Uneffective dykes

[timmyisme22]

The above cutters haven't flinched on anything I throw at them, but to not take chances on anything extra hard or thick, I use these
http://www.homedepot.com/p/KNIPEX-8...utter-64-HRC-Forged-Steel-71-01-200/100668975

Picked up a pair of these at Sears (I work there, and I needed it after work). Got it for $40 before my dues (assoc. discount). Online shows $50 or so. Might've been a local thing or not, but was well worth it. Bit through 5mm steel without a hitch (well, it was a pain in the ***). No bite or damage on the Knipex either


I couldn't find a competent pair of bolt cutters for what was being asked. This and a Companion 8" were all we had at our local Sears. HD and Lowes had junkers (soft use only) at best 24" for the same cost as the Knipex. Didn't even want to try Grainger as I wanted something originally around $30 immediately (so minor mark-ups for having it local was expected).

It truely is a worthy little 8" bolt cutter.

 

[uart]

Throw those *****-Last side cutters over your left shoulder and get a good pair. Doesn't have to be Knipex. Klein, Snap On, Channellock, there's too many good ones to mention. Life's too short for ****** cutters!

Yeah that would be a much more effective tool for cutting steel wire or nails. If you look at the mechanical advantage (distance ratios to the pivot point) it's about 20:1 for that set and only about 6:1 for the ones pictured in the op.

 

[redwrench60]

Yeah that would be a much more effective tool for cutting steel wire or nails. If you look at the mechanical advantage (distance ratios to the pivot point) it's about 20:1 for that set and only about 6:1 for the ones pictured in the op.

You got it. I cut that coat hanger to bits in about 20 seconds using one handed pressure and the cutters still look good as new. You can turn right around and cut fine stranded copper wire cleanly. It just takes the right cutters.

 

[txdude87]

Yes right tool for the job. I never understood why my dykes would go dull or chip until I read the nws or knipex descriptions. Keep an eye out on the hot deals section, someone posted an amazon sale and I snagged some 10 inch knipex for $20 to my door. They are fantastic so far.

 

[FullRaceMerc]

I thought the spelling DIkes referred to wire cutters. Diagonal cut pliers.

And the spelling DYkes was a derogatory term for them Lebanese women. Misspelled words can take on a completely different meaning.

 

[Steinmetz]

Ineffective.

 

[Fender1325]

Eh..... Dykes/dikes, uneffective/ineffective. You can find usage of both spellings from good sources. Anyhow, redwrench60, which model are those in your picture?

 

[redwrench60]

Eh..... Dykes/dikes, uneffective/ineffective. You can find usage of both spellings from good sources. Anyhow, redwrench60, which model are those in your picture?

Don't worry about Steinmetz, he lives to point out how stupid the rest of us are.

As for the cutters they are Knipex # 74 01 250. I picked these up at Sears but there's many choices online as well.

 

[Fender1325]

Thanks man

 

[jeejay]

Go to Tractor Supply and get a set of Fence Pliers - the slipjoint wire cutters on them are made for cutting fence wire, so they'' handle stuff like coathanger, plus they have a better mechanical advantage than sidecutters...

THe ones you want look like this and run about 11 inches.

Cool, I'll be working with coat hangers (cutting and shaping custom sized hooks for cargo netting on my roof rack). A couple of those should do the trick.

 

[HomeTheaterMan]

I know someone joked about it earlier in the thread, but I really like my Craftsman side cutters. I have a set that I've probably been using 15 years now and they still cut great. I've cut anything I've wanted to with them and never worried about if they were the right tool for the job or not. Best of all, if they do get dull or chip or anything else) they haven't) Sears will just give me a new pair.

I have a pair of Klien linesman pliers and the cutting ability on those is amazing as well. They just won't be as easy to get warranties should they ever wear out.

I also have a set of Knipex side cutters and they are probably my third favorite, but I find myself reaching for the Craftsman over these most of the time. They feel a little too floppy for me. I know some guys like this, I don't. I also won't be able to get these replaced should I ever wear them out. That all said, they do cut very well, but I don't see a difference in the cutting ability compared to the Craftsman.

I also have Knipex mini bolt cutters and they do great on hard metals. This is my favorite Knipex tool that I have. The only reason I don't use these more is because I primarily am working on cars and they are big enough that it's hard to get them in tight spaces, hard to cut cotter pins, etc. If I was primarily cutting coat hangers or similar where space isn't an issue, I'd go with these hands down.

 

[four.cycle]

Wilde Tool G6360P NP 8" Heavy Duty Lineman Electricians Pliers Made in USA
new
$14.95 incl. shipping
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wilde-Tool-...914722?hash=item25c1a9b5a2:g:vjIAAOSwhkRWgrMt

they're actually about 9 inches in length:

 

[Schurkey]

If you are working that hard to cut a coat hanger, you should throw them in the garbage.

Winner.

So the general consensus is that coat hangers are hard? I mean, compared to copper or aluminum, sure, but a hard metal? Seriously?

Also winner.

I loved my Snap-On 87s. Lost them, bought 87A which work fine but have bowed handles instead of flared handles. They don't fit my hands well. Prefer Channellock 437* with flared handles. I've also got lineman's cutters, and a pair of fencing pliers, and they're rusting in my toolbox because I never need 'em. The Snap-On "high leverage" 388 side cutters are great for pulling and cutting cotter pins; I don't use them for much else.

Any 7+ inch side cutter that can't cut a coat hanger is either very specialized, or PURE JUNK.

*Quote from Channellock web site:

Cutting capabilities include piano wire (0.063" min diameter - 0.080" max diameter), hard wire (0.047" - 0.091"), medium hard wire (0.047" - 0.091") and soft wire (0.162" max diameter).
Made in the USA

 

[oldldh]

Tekton #34025 11 inch 30-Degree Offset High-Leverage Cutting Pliers...

$14.99 from Amazon...

I bought a pair last year...

And...

These mammer, jammers will cut coat hanger wire like angel hair pasta!!!

And...

The price is right!!!!

 

[jeejay]

I think the key difference between round enclosing cutting holes, like those on the sides of fence pliers versus straight edged blades, like those on bolt cutters is that you get more of a flush cut with the round ones, and more of a pointy edge left behind by linear ones (and besides, there are two blades on fence pliers, so it's like two tools in one, or several if you count the other features, hammer, pliers, bird beaks, etc).

It's good to know what else would work for whatever, I'm just glad I found an excuse to try these things, and will probably use them for something else too. Got a pair of Great Neck, and also MintCraft, they happened to be at the same place for the same price, same length and width, but there are some differences in the size and shape of their pliers and other openings on them that may be better suited to different tasks. Each were able to break open their own packaging so I could check them out, always a plus (Houdini would approve).