The invention is an apparatus and method for unwinding the butt portion of a reel of paper from the reel spool and delivering it to a repulper. It consists of a floor mounted stand with appropriate cradling surfaces to hold the spool butt. An air jet manifold is located at floor level below the stand. Air jets from the manifold direct the sheet toward the repulper. As the sheet enters the repulper it is met by water showers that direct it into the opening of the repulper. Once the sheet is engaged by the air jets and water showers it is continuously unrolled by the force delivered by these devices acting against the sheet. An accelerating mechanism may be provided to begin unrolling the paper from the spool and a brake mechanism is useful for stopping rotation of the spool after all of the paper has been removed.