Swordfish document shredders are warranted against failure or malfunction due to faulty components or workmanship for a period of two years from the date of purchase by the original consumer. Defects or failures, which have been caused by incorrect or wrongful use, regardless whether unintentional or intentional during the operation or maintenance of the device, are excluded from the warranty. There are no user-serviceable parts inside a Swordfish shredder. Unauthorized repair or attempts to service the unit will invalidate the warranty.

Oiling is an essential part of shredder maintenance and is necessary in order to maintain the warranty. Swordfish document shredders have been designed to shred only those materials outlined within the instructions*. Non-compliance with Swordfish's instructions will invalidate the warranty.

For service of the unit under warranty, please return your Swordfish office machine with proof of purchase to your dealer or contact the Swordfish customer service. In the event of returning the machine under warranty, suitable packaging must be used. Insufficient packaging resulting in damage will invalidate the warranty.

* Please note that shredding sheets fastened by staples or paperclips will progressively wear down the cutting blades. For CD/DVD shredding, Swordfish shredders have been designed to shred up to 100 CDs/DVDs during the warranty period. Damage caused by excessive shredding of fastened sheets, CDs or DVDs is not covered within the warranty.

Waste bags are currently unavilable for Swordfish shredders and are not recommended as they can interfere with the function of the shredder. All Swordfish shredders have a safety mechanism (safety interlock switch/tab) that must be activated by the basket. Using a plastic bag in the basket could interfere with this safety interlock switch/tab and prevent the shredder from working. A plastic bag or liner can also prevent normal operation the 'bin full' sensor.

This rattling on tinkling sound is normal and is caused by the 'floating cutting head' design. This design is to allow for easier feeding of paper into the shredder. If you require a whisper-quiet machine then please consider the Swordfish 800XXC, 1200XCD, 1200XXCD or 1500XXCD models.

You can purchase Swordfish shredder oil lubricants from our website here. Alternatively, Swordfish 'One-A-Month' Shredder Lubrication Sachets are available in Ryman stores across the UK.

The following Swordfish shredders will shred credit cards only: 1000XC, 800XXC.

The following Swordfish shredders will shred credit cards and CDs: 1000XCD, 1100XCD, 1500XCD, 2000XCD, 1200XCD, 1200XXCD, 1500XXCD.

The Swordfish 500DC & 700DC will not shred credit cards or CDs.

Please note that for CD/DVD shredding, Swordfish shredders have been designed to shred up to 300 CDs/DVDs during the warranty period. Damage caused by excessive shredding of fastened sheets, CDs or DVDs is not covered within the warranty.

DIN Security Levels are a standard European guide to the security level provided by a shredder. The higher the level, the higher the security. Recognising the desire for increased security, all Swordfish shredders have DIN Level 3 security or higher. Specific details and suitability for each level are outlined below:

Level 1 = 12 mm strips

Level 2 = 6 mm strips

Level 3 = 2 mm strips (Confidential)

Level 4 = 2 x 15 mm particles (Commercially Sensitive)

Level 5 = 0.8 x 12 mm particles (Top Secret or Classified)

Level 6 = 0.8 x 4 mm particles (Top Secret or Classified)

- unofficial extension of the DIN 32757-1 standard

This shredder has a safety feature and will not function and will not shred unless the head is installed correctly. Firstly, check that the shredder head is the right way round and is sitting flush on top of the waste bin. Secondly, ensure that the power activator inside the waste bin makes contact with the micro switch on the shredder head.

Firstly, visit our troubleshooting section here.

Sometimes problems are simple and can easily be resolved.

There are no user serviceable parts inside a Swordfish shredder. If the shredder is still within the 2 year warranty period then opening the shredder will void the warranty. It may be possible to repair products outside the warranty period at cost.

If you have any further queries then please contact us for more details.

Proper shredder maintenance is required in order to prolong the lifetime of your shredder and also to ensure that it operates at the specified sheet capacity.

As with all types of machinery, paper shredders will not operate efficiently unless properly maintained. The most effective way to care for your shredder is to oil it regularly.

Oiling is an essential part of shredder maintainance and is therefore necessary in order to maintain warranty coverage.

Shredding produces a surprising amount of paper dust that builds up inside the cutting assembly. Without frequent oiling, the accumulated sediment compacts into hard lumps like cement, putting strain on the overall cutters, motor, gears and bearings. Failing to oil your shredder will inevitably reduce its lifetime.

You should oil your shredder routinely and not wait for any warning signs. How often you need to oil your shredder depends on a number of factors such as the frequency of use, sheet capacity, type of material shredded, type of cut and the particle size produced. The easiest way is to at least remember to oil your shredder every time you empty the waste bin. A shredder under heavy usage will need oil at least once a day and for continuous, accumulative shredding you should oil once every 10-30 minutes! If you use your shredder only occasionally then it will probably only need oiled once or twice a month.

Cross cut shredders must be oiled more frequently than strip cut shredders and as a general rule, the smaller the particle size, the more oiling is required.

The following are indicators that oiling your shredder is overdue and it should be oiled immediately:

• Decreased performance

• Not operating at specified sheet limit

• Frequent jamming

• Shredder stops running

• Motor sounds different

In the case of the above, a double application of oil may be necessary to ensure proper lubrication. 

Definitely not. You must use oil that is specifically designed for shredders. Using oil aerosols or any oils not designed for shredders is very dangerous and could result in serious injury. NEVER use WD40.

Swordfish recommends using Swordfish lubricant sheets / sachets or bottled lubricant. Swordfish shredder oil comes in two handy varieties, is vegetable-based, biodegradable and environmentally friendly.Click the links below to purchase Swordfish lubricant from one of our resellers online:

Swordfish Lubricant Sheets at Ryman.co.uk

Swordfish Lubricant Sheets at Shop.snopake.com

Swordfish Bottled Lubricant at Amazon.co.uk

Swordfish Bottled Lubricant at Shop.snopake.com

Swordfish Lubricant Sheets are also available in Ryman stores in the UK.

We strongly advise against using an oil aerosol as the propellant in the can cause dangerous flashbacks. You must use oil that is specifically designed for shredders. Using oil aerosols or any oils not designed for shredders is very dangerous and could result in serious injury. NEVER use WD40.

Swordfish recommends using Swordfish lubricant sheets / sachets or bottled lubricant. Swordfish shredder oil comes in two handy varieties, is vegetable-based, biodegradable and environmentally friendly.Click the links below to purchase Swordfish lubricant from one of our resellers online:

Swordfish Lubricant Sheets at Ryman.co.uk

Swordfish Lubricant Sheets at Shop.snopake.com

Swordfish Bottled Lubricant at Amazon.co.uk

Swordfish Bottled Lubricant at Shop.snopake.com

Swordfish Lubricant Sheets are also available in Ryman stores in the UK.

Yes, all of our oil is mineral-based, biodegradable and environmentally friendly.

Some Swordfish shredders can shred staples, paperclips, CDs/DVDs and credit cards but unfortunately no Swordfish shredder can destroy adhesive labels.

Shredding adhesive labels or in fact any material with a sticky backing can cause permanent damage to your shredder as the adhesive builds up on the cutters.

Some Swordfish shredders can shred staples and paperclips. Simply check the icons printed on the top of your shredder. If the shredder will not shred staples or paperclips then the following icons will be shown:

Please note that shredding sheets fastened by staples or paperclips will progressively wear down the cutting blades. Damage caused by excessive shredding of fastened sheets, CDs or DVDs is not covered within the warranty.

Some Swordfish shredders can shred CDs, DVDs and credit cards. Simply check the icons printed on the top of your shredder. If the shredder is capable of destroying CDs/DVDs and credit cards then the following icons will be shown:

Please note that some Swordfish shredders have a separate feed slot for CDs, DVDs and credit cards so please check the icons to see what slot they indicate.

Swordfish shredders have been designed to shred up to 300 CDs/DVDs during the warranty period. We recommend shredding only one CD, DVD or credit card at a time. Damage caused by excessive shredding of fastened sheets, CDs or DVDs is not covered within the warranty.

The maximum sheet capacity depends on the shredder model. Simply check the icons printed on the top of your shredder. This will indicate the maximum number of sheets that you can shred at any one time. This relates to 80gsm paper (standard copier paper) so the maximum capacity will be lower for thicker paper.

Like all electrical devices, you may use an extension cord, or surge protector with your shredder provided the power specifications of your shredder do not exceed the maximum recommended capacity of your extension cord or surge protector. The wall socket switch should always remain easily accessible so that it can be turned off easily.

All Swordfish shredders have a thermal cutout to protect the motor. After a specified period of continuous shredding, the shredder will shut down to allow the motor to cool.

The duty cycle is the maximum recommended length of time for continuous shredding. Exceeding this continuous shredding time will cause the thermal cut-out to activate. This simply shuts the shredder down to allow the motor time to cool down. If this occurs then we recommend switching the shredder off and leaving it to cool down for as long as possible. If the motor does not cool down completely then the next duty cycle may be shorter.

Swordfish shredders shred each sheet of paper into tiny pieces of paper. The particle size is simply the size of one of these pieces of paper and the smaller the paper particle size, the higher the security. Swordfish Level 3 Security Cross Cut shredders will shred an A4 sheet into 400-500 pieces where as Level 4 Security Micro Cut shredders will shred an A4 sheet into more than 2,500 pieces.

All Swordfish shredders have an automatic sensor located centrally inside the feed slot. This activates the shredder when paper is inserted. There are two types of sensor; manual plastic lever sensors and electronic photo sensors. When shredding small documents such as receipts, you therefore need to insert the paper centrally over the sensor. 

Sometimes paper can become stuck around the paper sensor causing it to run continually or to run in reverse. Turn your shredder off at the socket and using small pliers, remove any debris or excess paper from around the sensor.

The different cuts simply relate to the size and shape or the paper particles produced. Diamond Cut produces diamond-shaped particles, whilst Cross Cut produces rectangular-shaped particles. Micro Cut is the most secure type of cut as it produces the smallest rectangular-shaped paper particles. Swordfish no longer sell Strip or Ribbon Cut shredders, as they are not seen to provide an adequate level of security.

The answer is no. Cross Cut and Confetti Cut shredders both cut paper horizontally and vertically into rectangular shaped particles.

DIN 32757 is a European Standard for describing the security provided by a shredder. The security level depends on the size of paper particle the shedder produces i.e. the number of pieces each page is shredded into. DIN Level 1 is the lowest security level and DIN Level 6 is the highest. All Swordfish shredders have a minimum of DIN Level 3 security suitable for destroying confidential information. You can read more about DIN security levels here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_shredder.

Swordfish shredders are not designed for use with bags. The waste bin can be emptied directly into the paper recycling. This saves costs and is more environmentally friendly than using plastic bags. Many Swordfish shredders have a sensor to detect when the waste bin is full and attempting to use a bag can affect this feature.

Some Swordfish shredders have a bin full indicator meaning that you only need to empty the bin when the indicator shows. For models without this indicator, you should check and empty the waste bin regularly as jamming can occur when the bin is too full. Don't forget that you should oil your shredder each time you empty the bin. For more information on oiling visit the maintenance section.