An assembly includes a punch and a clamping assembly. The punch includes a body having a front end and a rear end. The front end has a cutting edge. A passageway extends through the body and a counterbore is provided proximate to a second end of the body. The clamping assembly includes first and second jaws pivotally attached to each other. Each jaw includes a main body having a nose extending from a front surface thereof. The nose has an outer surface which has a diameter which is smaller than the outer diameter of the main body. When the clamping assembly is mated with the punch, the noses seat within the counterbore, and the front surfaces of the main bodies engage against the rear end of the body of the punch.

A punch for punching a sheet of material, the punch having a body formed with a fissure for receiving the sheet of material, a pivot shaft defining a pivot point, and a lever pivotably mounted about said pivot shaft has an open position and a closed position. A block is provided which is positionable between the lever and the body. The body is provided with longitudinal support ridges and the lever is provided with side ridges, with the pivot point positioned in substantially the same plane as the longitudinal support ridge so that when the punch is closed, the side ridges of the lever pass outside of the support ridges of the body in a nesting relationship, allowing the punch to form a flat profile when closed.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus of reducing current requirements by increasing resistance of the blade structure by reducing the cross sectional area of at least one section of the blade so that the electrical current requirements for heating of the blade to cutting temperature are reduced wherein the power supply and substantially entire unit may be mounted within a hand held unit. Methods of shaping blades to perform various heat distributions for specialty blades for custom cutting are disclosed. Further, an improved blade mounting structure is provided which includes structure for maintaining the legs of the blade parallel to the direction of cut and provides for easy insertion of new blades by maintaining a slotted blade cradle stable and in alignment with the blades and a clamp member away from the blade when the clamp mounting structure is loosened.

A cutting mechanism assembly for use with a tape cartridge includes a support arm having first and second opposing ends and adapted to be coupled to the tape cartridge. The cutting mechanism assembly also includes a mount for a biasing element. The mount is coupled to the support arm and the biasing element is configured to couple the mount to the tape cartridge. Further, the cutting mechanism assembly includes a support plate for a mechanism for reducing a biasing force from the biasing element. The support plate is coupled to the support arm and the mechanism is configured to couple the support plate to the tape cartridge.

A clamping assembly includes a first jaw having a plurality of alternating grooves and lands formed thereon, a second jaw having a plurality of alternating grooves and lands formed thereon, and a spring provided between the first and second jaws. The jaws are pivotable relative to each other. The jaws are attached to a draw stud. The draw stud is formed from an elongated cylinder which has a conventional thread form formed on one end thereof and a plurality of alternating grooves and lands formed on the other end thereof. The alternating grooves and lands formed on the jaws mesh with the alternating grooves and lands formed on the draw stud to mate the jaws with the draw stud.

A flexible blade that when it starts to wear, the blade stands itself up to continue to provide a sharpened edge.