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Flush Cut Diagonal Pliers

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Wamsutta

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What are your favorites? Don't be afraid to post something exotic made in Switzerland, Germany or France.

If I strip a wire and the stripped portion is too long to fit in the terminal without sticking out, I'll shorten the stripped end with flush cut pliers.

I always prefer working with non-insulated wire connectors and terminals, but that's a different topic. ;)
 
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SRSemenza

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Do you mean truly flush cut? Because a lot of the ones I see recommended as flush are not.

I have only found true flush cut available for plastics or very soft small gauge wire.

Wish they existed.

Seth
 
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Beerhippie

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Believe or not, these $6 MIC jobs cut flush, are sharp and seem to last well:


Buy five sets for the price of that Snappy. I bought 'em for zip-ties but have been using them a lot for wiring. Copper only, but I may just order another couple and try 'em on soft steel wire.
 
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dr_clyde

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I have Snap-on and Knipex, both work fine, no complaints. The Snap-on have nicer handles and spring, but the Knipex are a bit less money.

For zip ties, I’ve moved to using a Panduit tie wrap tensioner and it cuts it flush after tensioning so I don’t use the diagonals nearly as much.
 
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Skyman

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Steven Seagull said:
I’ve had these Knipex for almost seven years and they work great for zip ties:


As a former 12v installer, I have an unreasonable hate for poorly cut zip ties that leave an edge.
Click to expand...

That makes two of us, at least. I've lost too much flesh and blood to such meat hooks. I'll either cut them completely flush, or leave the entire tail if that presents no problems or cosmetic objections to my eyes.
 
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Steven Seagull

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Skyman said:
That makes two of us, at least. I've lost too much flesh and blood to such meat hooks. I'll either cut them completely flush, or leave the entire tail if that presents no problems or cosmetic objections to my eyes.
Click to expand...
My lifelong ambition of being a hand model went quickly out the window within the first month or two of installing. 🤣

When I worked on bicycles, we would sometimes leave zip ties at their full length to prevent cables from rattling with the tubing.

Nowadays, I sit in my home office and work on spreadsheets all day.
 
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Beerhippie

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Skyman said:
That makes two of us, at least. I've lost too much flesh and blood to such meat hooks. I'll either cut them completely flush, or leave the entire tail if that presents no problems or cosmetic objections to my eyes.
Click to expand...
My hands are used in ads still, usually with captions such as "Why you should send your kids to college."

The worst cutting edges in wiring are solid-conductor copper cut with dykes or lineman's pliers. Like working in a box full of Exacto blades.
 
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Beerhippie

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Beerhippie said:
Believe or not, these $6 MIC jobs cut flush, are sharp and seem to last well:


Buy five sets for the price of that Snappy. I bought 'em for zip-ties but have been using them a lot for wiring. Copper only, but I may just order another couple and try 'em on soft steel wire.
Click to expand...
Here's a zip-tie cut from those cheepo flush-cutters:

54263031516_420da4c4f1_b.jpg

Running a fingertip over the cut end, it feels smooth.
 
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Jeepster04

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Always liked the Kleins. I've lost several pairs and bought more then I'll find the lost pair. Think I'm up to 5 pairs....
 
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neophyte

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Skyman said:
Lindstrom makes some very nice cutters. I don't recall whether they make any that are truly flush-cut.
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Yes, Linstrom makes Flush cutters, and semi-flush cutters.
Most are smaller, and made more for electronics than large work.
The larger sizes may now be sold as Bahco branded.
Bahco almost certainly makes flush cutting pliers.
Bahco also has a design of cutters with the jaws made so the tips cut more flush, and the area nearer the pivot, cuts more like a regular hard/piano wire cutter. It will still likely leave ridge on the end of the wire. (2101 series for these cutters).
Bahco made cutters, at least if they have the screw connected joint, have usually been excellent in my experience.
 
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HannibalLecter

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Aug 26, 2023
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Tsunoda flush cutters ( they even have a corrugated spot to pull tight zip ties),
Knipex electronics flush cutters. These are to cut chips and components from boards. They work pretty well with zip ties as well
Lindstrom carbide edge flush cutters. When someone has more money than brains lol
 
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Davefr

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Swanstrom M403C with flush cut carbide jaws.

s-l1600.webp
 
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ecotec

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I buy every pair of lightly used flush cuts that I come across. I like having them everywhere, and my kid is consistently using them. He builds model kits, and they are the tool he uses most.

His favorite is the Xcelite 170D. There is a Crescent and a Weller that look just like the 170D. I don’t know the model numbers, but they look the same. They just have different handles and branding.

I pretty much buy any brand in really good condition (Snap-on, Klein, Crescent, Xcelite… whatever shows up). Like standard scissors, you want to have a lot of them.
 
R

rust in the eye

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Beerhippie said:
Believe or not, these $6 MIC jobs cut flush, are sharp and seem to last well:


Buy five sets for the price of that Snappy. I bought 'em for zip-ties but have been using them a lot for wiring. Copper only, but I may just order another couple and try 'em on soft steel wire.
Click to expand...
Your post may have spiked demand.
I looked at it yesterday and was going to order today. Price jumped almost 30%
 
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exmaxima1

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ecotec said:
I buy every pair of lightly used flush cuts that I come across. I like having them everywhere, and my kid is consistently using them. He builds model kits, and they are the tool he uses most.

His favorite is the Xcelite 170D. There is a Crescent and a Weller that look just like the 170D. I don’t know the model numbers, but they look the same. They just have different handles and branding.

I pretty much buy any brand in really good condition (Snap-on, Klein, Crescent, Xcelite… whatever shows up). Like standard scissors, you want to have a lot of them.
Click to expand...
It reads both Weller and Xcelite on the handles
 

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308guru

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I'll second the Weller Xcelite flush cutters. I use them a lot in a couple different model numbers.
 
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manwithtools

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Lebanon, TN
Steven Seagull said:
As a former 12v installer, I have an unreasonable hate for poorly cut zip ties that leave an edge.
Click to expand...

Skyman said:
That makes two of us, at least. I've lost too much flesh and blood to such meat hooks.
Click to expand...

Beerhippie said:
Here's a zip-tie cut from those cheepo flush-cutters:
Click to expand...

For Zip ties, I have a very expensive Panduit tool that works wonders but it's expensive as I said. I found these flush cutter pliers with the added feature of some serrated jaws built into them. Grab the tie wrap tail with the jaws and pull it tight. Then use the cutter portion to trim flush. They really work sweet.

Nicely made in Japan and reasonably priced at $20: Tsunoda, KBN-125, Cable Tie Cutter

They work for copper wire too. I've also got a few pair of the small Knipex and they work well too.

61X2VV088QL._AC_SL1500_ (1).jpg
 
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bwringer

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terrific

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I have a tiny pair from Xuron. I've heard they're kind of mediocre, but they've held up so far.
ProAmerica makes big sizes - up to 7 inches with a spring in the handle. I have the 6". I've only used them once so far, but they obviously worked. Tiny sliver of light between the blades down at the bottom and at the very tip, but they meet in the middle. I'm not sure if that's by design or within tolerance.
 
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timgunn1962

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Mar 31, 2018
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Lancashire, England
The Tsunoda KBN cutters mentioned in post #26 are very good indeed. I have the 6" KBN150 primarily for cutting cable ties, but they also get used exactly as described by the OP, for trimming off the excess when crimping bootlace ferrules on multistrand cables (typically in the range 12 to 24 AWG).

I'm in the UK and the lowest temperature I might realistically expect to encounter working on site is perhaps -10 degC, about 14 degF. I was mostly using the cheap Chinese look-a-bit-like-Xuron flush cutters for the same jobs as I use the KBN150s until last winter, when 4 of us were doing an on-site installation cutting cable ties in temperatures only a little below freezing and had 3 pairs of the cheapies break between us.

For site work, losing tools by dropping them in muddy water or inaccessible places is much more common than actually breaking them, so this was quite surprising.

If you are ever going to be working in temperatures near/below freezing, I'd suggest avoiding the pressed-steel cheapies and going for the Tsunodas or similar. Otherwise, the pressed-steel cheapies are very effective and offer a lot of bang for the buck.

The KBN150s are boring (the ultimate accolade from a maintenance guy: excitement is not a good thing). I cannot recommend them highly enough.
 
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Callelle

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Depew NY
I had one of the Icon ones, lost it and ended up buying the Craftsman V while it was on sale at Lowes and I hated it. Ended up going back and getting another Icon set, I like that they're more pointed, the Craftsmans were too blunt tipped and made it a difficult to cut ties around REALLY tight harness packs without damaging anything underneath.
 
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Bigblue&Goldie

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AZ
bwringer said:
Hakko CHP-170 Micro Cutter

I caught a good deal on a box of six a few years ago. I think I've destroyed two in that time.

Flush cutters are consumables, no matter who made them. The Hakkos are very cheap for the high quality. I have them scattered around my usual haunts so I can always find a pair.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%, and coincidentally I just bought a set of these the other day. Perfect for plastic/zip ties.
 
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AJHD

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I have the Snap On 786CF I bought back in 2019 when they were released. I really only use them for zip ties, they absolutely a must have and one of my go to pliers.

I also have the Icon version/copy. They are a good budget option that also work well at under $20 and frequently can be had with an applicable coupon.

No need to over think it.
 
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AEAdam

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terrific said:
I have a tiny pair from Xuron. I've heard they're kind of mediocre, but they've held up so far.
ProAmerica makes big sizes - up to 7 inches with a spring in the handle. I have the 6". I've only used them once so far, but they obviously worked. Tiny sliver of light between the blades down at the bottom and at the very tip, but they meet in the middle. I'm not sure if that's by design or within tolerance.
Click to expand...
I think Xuron is the OEM for a bunch of the cutters mentioned earlier including Klein, Weller, Xcelite etc.

I think the complaint about Xuron is that they are just bent sheet metal, not forged and they are bit soft. But they are cheap and you can sharpen them if you are clever. They are for electronics, designed to cut soft metals and plastics.

But they are US made, cheap, and available in a dizzying array of styles. I strongly recommend them. They have cool tiny pliers that are really helpful. Like one step up from tweezers.

I think these are the right tools for automotive electronics. I find a lot of the pliers people love clumsy in my hands. Like Linesman's pliers. They are like clubs. Just don't like using them. I typically use duck bills for the tasks people typically use linesman's pliers for.
 
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neophyte

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AEAdam said:
I think Xuron is the OEM for a bunch of the cutters mentioned earlier including Klein, Weller, Xcelite etc.

I think the complaint about Xuron is that they are just bent sheet metal, not forged and they are bit soft. But they are cheap and you can sharpen them if you are clever. They are for electronics, designed to cut soft metals and plastics.

But they are US made, cheap, and available in a dizzying array of styles. I strongly recommend them. They have cool tiny pliers that are really helpful. Like one step up from tweezers.

I think these are the right tools for automotive electronics. I find a lot of the pliers people love clumsy in my hands. Like Linesman's pliers. They are like clubs. Just don't like using them. I typically use duck bills for the tasks people typically use linesman's pliers for.
Click to expand...
Sheet metal, if the alloy is chosen properly, and heat treated peoperly, can potentially be just as durable, if not more durable that forged steel.
A lot of the cutters made for cutting the highest tensile steel wire rope for instance, are made from sheet and plate steel that has been machined and ground, rather than forged.
This includes the ultra high end HK Porter cutters, and brands like Felco.
 
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