Wedge Angle — Industry Glossary Entry

Wedge Angle is the included angle between the front face and the back face of a cutting edge. A small wedge angle means a sharp edge (low cutting force) but a weak edge (chips easily). A large wedge angle means a strong edge (no chipping) but a dull edge (high cutting force).

Typical wedge angle by application

• Paper, film slitting: 30–45° (sharp)
• Plastic slitting: 35–50°
• Tissue slitting: 25–35° (very sharp, paired with a wider hone)
• Plate shearing (≤ 6 mm): 60–75° (chamfer adds to back face)
• Stainless plate shearing: 70–85°
• Granulator rotor: 80–90° (very strong, with 0.20–0.30 mm chamfer)

Why it matters

On a slitter knife, the wedge angle is set by the front-face clearance and the back-face chamfer. A 22° clearance with a 5 µm hone gives ~ 30° wedge. A 15° clearance with a 0.10 mm chamfer gives ~ 75° wedge. The hone and the chamfer are the practical levers; the wedge angle is the result.

See also.