Best battery cable cutters ?

[lugnut71]

Looking for cable cutters for 2/0 copper cable , I have the knipex they do ok , got a new pair of channellocks, not impressed with them at all , are the Klein any better ?

 

[SBAG]

Southwire ratcheting cable cutters. Or Klein’s version for 3x the cost. I use the **** out of these on 4/0 wire and some “entrance” 200 Amp aluminum.



I even use them as a wire stripper by clicking one click at a time and rotating it like a pipe cutter. My wire is marine grade and is tin coated and has extra thick insulation…so the Klein 4 in 1 stripper won’t work.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

How many/often are you doing? I went with 18" Greenlee cutters for all kinds of cable when I got tired of having to stomp on my short Channelocks. I hate the ratcheting type, but that's more of a 'my beat up hands' thing.

 

[sparky 1971]

I use these because they are faster than screwing around with ratchet cutters.

Ideal 14" Cable Cutter, Shear Cut 35-031 | Zoro

Order Ideal 14" Cable Cutter, Shear Cut, 35-031 at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

When I was younger and didn't have money to spend on fancy tools, it took both hands, but I used these for at least 100 services, cutting three 2/0 copper conductors on each one

Greenlee 9-1/4" Cable Cutter, High Leverage, Shear Cut 727 | Zoro

Order Greenlee 9-1/4" Cable Cutter, High Leverage, Shear Cut, 727 at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

I have two sets of ratcheting cutters, one set for up to 400 MCM, the other for up to 1000MCM, but the whole process from opening the jaw to the finished cut on one wire takes longer than lopping through three using the shear type.

 

[SBAG]

I use these because they are faster than screwing around with ratchet cutters.

Ideal 14" Cable Cutter, Shear Cut 35-031 | Zoro

Order Ideal 14" Cable Cutter, Shear Cut, 35-031 at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

When I was younger and didn't have money to spend on fancy tools, it took both hands, but I used these for at least 100 services, cutting three 2/0 copper conductors on each one

Greenlee 9-1/4" Cable Cutter, High Leverage, Shear Cut 727 | Zoro

Order Greenlee 9-1/4" Cable Cutter, High Leverage, Shear Cut, 727 at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

I have two sets of ratcheting cutters, one set for up to 400 MCM, the other for up to 1000MCM, but the whole process from opening the jaw to the finished cut on one wire takes longer than lopping through three using the shear type.

I like the ratcheting ones for my application (135 KW of DIY LiFePo4 batteries and four inverters and three AC coupled line inverters) cause many of my wires needed to be fairly accurate in length with each other, but I can see how they wouldn’t be the best for a sparky for production.

Ability to use them to cleanly peel the insulation was a very good bonus.

 

[danielbuck]

I have a set similar looking to that Greenlee posted above (I don't know the brand), they work very well. I would advise that you only cut soft things like copper cable with them though, don't try to use them to cut anything harder like steel cable.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Redirect Notice

I like these so much, I bought a second pair. MADE IN USA.

 

[Thumper88]

I've had Klein Tools J63225N for roughly 15 years....they work well enough for me. Not sure how extensive your usage is. I use mine mostly for automotive use (car audio and battery cables).

 

[CGarage]

I have a set of Southwire cable cutters that look like the Greenlees posted above and they work perfectly.

 

[nadogail]

My Benner Nauman (sp?) cutters are 40 years Old.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Battery operated angle grinder. It will cut ANYTHING !

 

[lugnut71]

Yes, only use it on new soft copper battery cable, actually have an old pair that i use to replace ends on used cables, some of those are very hard to cut. Prefer the style like klein, channellock etc. I had a channellock pair 20 plus years ago, they seemed way better than the newer models. Just looking for the best hand style with the most leverage.

 

[lugnut71]

decided to find out the expensive way

 

[lugnut71]

these were also in the mix, but for 2/0 not even a consideration

 

[tncatadjuster]

Battery operated angle grinder. It will cut ANYTHING !

 

[KnurledNut]

Someone say battery operated?

 

[lugnut71]

No , didnt say battery operated.

 

[AJHD]

.

 

[KnurledNut]

No , didnt say battery operated.

theoldwizard did.

 

[sparky 1971]

decided to find out the expensive way

You didn't get Greenlee 727's. From my experience with Greenlee, Klein, Channellock, and Ideal, the Greenlees are the best, but not by much. None of them will cut 2/0 with ease.

Hand-Held Cable Cutter | Greenlee

Find product features, specs, documentation and where to buy information for 727 Hand-Held Cable Cutter

www.greenlee.com

 

[KnurledNut]

You didn't get Greenlee 727's. From my experience with Greenlee, Klein, Channellock, and Ideal, the Greenlees are the best, but not by much. None of them will cut 2/0 with ease.

Hand-Held Cable Cutter | Greenlee

Find product features, specs, documentation and where to buy information for 727 Hand-Held Cable Cutter

www.greenlee.com

I have both Greenlee and Klein and agree.

 

[lugnut71]

I would like to try the greenlee ones as well.

 

[redwrench60]

For compact cable cutters up to about 1/0 or 2/0 I have a pair of the Klein’s with the Journeyman grips. They really make a difference when using them near the top of their capabilities. I strip cable with them as well. They work really well on 3AWG battery cable.

 

[redwrench60]

Southwire ratcheting cable cutters. Or Klein’s version for 3x the cost. I use the **** out of these on 4/0 wire and some “entrance” 200 Amp aluminum.



I even use them as a wire stripper by clicking one click at a time and rotating it like a pipe cutter. My wire is marine grade and is tin coated and has extra thick insulation…so the Klein 4 in 1 stripper won’t work.

I have that same set. I use em on about 2/0 up to 535MCM and they have been excellent. I use them to strip as well. Great value.

 

[Nutria]

These work pretty well around here.

 

[lugnut71]

well, after dozen cuts with each pair, for cutting new 2/0 soft copper battery cable the Doyle is the winner, and its not even close. It takes so little effort compared to most of the others.

 

[bwringer]

well, after dozen cuts with each pair, for cutting new 2/0 soft copper battery cable the Doyle is the winner, and its not even close. It takes so little effort compared to most of the others.

Thanks for the report!

I said "try Doyle from HF" to myself when I saw the thread title. They are weirdly good, cheap, and on the shelf at any HF.

I've abused mine on all sorts of inappropriate stuff, too, and they've held up great.

 

[NoahG]

Well dang, looks like I need a pair of Doyle’s!

I always heard the old made in Japan Greenlee 727 was the best pair of bunny ears around.

I myself get by with Klein’s newish compact cutter, the 63215, as the biggest I typically cut is 12/3 SOOW.

 

[dcg9381]

I do quite a bit of work with 48V DC and large cables, 2/0 and larger. Lots of crimping with a hammer...
I cut these with a 4.5" Makita angle grinder and a simple cutting disc.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I have two pairs of cable cutter pliers but I mostly use this ratcheting type. Just the offbrand name, never felt the need to spend a couple hundred on Klein when these do the trick.

 

[cannuck]

I have a set of wire rope single acting shears (about 20" long) that I also use for copper heavy cable. Have done an excellent job on both for over 40 years and still sharp making super clean cut.

 

[AJHD]

well, after dozen cuts with each pair, for cutting new 2/0 soft copper battery cable the Doyle is the winner, and its not even close. It takes so little effort compared to most of the others.

I just wanted to ask @lugnut71 about how these Doyle pliers have held up "long term"? I need to pick up a pair of cable cutter pliers.

I've had the Klein in the past, but Doyle is about 1/2 the price.

 

[Dave455]

I notice that the Knipex you have are regular cable cutters, rather than specific battery cable cutters.

They are good tools, I’ve got the slightly smaller ones, but are designed primarily for cutting flat multi core cables used in domestic wiring.

For battery cables the tool for the job are these - 95 12 500 heavy duty cable cutters. They’re not as expensive as you might think. The equivalent of about $100 this side of the pond, before tax, though I know Knipex are more costly stateside.

 

[johninct]

I have the Snap-On Blue-point ones and they work great for me.

 

[lugnut71]

Those knipex look nice, but i usually dont want some that large / bulky. Still recommend the doyle. They are the best out of the ones i tested.

 

[Ohio Andy]

Those knipex look nice, but i usually dont want some that large / bulky. Still recommend the doyle. They are the best out of the ones i tested.

Might pick up a set later today

 

[Steve_P]

well, after dozen cuts with each pair, for cutting new 2/0 soft copper battery cable the Doyle is the winner, and its not even close. It takes so little effort compared to most of the others.

Ok, since you have so many examples to compare, is there anything obvious that makes the Doyle stand out for their superior performance? Why are they so good? I believe you, I'm not a HF hater, but HF isn't known for innovation, they copy, and these are simple tools. So, what's the Doyle magic that someone like Klein, who has a 50+ year history of specializing in electrician's tools, overlooked? Is the Doyle's hinge point closer to the cutter increasing the leverage?

 

[Rinspeed]

I have the Snap-On Blue-point ones and they work great for me.

A friend of mine makes the two pieces for the Snap On cable cutters. I want to say he only gets less than a dollar a piece. He just does the blanks though and then they go somewhere else for sharpening and heat treat. He doesn't pay for the material though, the other company does that. He also does the two pieces for the oil filter wrench that Walmart sells.

 

[lugnut71]

The doyle cut clean and take the least effort to cut the cable.

 

[AJHD]

The doyle cut clean and take the least effort to cut the cable.

I also wonder why. I can't really see any differences from the picture you posted.