Feed Opening (Throat Width)

The size of the feed opening, or throat width, is an important specification when dealing with wide computer paper. A 9" or 10" wide throat is sufficient for a user mainly concerned with shredding letter or legal sized files. In some instances, these narrow feed openings can shred a limited amount of 14-7/8" wide continuous forms, depending on the weight of the paper and the strength of the perforation.

14-7/8" wide computer forms fed continuously into the 10" feed opening of a shredder can break at the perforations and stop feeding often. A 16" model is recommended if the application requires frequent shredding of wide computer paper.