A blowout preventer (BOP) closing element fitted with hardened tool steel blades designed to cut the drillpipe when the BOP is closed. A shear ram is normally used as a last resort to regain pressure control of a well that is flowing. Once the drillpipe is cut (or sheared) by the shear rams, it is usually left hanging in the BOP stack, and kill operations become more difficult. The joint of drillpipe is destroyed in the process, but the rest of the drillstring is unharmed by the operation of shear rams.