HP 450C cutter jams and rips media at beginning of cutting stroke. I have checked for scraps of jammed media remaining in the cutter, but there aren't any. I have lubricated the rail, and this seems to cutre the problem temporarily, but the problem is occurring more frequently. When the carriage tries to pass over the balled up media the electronic connection between cartridge and plotter is disturbed, and I have to replace the cartridge, or suffer very poor quality printing.

This is from the user guide available on the HP.com website:
This section contains the following topics:
• Clear paper jams
• Avoid paper jams
Clear paper jams
Paper jams can occur either inside the printer or in the automatic document feeder.
CAUTION: To prevent possible damage to the printhead, clear paper jams as
soon as possible.
TIP: If you notice poor print quality, clean the printhead. For more information, see
Clean the printhead.
Use these steps to clear a paper jam.
To clear a jam inside the printer
1. Remove all media from the output tray.
CAUTION: Trying to clear a paper jam from the front of the printer can
damage the print mechanism. Always access and clear paper jams through
the automatic two-sided printing accessory (duplexer).
2. Check the duplexer.
a. Push the button on either side of the duplexer, and then remove the unit.
b. Locate any jammed media inside the printer, grasp it with both hands and
then pull it towards you.
c. If the jam is not there, push the latch on top of the duplexer and lower the
cover. If media is jammed inside, carefully remove it. Close the cover.
d. Reinsert the duplexer into the printer.
3. Open the top cover and remove any debris.
4. If you have not found the jam and have Tray 2 installed, pull out the tray and
remove the jammed media, if possible. If not, do the following:
a. Ensure the printer is turned off and disconnect the power cord.
b. Lift the printer off Tray 2.
c. Remove the jammed media from the bottom of the printer or from Tray 2.
d. Reposition the printer on top of Tray 2.
5. Open the ink cartridge access door. If there is paper remaining inside the printer,
ensure the carriage has moved to the right of the printer, free any paper scraps or
wrinkled media, and pull the media towards you through the top of the printer.
WARNING! Do not reach into the printer when it is on and the carriage is
stuck. When you open the ink cartridge access door, the carriage should
return to its position on the right side of the printer. If it does not move to the
right, turn off the printer before you remove any jam.
6. After clearing the jam, close all covers, turn on the printer (if you turned it off) and
resend the print job.

That's about as much as I can find for you. If you look in you user guide which is on a CD that came with the unit, you can go to page 152 through 154 to see diagrams that go with these instructions. Good luck!

Cutter unit having press & release system, by mistake its released, it might be fallen in paper bin.. You can see there is a cut at right side near blur lever,pull cutter bush up to there & load the cutter into cutter bush. Once hearing click sound manually confirm its fixed properly or not.. once its confirmed, push cutter in to park area, power on the printer..

Hi, please try this:

1. Remove all media from the output tray.

2. Check the duplexer.

a. Push the button on either side of the duplexer, and then remove the panel or unit.

b. Locate any jammed media inside the device, grasp it with both hands and then pull it towards you.

c. If the jam is not there, push the latch on the top of the duplexer and lower its cover. If the jam is inside, carefully remove it. Close the cover.

d. Reinsert the duplexer into the device.

3. Open the top cover and remove any debris.

4. If you have not found the jam and have Tray 2 installed, pull out the tray and remove the jammed media, if possible. If not, do the following:

a. Ensure the device is turned off and disconnect the power cord.

b. Lift the device off Tray 2.

c. Remove the jammed media from the bottom of the device or from Tray 2.

d. Reposition the device on top of Tray 2.

5. Open the print carriage access door. If there is paper remaining inside the device, ensure the carriage has moved to the right of the device, free any paper scraps or wrinkled media, and pull the media towards you through the top of the device.

6. After clearing the jam, close all covers, turn on the device (if you turned it off) and resend the print job.

Hi, please try this:

1. Remove all media from the output tray.
2. Check the duplexer.

a. Push the button on either side of the duplexer, and then remove the panel or unit.

b. Locate any jammed media inside the device, grasp it with both hands and then pull it towards you.
c. If the jam is not there, push the latch on the top of the duplexer and lower its cover. If the jam is inside, carefully remove it. Close the cover.




d. Reinsert the duplexer into the device.

3. Open the top cover and remove any debris.
4. If you have not found the jam and have Tray 2 installed, pull out the tray and remove the jammed media, if possible. If not, do the following:

a. Ensure the device is turned off and disconnect the power cord.
b. Lift the device off Tray 2.
c. Remove the jammed media from the bottom of the device or from Tray 2.
d. Reposition the device on top of Tray 2.

5. Open the print carriage access door. If there is paper remaining inside the device, ensure the carriage has moved to the right of the device, free any paper scraps or wrinkled media, and pull the media towards you through the top of the device.

6. After clearing the jam, close all covers, turn on the device (if you turned it off) and resend the print job.


This is based on the HP 8500 manual. I hope this helps.

Ok, this is an easily fixed problem. Loosen screws on the paper cutter and that SHOULD be enough to make it work.

My old Cuisinart has this problem because the motor shaft and the corresponding socket on the cutter are worn. The shaft has jammed in the cutter. To un-jam it, stick a bar of wood behind one blade of the cutter (I use the wood handle of my dough whisk) and give it a light, sharp tap with a hammer. Check after every tap to see if it is loose, if not do it again. You want to tap against the back side of the cutter, not the cutting edge side. The socket on your cutter may be cracked, allowing it to open up and slip (and jam) under the stress of cutting. You'll probably need a new one. If the motor shaft is also worn, that can also be replaced. The new part is about $10. I got a few more months of life from my cutter by reinforcing the inner socket with a thin plastic tube from the barrel of a syringe.

For replacement parts give Royal a call at 1-800-524-0799.

The motor would always turn the cutters.
You likely have a broken chain or a loose gear on a shaft. If you hear the motor running and the cutters are not spinning something in the drive is broken. Likely the chain.
hope this helps.

When ever there is a jam be sure to try and remove the jam without tearing the paper. If you do rip the paper piece it back together to assure you removed all of the jam. If there is one tiny scrap left and it lies across a sensor the jam will remain. Easier to happen than you may think.

Senior service tech for 15yrs