Darn wire cutter/clippers/nippers/shears what ever you call them!

[theepicpath]

So I've been building for about two years now and still cant find a decent pair of flush cut wire cutters. Now that im moving to thicker wire builds like staples and staggered and such I have gone through two cutters in the last week. So has anybody found a brand that has been reliable enought to cut ribbon wire flush even after a year?
I don't want to waste anymore money on cutters that don't last.

 

[CrazyChef]

Get used to it. I rotate mine - 1st round is for ribbon only. Once they start to get a little dull, they get re-purposed to round wire (round 2). Then after they've gotten a bit dull from that, they get re-purposed to only heavy duty wire and builds (Round 3). I keep this in constant rotation. I get the Pittsburgh brand from Harbor Freight. They only cost like $4 and have a lifetime warranty.

 

[CrazyChef]

http://www.harborfreight.com/micro-flush-cutter-90708.html

 

[r055co]

So I've been building for about two years now and still cant find a decent pair of flush cut wire cutters. Now that im moving to thicker wire builds like staples and staggered and such I have gone through two cutters in the last week. So has anybody found a brand that has been reliable enought to cut ribbon wire flush even after a year?
I don't want to waste anymore money on cutters that don't last.

I know what you mean, went through three before I said to hell with it and spent some change on quality. They're expensive but so very,very worth it. Tronex 5223. Once you buy a pair you'll ask yourself why did you continue to throw money at cheap ass cutters. I also have the Tronex 5082 which are an angled flush cut, awesome when you need them for getting in a really tight space.

Basically with most shit ESPECIALLY tools, either pay now or pay later

 

[r055co]

Oh and to add, browse Jewelers tools. A lot of their tools work excellent for coil building

Back in a previous life I was a Jewelers Apprentice (many, many moons ago as a teenager) and this is why I tend to browser their tools when looking at tools for coil building.

 

[theepicpath]

Thanks r055co ill look into those and i have gotten some jewlers lpiers off ebay but they are poor quality

 

[r055co]

Thanks r055co ill look into those and i have gotten some jewlers lpiers off ebay but they are poor quality

Yeah like I said the Tronex are very expensive but they are worth it. They cut wire like butter, I use my junk snips for fat ass wire like =< 22g. The Tronex I'm sure wouldn't have a problem with it but I need to have a use for them and they are good for abusing instead of my good cutters

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[scalewiz]

^^^^^^^ on buying the best. But I don't because they are so damn expensive. Cheap is good but you gotta replace them often. Even cutters of 20 or 30 bucks will dull and chip very quickly. Good ones are titanium carbide platinum zircon encrusted on the edges but are very expensive. Some cost 150 bucks or more. That's the reason for cheap. I found some stainless cuticle cutters at wallyworld that are as harder than most cheap wire cutters, and only cost 10 dollars or so, and they fit into very tight places and cut flush. Try squeezing the cutters just enough to score it and then bend the wire back and forth to break it; makes the cutting edges last much longer.

We torture our tools by cutting things such as titanium and stainless steel wire. That stuff is very hard.

 

[theepicpath]

Wow i just looked them up they look nice a lot of features on them too. tho im gunna go with the long handled ones i notice all these small handeled pliers fatigue my hands more

 

[Synphul]

Another vote for quality. Cheap blades are just that, whether knives, shears, dikes, whatever. If they're chipping they're probably cheap and/or too light duty for the job. I've got some smaller jeweler's stuff that I wouldn't use on coils just because they're small/flimsy. Which design works will depend on where you have to get the nippers placed. For simpler decks I get away with a pair of wire strippers/cutters used for electrical repairs. They're just a cheapy pair of southwire springloaded stripper/cutters but work well since the blades extends a little past the stripping notch. Klein make some decent electric dikes as well.

Things like nail nippers and cuticle cutters I wouldn't bother with, far too delicate and flimsy. They're only made to cut skin and fingernails, not steel wire. They're usually not hardened enough which results in chipping.

FWIW harbor freight sells a lot of junk. Every now and then they have something worthwhile or that surprises me but most of the time it's throw away garbage. Not overly impressed with pittsburgh stuff (their brand). It always sounds like a good idea at the time and eventually you're $40 into 'cheap' crap not to mention the heartache and could have gotten a decent tool for $25-30.

Worked in an auto shop for years, the best thing about HF's cheap tools were things like hand tools for a particular job where you just wanted to beat the hell out of something and sacrificed a cheap tool vs a nicer quality one. The overall quality of the steel used in the tool construction matters a lot. Take a cheap socket from HF vs one from snapon or matco and the HF will often split down the side and fall apart where the other won't. I've split/broken 'hardened' cheap 'impact' sockets with an impact gun and yet had standard non hardened sockets survive use with an impact gun just fine that were only meant to be used with hand ratchets. The quality in the metal is vastly different many times.

 

[Hank F. Spankman]

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Crescent-4-in-Shear-Cutter-Plier-Set-2-Piece-S2KS5N/206872615

 

[Hank F. Spankman]

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Crescent-4-in-Shear-Cutter-Plier-Set-2-Piece-S2KS5N/206872615

 

[nightshard]

Went through a few pairs of diagonal cutters, but surprisingly enough the pair that held up the most and is still holding is a cheap one from FT:
https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10003268/1244001-yth-109-professional-diagonal-cutting-pliers

Still as sharp as the day I got it and no chipping, easily cuts through 22, 0.3X0.8 ribbon and massive Claptons.

 

[SirRichardRear]

Another vote for quality. Cheap blades are just that, whether knives, shears, dikes, whatever. If they're chipping they're probably cheap and/or too light duty for the job. I've got some smaller jeweler's stuff that I wouldn't use on coils just because they're small/flimsy. Which design works will depend on where you have to get the nippers placed. For simpler decks I get away with a pair of wire strippers/cutters used for electrical repairs. They're just a cheapy pair of southwire springloaded stripper/cutters but work well since the blades extends a little past the stripping notch. Klein make some decent electric dikes as well.

Things like nail nippers and cuticle cutters I wouldn't bother with, far too delicate and flimsy. They're only made to cut skin and fingernails, not steel wire. They're usually not hardened enough which results in chipping.

FWIW harbor freight sells a lot of junk. Every now and then they have something worthwhile or that surprises me but most of the time it's throw away garbage. Not overly impressed with pittsburgh stuff (their brand). It always sounds like a good idea at the time and eventually you're $40 into 'cheap' crap not to mention the heartache and could have gotten a decent tool for $25-30.

Worked in an auto shop for years, the best thing about HF's cheap tools were things like hand tools for a particular job where you just wanted to beat the hell out of something and sacrificed a cheap tool vs a nicer quality one. The overall quality of the steel used in the tool construction matters a lot. Take a cheap socket from HF vs one from snapon or matco and the HF will often split down the side and fall apart where the other won't. I've split/broken 'hardened' cheap 'impact' sockets with an impact gun and yet had standard non hardened sockets survive use with an impact gun just fine that were only meant to be used with hand ratchets. The quality in the metal is vastly different many times.

harbor freight is good for 1 off tools. If you need a tool your only gonna use once or twice HF is a great cheap place to buy. But if you do it for a living or need a tool you will use often then just go get a decent quality one. I've had overall good results with HF but I did have a torque wrench break after one use one time lol. But it got the job done and I haven't had a need for the particular size one since so it was fine with me.

If you do it professionally snap on or bluepoint are great tools. Home depot is fine to buy tools from they usually have good name brands. milwaukee probably makes the best power tools IMO. love my milwaukee drill. Ryobi is pretty good too and not too expensive. I have a sawzall from HF that i've had for about 3 years and it still works great. only paid about 20 bucks for it. perfect for cutting xmas trees trunks if needed. I purchased it to build a vent system in my entertainment center for my XB1 and PS4 so they don't overheat. worked great to cut the holes out to install in the fans and temp probe

 

[BigNasty]

Got a pair of red and black CHP angled lead cutters on amazon for like 5 bucks.
So far holding up amazing.
Look at technitools also their lead cutters can hold up to some solid abuse.. not talking about daily or weekly coils that is nothing I am talking about full on abuse. Worked with a couple guys that would set out to see how much shit they could destroy as hard and fast as they set their retarded hearts on.
We had a set we used to clip off heads of stripped out torx head screws in cellphones.. the blades were not pretty but they worked for that. Cannot tell you how many pcb board I cut through with it or screw heads that mongo and crew destroyed.

 

[Vapin4Joy]

A little more than 5 bucks, but lasts forever and guaranteed for life.
https://store.snapon.com/Standard-Diagonal-Cutters-Diagonal-Vinyl-Grips-4-3-4--P886558.aspx

 

[SirRichardRear]

A little more than 5 bucks, but lasts forever and guaranteed for life.
https://store.snapon.com/Standard-Diagonal-Cutters-Diagonal-Vinyl-Grips-4-3-4--P886558.aspx

it's 40 bucks because it's snap on lol. snap on is expensive but great tools and all have a lifetime warranty.

 

[Vapin4Joy]

it's 40 bucks because it's snap on lol. snap on is expensive but great tools and all have a lifetime warranty.

Your right, I have a couple that are 30 years old, they still will cut through case hardened like a hot knife through butter.

 

[Synphul]

That's not bad if they're lifetime warranty. Gotta be careful and read the fine print, not all top names (snappy, mac etc) are guaranteed for life. Wrenches, sockets yes, other tools, maybe. I had a problem with those cheap torx and philips driver bits snapping or distorting so thought hell I'll just break down and buy a name brand. The guy on the snapon tool truck said don't bother, those aren't guaranteed. Save the $40 and just buy the cheapos.

I don't know how warranties work for individuals dealing with the website, always did mine through the tool truck. A lot of the service depended on the actual truck operator, some were great and some were a royal pia. The difference between a driver making it back mid week (they only come around once a week) vs someone who 4 weeks later you keep hearing 'doh, sorry, forgot to order it - i'll get it this time though'.

HF isn't all garbage, I've had a few things surprise me like their bar clamps. Cheap but not a single slip and I used the hell out of them. A lot more affordable than more expensive ones, I probably got 10-12 clamps for the price of 1 or 2 bessey's. Just from my experience, smaller nippers for things like nails are sharp but brittle. Great for their intended healthcare purpose but metal and harder metals like s.s. will likely do a number on them before long. Offbrands like the plain 'made in China - no name' or HF's tend to be lower quality and either brittle or not hardened enough. If the whole set of jaws are hardened they're brittle and like to break, they can't take the stress. Softer without hardened cutting edges tend to form nicks really easy.

I think a lot of the problem comes from folks trying to find something small to work around build decks, understandable. Small is rarely durable though and the wrong tool for the job becomes an issue, ie cuticle nippers etc. By the same token you can't very well use a big pair cable cutters meant for lopping through 12v battery cables to try and pinch off the smaller coil ends from a build deck either lol.

 

[SirRichardRear]

That's not bad if they're lifetime warranty. Gotta be careful and read the fine print, not all top names (snappy, mac etc) are guaranteed for life. Wrenches, sockets yes, other tools, maybe. I had a problem with those cheap torx and philips driver bits snapping or distorting so thought hell I'll just break down and buy a name brand. The guy on the snapon tool truck said don't bother, those aren't guaranteed. Save the $40 and just buy the cheapos.

I don't know how warranties work for individuals dealing with the website, always did mine through the tool truck. A lot of the service depended on the actual truck operator, some were great and some were a royal pia. The difference between a driver making it back mid week (they only come around once a week) vs someone who 4 weeks later you keep hearing 'doh, sorry, forgot to order it - i'll get it this time though'.

HF isn't all garbage, I've had a few things surprise me like their bar clamps. Cheap but not a single slip and I used the hell out of them. A lot more affordable than more expensive ones, I probably got 10-12 clamps for the price of 1 or 2 bessey's. Just from my experience, smaller nippers for things like nails are sharp but brittle. Great for their intended healthcare purpose but metal and harder metals like s.s. will likely do a number on them before long. Offbrands like the plain 'made in China - no name' or HF's tend to be lower quality and either brittle or not hardened enough. If the whole set of jaws are hardened they're brittle and like to break, they can't take the stress. Softer without hardened cutting edges tend to form nicks really easy.

I think a lot of the problem comes from folks trying to find something small to work around build decks, understandable. Small is rarely durable though and the wrong tool for the job becomes an issue, ie cuticle nippers etc. By the same token you can't very well use a big pair cable cutters meant for lopping through 12v battery cables to try and pinch off the smaller coil ends from a build deck either lol.

no fine print with snap on. you can bring them back any item and get a new one. my friend bent his breaker bar and they have him a new one on the spot. I've had people at my job exchange out old beat up snap ons in shit condition for brand new ones

 

[raymo2u]

I have a pair of cutters that have cut through anything and everything including ribbon like a hot knife through butter, with a satisfying clip noise/feedback with every cut...

Lindstrom Angle Cutters

I got them back in May/June? and Im still using them today....if you follow the Post your builds thread here or my Instagram you know that they will last a normal builder for life if they have lasted me this long....not to mention the thousands of aliens Ive cut every few weeks for AdvancedVapeSupply...These are the only cutters that have lasted more then 2 days for me and I suggest saving your money and buying them....it saves you in the long run for sure....

You can clip 5x22KA1 multiple times, then cut Ribbon wire like it just came out of its package new again...
Clean cuts EVERY Time!

 

[AlbyKortoona]

For heavy ribbon/staple coils I use this. Although it's kinda pricey on initial outlay, it can be utilized for many other projects...

 

[Synphul]

Well if anyone can give solid advice on cutters for wire I'd go with raymo2u lol, I'd guess he's cut his fair share. Btw, that double stapled multi fused alien clapton supreme or whatever the hell it is looks ridiculous. Awesome, but damn. I'm guessing those are some macro pics, what kind of deck does it fit on?

My comment about snapon wasn't singling them out, I had similar experience with mac as well. Much of it may depend on the tool truck vendor, our snapon guy left, another tried to pick up his route then got in trouble so had to lay off. His replacement was some dingus who thought he'd buy into a truck franchise with 0 and I mean ZERO tools experience. His previous failed business was a furniture store or something. I stuck with the mac truck if nothing else for the fact the guy had been running his route for over 15yrs and he had a good 25yrs shop experience so you didn't have to stop and draw him a picture of what you wanted. Some of mac's stuff wasn't warrantied either, their basic tools were but some of their newer china made stuff wasn't.

The tool vendor makes a difference, a good one will take care of their customers and others will say 'well in the rule book, sub section c it says that I can only replace this part of it or exchange it for that'. It's not consistent and a tool truck operator can make or break the experience.

One of my buddies paid a premium for a snapon cordless 3/4" impact. Apparently they don't warrant their batteries for more than 6mo or something, he'd used it all of 2 or 3 times and both his batteries were dead. Despite being a snapon customer for over a decade they said 'sucks to be you, new batteries are $80+'. He became a solid matco customer after that.

Like everything else, the modern age of things is going downhill. Had a kid at the shop who opened a line of credit with snapon, he was just getting started out. Got himself a box, can't remember if it was a classic series or heritage/kra. He got it on special for around $4k new with some student discount. It definitely wasn't like the old snap on boxes, the drawers wobbled side to side and another tech put his hand on top and leaned on it to see how sturdy it was, it nearly dented the top when it buckled. Compared to an older beefier snapon box another tech owned and he used the top of his like a workbench with just a thin sheet of rubber mat to protect it from scuffs. He hammered on things with a sledge hammer on it and his drawers were wicked solid. I've also seen guys exchange out solid older tool models and they get replaced with shoddy newer versions.

 

[SirRichardRear]

Well if anyone can give solid advice on cutters for wire I'd go with raymo2u lol, I'd guess he's cut his fair share. Btw, that double stapled multi fused alien clapton supreme or whatever the hell it is looks ridiculous. Awesome, but damn. I'm guessing those are some macro pics, what kind of deck does it fit on?

My comment about snapon wasn't singling them out, I had similar experience with mac as well. Much of it may depend on the tool truck vendor, our snapon guy left, another tried to pick up his route then got in trouble so had to lay off. His replacement was some dingus who thought he'd buy into a truck franchise with 0 and I mean ZERO tools experience. His previous failed business was a furniture store or something. I stuck with the mac truck if nothing else for the fact the guy had been running his route for over 15yrs and he had a good 25yrs shop experience so you didn't have to stop and draw him a picture of what you wanted. Some of mac's stuff wasn't warrantied either, their basic tools were but some of their newer china made stuff wasn't.

The tool vendor makes a difference, a good one will take care of their customers and others will say 'well in the rule book, sub section c it says that I can only replace this part of it or exchange it for that'. It's not consistent and a tool truck operator can make or break the experience.

One of my buddies paid a premium for a snapon cordless 3/4" impact. Apparently they don't warrant their batteries for more than 6mo or something, he'd used it all of 2 or 3 times and both his batteries were dead. Despite being a snapon customer for over a decade they said 'sucks to be you, new batteries are $80+'. He became a solid matco customer after that.

Like everything else, the modern age of things is going downhill. Had a kid at the shop who opened a line of credit with snapon, he was just getting started out. Got himself a box, can't remember if it was a classic series or heritage/kra. He got it on special for around $4k new with some student discount. It definitely wasn't like the old snap on boxes, the drawers wobbled side to side and another tech put his hand on top and leaned on it to see how sturdy it was, it nearly dented the top when it buckled. Compared to an older beefier snapon box another tech owned and he used the top of his like a workbench with just a thin sheet of rubber mat to protect it from scuffs. He hammered on things with a sledge hammer on it and his drawers were wicked solid. I've also seen guys exchange out solid older tool models and they get replaced with shoddy newer versions.

I never heard snap on do that. One of my buddies was digging trenches on a job site and found a broken snap on screwdriver and took it to them and they gave him a new one lol

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