Abstract: To improve a cutting device comprising a machine frame, a rotatably mounted anvil drum with an anvil surface, a rotatably mounted cutting tool with a cutter cooperating with the anvil surface in such a way that in successive rotary positions, respectively successive cutter sections stand in an operative position with successive anvil surface sections in order to cut a material passing through between the cutting tool and the anvil drum, such that the cutting tool has as long a service life as possible, it is proposed that the cutting tool and the anvil drum be pretensioned, that the cutting tool be supported by at least one supporting ring via successive supporting ring sections on successive supporting surface sections of the anvil drum, that the respectively operative supporting ring section act on the respectively operative supporting surface section with a bearing force corresponding approximately to the difference between pretensioning force and cutting force, and that the supporting ring be of such cons