them. While UV counterfeit detection isn’t 100% effective, it catches most counterfeit bills. Visual UV detectors catch just about everything, but SOME automated machines may be tricked by bleached bills. If you are using an automated counterfeit detector, I recommend you use one that implements several counterfeit detection measures.

Having used several types of manual UV counterfeit detectors, I do highly recommend using them indoors and if possible, in a darker setting. Direct sunlight or outdoor use is almost impossible with a manual UV scanner that requires visual verification.

This is a video of me using a very effective manual UV counterfeit detector (the ABC-75 found here):

We offer a great selection of bill counters with UV counterfeit detection here and a great selection of stand-alone counterfeit detectors with UV capabilities here. If you still have questions, please feel free to contact one of our specialists at 1-800-658-8788. You can learn more about counterfeit detection by reading our guide found here.

If you need to create mass copies, in the hundreds or even thousands, you may want to consider using a machine called a digital duplicator (found here). While you may never have seen a digital duplicator in person, they look very similar to a toner-based Xerox copy machine. So what is a digital duplicator and how do they work?

Are you familiar with ditto machines or mimeograph machines? I can still remember (perhaps this is showing my age) in school people asking for a ditto of something on the ditto machine. Both Ditto Machines (aka Spirit Duplicators) and Mimeograph machines utilize direct contact with paper to print text. Digital duplicators, in a way, borrow ideas from these technologies to create a modern-day ink-printing machine.

Using a digital duplicator is very similar to using a toner-based copy machine, like a Xerox copier, but the actual printing process is very different. Here is a step-by-step breakdown on how the process works.

1. First you place your document, text facing down, on the glass scanning surface of the machine.
2. The digital duplicator scans the image off the paper.
3. The image is then burned onto a wax-based master via tiny dots. Different duplicators have different resolutions referred to as DPI (dots per inch).
4. The master is then wrapped around an ink drum.
5. The drum, filled with ink, squeezes ink out through the tiny holes on the master.
   As the drum rotates, it rolls over paper, leaving the image on the paper.
6. The paper exits the machine and the process either continues with more paper or ends.

The ink dries very fast. If you are concerned about the ink not being dry enough, I recommend using an air paper jogger. They are designed to quickly dry ink for use with digital duplicators or even with offset printers.

One of the first digital duplicators created, around 1986, was made by the Riso Kaguka Corporation. Their machines were often referred to as Riso or Risograph machines. While Riso machines are still used today, digital duplicators made by Ricoh and Standard Duplicating are more commonly used.

So why would you want to use a digital duplicator? Ink is far less expensive than toner. If you plan on printing a lot of text, perhaps for a manual, menu, flier or other documentation, a duplicator makes a lot of sense.

So why are copy machines more popular? Copy machines are often used to create one, two or perhaps a few dozen copies at a time. In small quantities, toner-based copy machines cost less to operate. The most expensive part of using a digital duplicator is the master. The price, however, drops dramatically once you start making 25 or more copies.

Copies made on a traditional copy machine typically run around $0.02 a copy. Duplicators, once you hit around 200 copies, costs about $0.004 a copy. Simply put, a duplicator (at 25 or more copies) costs less to operate. The text printing quality of a digital duplicator is just as good as a toner-based copy machine.

You can read more about duplicator operation costs by reading our Digital Duplicator School Guide found here.

You can find our entire selection of Standard digital duplicators here and our entire selection of Ricoh, Riso and Standard masters and inks here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions about digital duplicators.

Optical media discs are used to store and hold volumes of data. This data, as is the case with printed material, is susceptible to identity theft. For this reason, it is recommended to properly destroy optical media rather than throw it away in the garbage. CDs where the first widely used optical discs to store data. Later can DVDs and now Blu-ray discs are commonly used for data storage.

There are a lot of optical discs in use today in businesses around the world. Common formats include:

• CD (CD-R, CD-RW)
• DVD (DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-RW)
• Blu-ray (BD-R, BD-RE)

To put into perspective just how much data can be stored on these media discs, take this into consideration. A megabyte of data storage can hold a book of approximately 500 pages with 2,000 characters on a page. This means:

• A standard CD (CD-R) can hold about 350,000 pages of data.
• A standard DVD (DVD-R) can hold about 2,350,000 pages of data.
• A standard Blu-ray (BD-R) can hold about 12,500,000 pages of data.

This immense storage capability is why many sensitive documents and data are stored on optical discs. Imagine trying to store millions of pages of data physically in a room when you can put that all on a disc that is about 4.75″ (120mm) in diameter. While convenient, this also means data breaches of optical discs can be far more catastrophic than the loss of physical paper documents. For this reason, optical disc shredders are critical.

While many shredders are capable of shredding optical discs, not all can do this. Be sure to check and see if the shredder is rated for shredding discs or you may end up with a jammed shredder.

While many CD and DVD shredders cut discs into little strips, or crimp them using a waffle pattern, a cross cut pattern is going to be the most secure destruction method. Some devices are used to literally grind the data off of CDs into powder.

A question I frequently get is can a CD or DVD shredder be used to shred Blu-ray discs? While the material that makes up a Blu-ray is a little stronger than your typical CD or DVD, I have found that most CD and DVD shredders can easily handle Blu-ray discs.

Hopefully this information has been useful. You can find our entire selection of optical disc, CD, DVD and Blu-ray shredders here. If you have a question about shredding optical discs, or simply need a few questions answered about a specific machine, please feel free to contact one of our experts at 1-800-658-8788.

About 11 years ago I used to work for the Federal Government. In the mailroom they had a comb binding machine. I believe it may have been an Ibico, however, I was unfamiliar with makes and models (nor did I care) at the time. It looked like something from the 80s. I do remember that binding machine had an electric comb opener. I used the machine to bind a few reports and presentations as needed. One thing I do remember is that the motor that powered the electric opener was pathetically underpowered and had a bad habit of stopping in the middle of the process.

As fate would have it, I have had customers ask me if we offered a similar machine. Just today I had a customer looking for a comb binding machine that had an electric comb opener. The problem they ran into is that they couldn’t find any machines with that capability. Comb binding machines were aplenty, but models with an electric opener weren’t around. She asked me if I knew of any.

Having researched this myself, I can tell you that some models do still exist with an electric comb opener, but none from well-known manufacturers that I’m aware of. There is a good reason for this. It is faster to use a manual comb opener than an electric comb opener.

While the punching portion of comb binding requires a lot of effort (hence the advantage of an electric punch), the comb opener requires little effort. Even with the electric comb openers the operator is still required to place the comb on the opener’s fingers by hand. The only difference is that with the electric opener you push a button and wait, where the manual version requires you to tilt a tiny lever.

Even the most robust and complex Akiles, Renz, Tamerica and Intelli-Bind electric comb binding machines still have manual comb openers. This is because, as I have mentioned earlier, manual comb openers are faster and have fewer issues.

You can find our entire selection of manual comb binding machines here and electric comb binding machines here.

The new year is upon us, which means it’s time for another “best of” paper shredders list for 2012. The year 2011 brought us many new makes and models including the launch of the Dahle CleanTEC line of paper shredders. Last year I created a top 10 best paper shredders list. While I still want to recommend high-quality paper shredders, this list will be broken down by where the shredder will be used.

There are 4 main categories people typically consider looking at when buying a paper shredder. This includes, small business, departmental and high security paper shredders. I will include the top 5 best paper shredders for each category.

I am not going to include cheap “temporary” paper shredders that are designed to last 6-12 months. These paper shredders are hardy, designed to be used on a daily basis and should last for years. While there are other shredders out there that are equally as reliable, these are the shredders that not only offer quality, but also have a great reputation with our customers.

Top 5 Best Home Office Paper Shredders 2012

• Intelli-Zone IS100
• Intimus 20CC3
• Destroyit 2270
• HSM 104.3
• HSM 102.2

You can find our entire selection of home office paper shredders here.

Top 5 Best Office Paper Shredders 2012

• Destroyit 2404
• Dahle 20414
• Intimus 45CC3
• Formax FD 8300
• Destroyit 2604

You can find our entire selection of office paper shredders here.

Top 5 Best Departmental Paper Shredders 2012

• Destroyit 3804
• Destroyit 3105
• Formax FD 8702CC
• Intimus 175CC3 Pro
• Dahle 20614EC

You can find our entire selection of departmental paper shredders here.

Top 5 Best High Security Shredders 2012 (Level 6)

• Dahle CleanTEC 41334
• Destroyit 2360 SMC (Super Micro Cut)
• Formax FD 8400HS
• Dahle CleanTEC 41434
• Destroyit 2604 SMC (Super Micro Cut)

You can find our entire selection of high security shredders here.

Sometimes I wish I could make this list longer since there are so many great models out there. While I can only list 5 per category, you can find our entire selection of paper shredders by visiting our site here. We also offer a great selection of paper shredder oil and paper shredder bags.

Please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions. Our experts are more than happy to help.

If you’re shopping around for a stack paper cutter, you may have seen the term “cutting sticks.” Cutting sticks are long rectangular-shaped pieces of plastic that vary in length depending on the size of the paper cutter. Cutting sticks are a critical part of a stack cutter, but what are they and what do they do?

Cutting sticks, made of plastic, have a total of 4 sides. These sticks are usually placed in a grove on the bottom of the cutter, where the cutting blade of the stack cutter will ultimately rest after making a cut. These sticks are made from a durable plastic material and are designed to last for several hundred to several thousand cuts before being rotated or replaced.

The cutting stick plays a critical part in the cutting process and even help assist in producing clean cuts. Because the cutting blade rests in the cutting stick, the cut is properly completed, allowing the blade to make it through every sheet, even the last bottom sheet. Without a cutting stick, the blade would have nothing to rest on and the cut couldn’t be completed.

Cutting sticks are designed to help prolong the life of the paper cutter blade and will not dull it. The plastic used in a cutting stick is designed to take the force of the blade’s impact while still maintaining structural integrity. Thanks to this durable design, cutting blades can last through hundreds and even thousands of cuts before being replaced or rotated.

Signs of a worn cutting stick usually results in the last 1 to 2 pages not being cut all the way through. Before replacing your cutting stick, you should be aware that each stick can be rotated a total of 8 times. Because the blade does not rest directly in the center of a cutting stick, each side can be used 2 times. Simply flip the cutting stick a full 180 degrees to use the same side again. Because the cutting stick is square, it can be turned a total of 4 times.

Ultimately, after all sides of the cutting stick have been used and worn, they will need to be replaced. Luckily cutting sticks aren’t expensive and are usually sold in bulk quantities. You can find our entire selection of stack paper cutter cutting sticks here. We sell cutting sticks for Dahle, MBM Triumph, Intelli-Cut, Tamerica, Martin Yale and Standard brand stack cutters.

If you still have questions about cuttings sticks, how to use them or where to find them, please feel free to contact one of our paper cutter experts at 1-800-658-8788. You can find our entire selection of stack paper cutters here.

Many people ask me, “Do you offer an economical alternative to your high-end shrink wrap machines?” This is an understandable question. Not everyone wants or needs to spend thousands of dollars on a high-end shrink wrap system. One economical alternative is to use an I-bar sealer, like those manufactured by Traco.

Traco is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of shrink wrap machines and shrink wrap film. Their 60,000 square foot facility has been cranking out packaging equipment for years. Having been in business for 27 years, Traco has developed a stalwartly reputation. We sell a lot of Traco supplies and equipment and I can tell you from personal experience that their products really are that good.

Traco I-bar sealers use the exact same shrink wrap bags and centerfold rolls of shrink film that the high end machines do. They just use a slightly different method to complete the process. To date, their I-bar sealers range in length from 13″ up to 40″. This means you can use them to package something as small as a CD or as large as a box. To date, over 150,000 SuperSealers have been sold.

Comparable to the AIE I-bar sealers, the Traco SuperSealers are available in two different designs. You have the standard SuperSealer and the deluxe SuperSealer. So what are the differences between the two? I’ll explain.

Two Types of SuperSealers

• Standard SuperSealer – The Standard SuperSealer (found here) is extremely similar to the Deluxe model. It includes a roller base for the centerfold roll of film and a film separator. The spring-loaded sealing arm can be pulled down, activating the cutting wire in the “I Bar.” This cuts the film. An included HotShot heat gun can then be used to shrink the film. The entire process takes just minutes, and if sealing a small item, just seconds.
• Portable Deluxe SuperSealer – The Deluxe SuperSealer (found here) is almost exactly the same as the standard version, but also includes a light that lets you know when the sealing process is occurring. When the light is off, the sealing is done. Some people enjoy having this visual indicator, although it is not a necessity. The Deluxe version also includes a replacement parts kit and a 50’ starter roll of film.

This is a video demo of the Traco SuperSealer in use:

Both versions of the SuperSealer produce high-quality results. Products packaged on a SuperSealer have the same professional appearance as those packaged on high-end shrink wrap systems and L-Bar sealers.

Whether you are packaging CDs and DVDs, or simply want to provide an attractive / protective sleeve for your art or photo prints, the SuperSealer shrink wrap machine has multiple uses. The best think is that SuperSealer shrink wrap machines cost hundreds, rather than thousands of dollars. The only limitation of the SuperSEaler, versus a high-end machine, is the speed. I-bar sealers, like the SuperSealer, are best used for light to medium-volume packaging.

You can find our entire selection of shrink wrap machines here and shrink wrap film here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 to speak with one of our shrink wrap / packaging specialists.

If you run an information center, a convenience store, work in a university or run a business or organization that sells or distributes brochures, you’re probably looking for a durable, affordable and professional brochure holder. We offer a great selection of multi-pocket brochure holders (found here). This includes plastic, acrylic, metal and wood brochure holders. So which should you use? Here are a few models that have proven to be best sellers over the years.

I would like to start off by saying there are several types of brochure holders. While I am going to list of 5 bestsellers, we offer literally dozens of other models that are just as solid and well priced. Keep in mind that brochure holders come in desktop, floor and  wall-mounted configurations and are made from a wide variety of materials. Some brochure holders are multi-purpose, capable of holding magazines and other literature as well. I am going to focus on holders that are designed specifically for brochures only.

Top 7 Best Brochure Holders

1. Safco 5673CL Clear2c 8 Pocket Brochure Holder
2. Wooden Mallet LT-8 8 Pocket Oak Brochure Holder
3. Safco 5793 Expose 10 Pocket Wall-Mounted Brochure Holder
4. Wooden Mallet BR24-4 Wall-Mounted 4 Pocket Brochure Holder
5. Safco 5671CL Clear2c 12 Pocket Plastic Brochure Rack
6. Model 30-6CD 6 Tier Brochure Holder
7. Model 18-5CD 5 Tier Countertop Brochure Holder

These models all look great, have proven themselves to be durable and are all available at a great price. These can be used to hold and display brochures, pamphlets and other similarly-sized material. These come from popular brands such as Safco, Wooden Mallet and others. As previously mentioned, we also offer a great selection of brochure holder / magazine rack combination displays.

You can find our entire selection of brochure holders and racks here. Call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.