Rectangularly shaped snapstrates are separated into substrates along kerfs that are parallel to edges thereof by belt and roller flexure forces produced by two belts that are caused to be contiguous over the suspended length of the upper belt by a pressure roller forcing the two belts together at an intermediate point between roller supports for the belts. This produces oppositely facing curvatures in the belts at spaced apart transverse lines thereon which flex snapstrates in opposite directions with a flexure force which is sufficient to separate snapstrates on the lower belt with kerfs facing in the right direction and which is not sufficient to separate snapstrates there with kerfs facing in the wrong direction. In an alternate embodiment, the peripheries of rollers are tapered in vertical sections for separating snapstrates along kerfs oriented at right angles. In a further embodiment, only a single belt with a pressure roller pressing down on it is employed to separate snapstrates.