Cutter leaving an impression?

Will the pressure of the hold down feature on a hydraulic paper cutter leave an impression on paper such as 220 Lettra or 236 Savoy?

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yes! use slip sheets to protect it.

Or attach a false clamp plate. Metal plates were made, but you can improvise one out of heavy board; binder’s board will work, I’m using some kind of coated blank. Cut a piece the full width of cut, slightly deeper than the clamp, and put double sided tape on the top. Butt it against the back of the blade, lower the clamp, and it is attached. It will distribute the pressure of the clamp fingers and reduce marking.
It may increase draw (top and bottom of cut different lengths). It will also lengthen your minimum cut unless you take the time to cut notches that match the fingers of the back gauge.

It will also lengthen your minimum cut unless you take the time to cut notches that match the fingers of the back gauge.

Wouldn’t that get you back to where you started? Since the pressure would no longer be distributed?

I only have a manual cutter, but I usually put anywhere from 3-6 pieces of chipboard on top of my stack. That usually takes care of it. I also don’t clamp down super hard (and cut in short stacks) but that may not be an option for a hydraulic cutter.

NA Graphics sells a magnetic cutter clamp pad which is just for this purpose.
http://order.nagraph.com/bindery.html#993

Daniel Morris
The Arm Letterpress
Brooklyn, NY

image: ClampPad.jpeg

All good suggestions. I would go with the chipboard myself. The magnetic material above was designed for NCR paper and would also work.