RS100+ shredder

SHREDDING

Using a purpose built shredder is by far the easist way of cutting tobacco leaves. The end product is uniform and rolls just like store bought tobacco. To shred tobacco:

• Pull the spine from leaf
• Separate the two halves
• Place one leaf half into the shredder while turning the handle and continue turning handle until the entire leaf has passed through the roller
• Do the same with the other leaf half
• Continue shredding remaining leaves until enough has been cut  to fill your bag or pouch.

Tobacco hand shredders can normally be found on Trademe, Wicked Habits.
Two common models are RS100+ 0.8mm (pictured above) and Magic Cut 0.8mm (pictured below)

NOTE: We advise shredding leaves before adding any flavourings as most bought flavourings contain glycol and water. A wet or damp leaf is very hard to shred and tends to clog up the rollers.

Magic Cut 0.8mm

SHREDDERS

A small hand shredder will do the job fine, but be aware, if leaves are too moist they will clog the roller quickly and the combs will do little to overcome the problem. They are a cheap option and definately faster than using scissors

The RS100 and RS100+ is a good alternative. They are more expensive but you will be able to shred alot more in much less time.

Maintenance
These machines should be oiled regularly, failure to do so will eventually lead to bearing failure. With regular maintenance these shredders will last many years.

• Make sure to clean the machine after use.
• Clear any clogs between roller. A small 1mm flat head screwdriver is useful for this
• Use a small wire brush to remove light debris between roller
• Vacuum or blow machine clean
• Apply a drop or two of oil around bearing and turn a few times

You might also want to try these 

• Scissors. If money is tight, you could try scissors although you might find it hard to cut the strands thin enough. Roll your own tobacco strands are roughly 0.7mm to 0.8mm thick.
• Paper Gilotine. If you have a spare one lying around this might be less tedious than using scissors.
• Herb Grinders are also useful but require the leaves to be more drier, Rather than shreds of tobacco you are left with tobacco flakes which can be hard to roll.
• Herb cutters. These work like scissors, however, it is made up of multiple blades. Tobacco tends to get stuck between the blades.