Abstract: The present invention involves a hand-held cutter device that is adapted to be held by a human hand, over a human finger, or between the human fingers. The cutter device includes a generally cylindrical inner sleeve slideably engaged with a generally cylindrical outer sleeve, where each sleeve includes an open end and a closed end. The inner sleeve has an extended position and a retracted position. A blade for cutting various materials is attached to the closed of the inner sleeve. A biasing element is confined between the sleeves and urges the inner sleeve into the retracted position. The closed end of the outer sleeve may include a plurality of flat guide surfaces, at least one straight guide groove, and or at least one guide rib. At least two of the plurality of flat guide surfaces may intersect at about a 90 degree angle and the at least one straight guide groove may be located within any of the plurality of flat guide surfaces.

Abstract: A process for start up of a thermal ink-jet printhead cartridge that includes a sequence of nozzle clearing procedures of increasing severity which are performed in sequence so long as some of the nozzles of the printhead fail to fire ink drops pursuant to ink firing pulses provided to the printhead or until all of the procedures have been performed.