Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I just use an ordinary cross-cut shredder for smart cards?
Because a cross cut can leave the integrated circuit whole. A card's chip is a few millimetres square; a shredder producing 3.5 x 30 mm particles can drop that chip out intact inside a fragment, and the data on it survives. The 240 SC's 1.9 mm cut is narrow enough to pass through the chip itself and through the magnetic stripe. Kobra states this is what NSA/CSS Policy Manual 9-12 requires for card destruction.
How many cards can I feed at once?
One. Kobra's datasheet gives the card capacity as a single smart card at a time. In practice that is not a limitation - card destruction is usually a batch of a few dozen expired badges rather than a continuous stream, and each card takes a couple of seconds. Do not try to force two through together; the machine will reverse rather than cut cleanly.
Does it also shred paper, and how well?
Yes. Kobra's product copy states it shreds up to 15 sheets at a time in a straight cut, and the 1.9 mm strip width is inside the 2 mm maximum DIN 66399 permits for P-3. What Kobra does not publish is the paper weight that the 15-sheet figure was measured at, so treat it as an approximate figure. P-3 is a moderate level - adequate for routine internal paperwork, below what most organisations now specify for personal data.
Is the NSA/CSS 9-12 claim the same as being NSA approved for shredding classified paper?
No, and the distinction matters. NSA/CSS Policy Manual 9-12 is the storage-device sanitisation manual, and Kobra's claim relates to card destruction under it. Classified paper destruction is governed by NSA/CSS Specification 02-01 and the NSA Evaluated Products List for Paper Shredders, which requires a 1 mm x 5 mm particle. The 240 SC is not on that list. The Kobra 240 HS-6 is.
Does it need oil?
No. Kobra specifies an oil-free system for the 240 SC, so there is no lubrication schedule and no oil sheets or bottles to reorder. That is a genuine advantage in an access-control office where the machine may be used in bursts and then left for weeks. Keep the throat clear of card fragments and the bin emptied and there is nothing else to maintain.
Where does the shredded card material go?
Into the same 9.5-gallon bin as the paper. There is no separate plastics container on this model, so if you want to keep plastic out of your paper recycling, run cards as a batch and empty the bin afterwards. Kobra states no plastic bags are required - the bin pulls out without lifting the cutting head and the safety stop halts the cutters when it is removed.