Abstract: Chip-impalement spears for rotary cutters are provided in a rectangular shape with a single sharp bevelled edge along the top of the spears and adapted to be placed parallel to a roller of the rotary cutter. The spears are embedded in one roller and arranged so that their sharp edges will come into slight contact with an opposing roller. Properties of the spears, in particular, hardness, are selected to enable the spears to be rapidly bent over in use, forming a chip-retaining barb. Spears having this capability may be obtained by making transverse cuts across a cutting rule.