Abstract: The invention relates to a plastic strip, which prevents the blade of a paper cutting machine from touching the panel of the work surface. The latter is thus protected from damage. The specific shape of the strip makes it possible to produce the strip of polypropylene or a similar material by means of an extruder without any form of subsequent treatment. The strip is pushed into the groove already present in normal work surface panels. It has almost the same rectangular cross-section as the groove. On each of the two narrow side surfaces (1) of the strip, two longitudinal bulges (3) cause the strip to be somewhat broader than the groove and thus to be squashed together laterally when being pressed in, without the thickness being altered. The deformability necessary for this is achieved by two cavities (2) inside the strip along the narrow side surfaces (1).