Abstract: A high-speed rotary shear for making, in the direction of travel, straight cuts, curved cuts, and combinations thereof, through a continuously moving web of thin, pliable, compliant, cut-resistant material and a process of making such cuts. The shear comprises at least one pair of first and second cooperating blades located to either side of the web. Each of the first and second blades is mounted on a blade support affixed to a rotatable shaft. At least one of the first and second blades is in part at least elastically mounted on its support and is itself flexible. The axes of the shafts of said first and second blades lie in spaced horizontal planes and in vertical planes which intersect at an angle such that the first and second blades will be skewed with respect to each other at an angle of from about 1.degree. to about 6.degree. and such that the first and second blades, having the same outside diameter, will have a single point contact, cutting the web with a scissors action.