Abstract: The invention relates to a method for starting-up a device for peeling a film (4) that is peeled off a substantially round material block (1) that is carried on a shaft (2), by means of a circulating knife arranged below the material block (1) and integrated in a stationary knife bar (3), wherein the material block (1) is adjusted against the knife bar (3) by way of the shaft (2), with the following steps: the material block (1) is lowered until directly above the knife bar (3), the material block (1) is rotationally driven mechanically and adjusted by a predetermined amount relative to the knife bar (3), after a predetermined peeling angle the desired thickness of the film (4) is set by adjustment of the shaft (2), and after at most one revolution of the material block (1) the desired size of the film is achieved.