A method and apparatus for pinch perforating multi-ply web material (2) to increase the perforation ply bond and/or perforation ply bond retention by pinching the multiple plies of web material together and then perforating the material using an anvil (25) and perforator blade (7) design provided on a perforating apparatus. Specifically, the apparatus comprises a roll mounted contoured perforator blade (7) which cooperates with a beveled anvil (25) to produce perforation ply bonds perpendicular to the length of the multiple plies of web material (2). The desired anvil/perforator blade interface angle between 0° and 20° is provided by beveling the anvil. A 15° beveled anvil is preferred to provide a 5° anvil/perforator blade interface angle. By pinching and bonding the leading edges and other predetermined points of the multi-ply tissue paper together before cutting, the likelihood of ply separation, missing plies and ply mismatch is greatly reduced.