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The GBC Velobind debinder
tool is designed to help users quickly and easily cut the spines off
their documents that have been bound with a hot knife binding system.These
systems use heat to permanently rivet the pages of your documents in
place. The only way to edit this type of document is to cut the binding
strip apart and then rebind it when you have made your changes.

Overview:

• The GBC Velobind debinder
  tool is designed to help users quickly and easily cut the spines off
  their documents that have been bound with a hot knife binding system.
• This tool is compatible with documents that have been bound with either Velobind or Surebind hot knife binding systems.
• These
  systems use heat to permanently rivet the pages of your documents in
  place. The only way to edit this type of document is to cut the binding
  strip apart and then rebind it when you have made your changes.
• Attempting to debind velobound documents without this tool can be very dangerous and is definitely a safety hazard.

Strengths / Features:

• The
  Velobind debinder tool is extremely easy to use. You simply grab the
  handle of the debinder tool and work it under the edge of your binding
  strip. After you have severed the first pin, you can simply slide the
  tool the rest of the way down your document to cut the remaining pins.
• This
  tool provides the safest possible way to debind documents that are
  bound with a hot knife binding system. The blade on the debinder tool
  is not exposed. This makes it nearly impossible to cut your hand during
  the debinding process. If you attempt to use a razor blade or knife to
  debind a Velobind or Surebind document it is very possible that you
  will end up cutting yourself. It takes a fair amount of force to cut
  the plastic pins and it is easy for your blade to slip during the
  cutting process.
• Considering the cost of a hot knife Velobind
  system the debinding tool is actually very inexpensive. It sells for
  about fifteen dollars and is small enough that it can conveniently sit
  beside or on top of your machine without getting in the way.

Weaknesses / Limitations:

• Although
  you can use this tool to cut other types of binding strips including
  One Eleven, Four Pin and Six Pin Velobind Strips it is not ideal for
  this application. The One Eleven binding strips are thicker and are
  more difficult to cut which will wear down the blade faster. Four pin
  and six pin strips are actually reclosable and documents bound with
  these systems can be edited without the need to cut the spine. When you
  use this tool you will ruin the binding spine that is on your document.
  You will need to make your changes to the document and then rebind the
  document using your hot knife binding system. If your machine is not
  handy it will be difficult to reassemble your book. The cost of
  replacing binding strips can also add up quickly if you need to rebind
  a large number of documents.
• Although in theory you should be
  able to replace the razor blade used on the debinder tool, replacement
  blades are not available from the manufacturer. The whole tool will
  need to be replaced when the blade becomes worn and will no longer cut.

Recommendation:

• The
  Velobind Debinder tool is a relatively inexpensive tool to help you
  debind and edit your documents that are bound with a hot knife binding
  system.
• In fact , any owner of a Velobind or Surebind hot knife system should really consider having one of these tools on hand.
• Unfortunately
  the blades on this tool cannot be replaced and you will have to buy a
  new tool when you have worn your current one. Perhaps someday GBC will
  begin to sell the blades to help prolong the life of these tools.

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