A method of controlling cutter blades relative to the cutting face of a die plate in an underwater pelletizer having a cutter hub and blades coupled to a motor-driven hollow drive shaft through which a motion rod extends, said motion rod being linearly movable within said drive shaft to adjust an axial position of the cutter hub and blades relative to the cutting face of the die plate, the method comprises: moving the cutter hub away from the die plate to a first position based upon a position of the motion rod, said first position defining a home position and a feedback lower limit; moving the cutter hub toward the die plate to a second position using the motion rod until the blades are against the die face, said second position defining a starting position, the steps of moving the cutter hub away and toward the die plate including using a cutter hub position control device (100, 190) that is collinear with or parallel to or transaxial to the motion rod through the hollow drive shaft; characterized in that the method further comprises: providing a controller with input from a feedback mechanism while the pelletizer is operating, said feedback mechanism providing the controller with data on drive motor load amperes and a linear distance of the blades from the die plate; and interpreting, by said controller, said input to provide automated feedback to said cutter hub position control device (100, 190), said cutter hub position control device operative to move the motion rod toward and away from the cutting face during pelletizer operation to adjust a position of the cutter hub and blades either closer to or farther away from the die plate using the data input from the feedback mechanism such that the cutter hub with attached cutter blades is automatically adjusted to remain within a desired operating range. moving the cutter hub away from the die plate to a first position based upon a position of the motion rod, said first position defining a home position and a feedback lower limit; moving the cutter hub toward the die plate to a second position using the motion rod until the blades are against the die face, said second position defining a starting position, the steps of moving the cutter hub away and toward the die plate including using a cutter hub position control device (100, 190) that is collinear with or parallel to or transaxial to the motion rod through the hollow drive shaft; characterized in that the method further comprises: providing a controller with input from a feedback mechanism while the pelletizer is operating, said feedback mechanism providing the controller with data on drive motor load amperes and a linear distance of the blades from the die plate; and interpreting, by said controller, said input to provide automated feedback to said cutter hub position control device (100, 190), said cutter hub position control device operative to move the motion rod toward and away from the cutting face during pelletizer operation to adjust a position of the cutter hub and blades either closer to or farther away from the die plate using the data input from the feedback mechanism such that the cutter hub with attached cutter blades is automatically adjusted to remain within a desired operating range. providing a controller with input from a feedback mechanism while the pelletizer is operating, said feedback mechanism providing the controller with data on drive motor load amperes and a linear distance of the blades from the die plate; and interpreting, by said controller, said input to provide automated feedback to said cutter hub position control device (100, 190), said cutter hub position control device operative to move the motion rod toward and away from the cutting face during pelletizer operation to adjust a position of the cutter hub and blades either closer to or farther away from the die plate using the data input from the feedback mechanism such that the cutter hub with attached cutter blades is automatically adjusted to remain within a desired operating range.