Cutting apparatus for cured cheese blocks

An apparatus for the preparation of cheese, comprising

• at least one vertical tubular column for receiving and compacting cheese curd;
• a guillotine knife for cutting off curd blocks from the cheese curd received by said at least one tubular column, wherein the guillotine knife moves 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 the curd situated in the tubular column;
• a guide for guiding the guillotine knife between said open position and said closed position, said guide including 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;
• and
• plastic guide strips overlying the longitudinal edges of the guillotine knife, said guide strips having a number of recesses bounded by intermediate sections and end sections, said recesses leaving parts of the longitudinal edges of the guillotine knife exposed, wherein the guide strips are arranged on the guillotine knife so as to be slidable back and forth in a longitudinal direction over a predetermined distance, and wherein an 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.