Cable cutters

I have been trying to cut gear cables with my old wire cutters, but it just ends up fraying the end so I can't get it in the outer... :x :?

Anyone tried these ebay jobbies?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CABLE-CUT...sure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item415c7cdb88
Or do I need to fork out more for some Park ones?

Park cutters are amazing! Worth the cash.

Felco then Shimano before Park.

Optimal cable cutting method seems to use Dremel and solder; a bit more work.

I went to Maplin and got a massive fake dremel kit with loads of bits. I used a cutting disc and then a polishing disc and they worked brilliant. Outers were polished to a clean finish and cables could even be made to a point for easy threading through the outers. Can't recommend this enough. I got the kit for just over £20 and it will have loads more uses than cable cutters.

joeyboswell":367hsufl said:

I went to Maplin and got a massive fake dremel kit with loads of bits. I used a cutting disc and then a polishing disc and they worked brilliant. Outers were polished to a clean finish and cables could even be made to a point for easy threading through the outers. Can't recommend this enough. I got the kit for just over £20 and it will have loads more uses than cable cutters.

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Actually have one myself in the garage!
Never thought of using it for that to be honest....

Good shout, guess what I am going to be doing this afternoon?!

The biggest tip I can give is to take is nice and slow on the cuts to keep them clean...particularly the outers. My first few cuts of the outers deformed the plastic through heat so make sure you go don't cut on one place for a prolonged time or at a high speed or it will heat the plastic up. Similar applies to the inner cables...do it nice and slow from all sides and with not too much pressure...let the blade do the work.

How much do you have to spend ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-Profe ... 45fc8e2dc4

I have quite an old set of Knipex cable cutters, they are excellent. I've even cut spokes and mudguard stays with then, they're still as good as new

http://www.parker-international.co.uk/1 ... gn=pid1784

I use old piano wire cutters, they have the power and strength of jaw to snap straight through wire cables with no mess. Think I got them off ebay in the used hand tools section for a couple of quid.

Also if you can find them, the Maun double pivot cutters are good too, not much they won't cut cleanly.

Cable outers I saw through with a Dremel type machine with circular disc to get a clean square end. Same as, circular disc can be used for cutting cables cleanly.

Oh and something else you might like to try, is superglue the part of the cable where you are going to cut, it stops frays and allows a better cut. Cable terminations I use old spoke nipples, one gets a better grip on the cable when one needs to pull it to re-tension in a clamp.

silverclaws":14tdm5mh said:

I use old piano wire cutters, they have the power and strength of jaw to snap straight through wire cables with no mess. Think I got them off ebay in the used hand tools section for a couple of quid.

.

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Problem is that piano's use straight gauge wire whereas bike cable is twisted or as in gear outer cables-braided.To cut twisted or braided you must use bypass jaws where one blade passes the other with no gap between them.