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What are Business Card Slitters?
Business card slitters allow users to cut business cards according to their needs at a much faster rate than manual cutters. Various types of stock and paper sizes may be used on these machines- cutting 8-1/2" x 11" paper into ten or twelve 2" x 3-1/2" cards is the most popular selection. Paper is fed into the machine using rollers and adjustable paper guides make sure the placement of the paper is perfect before it is cut.

Choosing the Right Slitter
The number of business cards cut from one sheet of paper, as well as the type and size of stock you wish to use will help determine which machine is best for your needs. When considering the purchase of business card slitters, the following factors will help narrow your search.

Factors to Consider
  • What type of paper will you use (paper weight, raised-print, flat-print, etc.)?
    While all slitters can slit paper from 65 to 100# bond, some R&B Enterprises slitters also have the ability to slit specially printed papers, such as foil, thermograph, and other raised letter papers. Standard slitters cannot do this because the heat generated by the machines melts the special ink on the papers.
  • How many cards will you need to produce per operation (4-Up, 10-Up, 12-Up)?
    Your choice of slitter mostly depends on how many cards you want to produce from one sheet of paper. Using 3-1/2" x 8-1/2" papers, you can cut four 2" x 3-1/2" cards, while using 8-1/2" x 11" papers allows you to cut either ten or twelve 2" x 3-1/2" cards.

Types of Slitters

4-Up Slitters
These machines slit one sheet of 3-1/2" x 8-1/2" paper into four 2" x 3-1/2" business cards. The cards are slit in one pass through the machine.

10-Up Slitters
These machines slit one sheet of 8-1/2" x 11" paper into ten 2" x 3-1/2" business cards. The cards are slit in one or two passes through the machine- Martin Yale slitters require two passes, while R&B Enterprises slitters need only one pass.

12-Up Slitters
These machines slit one sheet of 8-1/2" x 11" paper into twelve 2" x 3-1/2" business cards. The cards are slit in one or two passes through the machine- Martin Yale slitters require two passes, while R&B Enterprises slitters need only one pass.

Slitters with Scoring and Perforating
These machines are 10- or 12-Up slitters with the added ability to score and perforate as well.

Glossary
  • #-Up: The number of cards that can be cut from one sheet of paper.
  • Foil Print: Printing method by which foil is fused to paper by the heat and pressure of an embossing letterpress.
  • Offset Print: Printing method where the image is offset from a lithographic plate to a blanket before transfer to the paper, resulting in flat print.
  • Perforate: punches lines of small holes across paper for ease of separation.
  • Score: make parallel creases across paper to assist in folding.
  • Thermography: Printing process where a printed image is covered with a heat-sensitive powder that melts into the ink, causing a raised effect.