(57) A web winding system for winding adhesive backed web on cores mounted on wind-up spindles. The web is supported on a rotating suction drum. A knife mounted on a rotating wheel cuts the web against the supporting drum. A tab bar is mounted on the wheel adjacent to the knife, and applies a tab to the web in registration with the cut. In a second position of the wheel a tab source moves toward the tab bar and applies a tab to its surface. The knife is heated by a heater to a temperature above adhesive softening and below adhesive carbonizing to prevent adhesive to stick to or to accumulate on the knife. The web is lead to the supporting drum around a stationary gapping roller and a retractable gapping roller, mounted on an arm which is pivotable around the roller. When the knife has cut the web the arm pivots clockwise, and lengthens the distance between retractable roller and supporting drum, thus forcing the web to slide on the drum, and to form a gap between the leading cut end and the trailing cut end of the web. The gap allows for flying transfer of the web between the cores on the two wind-up spindles.