Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this shredder actually NSA approved?
Yes, and the distinction matters. NSA/CSS Specification 02-01 requires two things: a maximum particle of 1 x 5 mm, and a current listing on the NSA/CSS Evaluated Products List. This machine meets the particle requirement at 0.8 x 5 mm and appears on the EPL for paper shredders as "Kobra 310 TS HS-6". A P-7 rating on its own would not be enough — plenty of P-7 machines are not on the EPL. Verify the current EPL revision before specifying for classified destruction, as listings are reviewed quarterly.
Is there a security level above P-7?
No. DIN 66399 ends at P-7 for paper, with a maximum particle area of 5 mm² and a maximum particle width of 2 mm. Any listing that advertises a level above P-7 is quoting something the standard does not define. This machine's 0.8 x 5 mm particle is 4 mm², comfortably inside P-7.
Can it shred CDs, DVDs or credit cards?
No. Kobra's US datasheet lists the shreddable materials for this model as paper and film only. Feeding discs or cards through a 0.8 x 5 mm high-security head risks damaging it, and there is no separate optical media cutter on the HS-6 version of this chassis. For classified optical media you need a device evaluated against the optical destruction specification — the KOBRA 400 HS OM is on the NSA/CSS EPL for optical destruction devices.
Only seven sheets? How does that work in practice?
Slowly, by design. Seven sheets a pass at 19 ft/min is the price of a 4 mm² particle. Sites running classified destruction usually treat it as a scheduled task rather than an ad-hoc one: material is collected in secure containers and destroyed in a session, not sheet by sheet through the day. If your workflow requires continuous walk-up shredding at volume, this is the wrong class of machine.
What is the duty cycle before it needs to cool down?
Kobra publishes no duty cycle for this model — it specifies a 24-hour continuous-duty motor with no overheating and no cool-down interval. In practice the limits you will meet first are the 40-gallon bag and the operator, not the motor. That said, high-security heads generate a great deal of fine dust; expect to clean around the cutting area and change bags more often than the volume figure suggests.
Does it need special oil, and how often?
It has an integrated automatic oiling system, so routine lubrication happens during operation. The oil reservoir is a consumable and must be refilled with Kobra shredder oil — do not substitute general-purpose lubricants or aerosol products, which can gum a high-security head. Running a P-7 machine with an empty reservoir is the fastest way to lose particle consistency and, with it, the basis of the rating.
How does it compare to the KOBRA 400 HS-6?
Same 0.8 x 5 mm cut, same P-7 rating, and both are on the NSA/CSS EPL. The 400 HS-6 is the bigger machine: a 16-inch throat instead of 13, a 53-gallon bin instead of 40, a 2.9 HP motor instead of 1.5, and 246 lb instead of 128. If your destruction volume is more than occasional, the 400 is the better buy; if floor space and weight are constrained, the 310 TS is the one that fits.