596389 Disclosed is an apparatus for the preparation of cheese blocks from cheese curd, and containing a plastic guide strip for use with the apparatus. The apparatus comprises at least one vertical tubular column for receiving and compacting cheese curd, provided with a guillotine knife for cutting off curd blocks. The guillotine knife in operation moves back and forth between an open position in which a curd block to be cut off can pass the guillotine knife and a closed position in which the guillotine knife supports a curd column situated in the tubular column. Guiding means are provided to guide the guillotine knife, which comprise at least two mutually parallel extending stationary girders, which have mutually facing surfaces in which guiding slots are provided which receive the longitudinal edges of the guillotine knife. The longitudinal edges of the guillotine knife are provided with plastic guide strips overlying the longitudinal edges, which guide strips are provided with a number of recesses bounded by intermediate sections and end sections, which recesses leave parts of the longitudinal edges of the guillotine knife exposed. The guide strips are arranged on the guillotine knife so as to be slidable back and forth in longitudinal direction over a predetermined distance, and wherein the outer surface of at least a number of the sections of the guide strips cooperates with the guiding slots for the longitudinal edges of the guillotine knife.
