Freeze the cheese for 15 to 30 minutes to firm it up
Use a sharp knife to slice the cheese into very thin strips
Stack the thin strips and cut them into small shreds
Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin pieces from a firm cheese
Use a fork to scrape soft or semi-soft cheese into small bits
Use a clean box cutter or paring knife to shave hard cheese carefully
Use a food processor with a shredding or chopping blade
Use a mandoline with a julienne setting if available
Use a microplane-style zester for very hard cheese
Crumble soft cheese by hand if shredding is not necessary