What do the Pros use...

[turbowoodworker]

...to cut wire rope?

I've got to cut a lot of 3/16" stainless cable for some hops trelisses. I've tried a number of tools on hand, the best is the Knipex miniboltcutters, but they don't really get the job done. Lots of cuts, pretty sore hands. Unfortunately, this is in the field so no bench, no power (except rechargables).

So what do the pros use in the field?

Thanks.

 

[Strouty]

Felco C3?

I also have hydraulic hand pump units for bigger wire.

Sorry, theC3's only go to 1/8"

 

[Strouty]

A C7 will do up to 1/4" and a C9 will cut 3/8"

 

[turbowoodworker]

Thanks Strouty, that Falco looks like a good choice and I'm due for a good tool purchase.

BTW congrats on your 18000th post, I'm sure you are there by now.

 

[Strouty]

LOL, didn't even notice, I may have to delete a few so I can celebrate properly! I have the smaller felco's and I like them, honestly not sure why I don't own the larger ones???? I guess I will have to go shopping too.

 

[GeorgeFromPa]

torch

 

[Strouty]

Zoro has a great price compared to other places, wait until they have a 25% off sale and ****** them up with some other purchases.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Yah I saw Zoros price and thought of the discount codes.

 

[derosa]

Hit brand cable cutters, http://www.e-rigging.com/quarter-inch-Cable-Cutter
Tested them out vs Pedro's and park tool which are the two pro level cable cutters for bicycles. Work amazing, chewed through 32 stainless steel spokes with no discernible damage. Besides cutting bicycle cables which they've now gone through a few hundred it removes cable locks with ease. Biggest thing is they won't fray a cable or rope, just clean cut.

 

[WWheeler]

Cordless angle grinder w/ cutoff wheel

 

[Carquest]

I think Knipex makes a wire rope cutter, think that si what I use at work. Will check Monday


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[Strouty]

Hit brand cable cutters, http://www.e-rigging.com/quarter-inch-Cable-Cutter
Tested them out vs Pedro's and park tool which are the two pro level cable cutters for bicycles. Work amazing, chewed through 32 stainless steel spokes with no discernible damage. Besides cutting bicycle cables which they've now gone through a few hundred it removes cable locks with ease. Biggest thing is they won't fray a cable or rope, just clean cut.

I would try those in a heartbeat for $20, made in Japan, sounds like a winner to me.

All my Felco's came used from ebay, so I was not sure how expensive they were for real.

 

[Lassen Forge]

We used a hydraulic shear to do the ropes on our tow trucks (when I was in that business)... nice, square edges for a swage.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

Felco

 

[boomer12831]

I use a guillotine, I always wrap it with electrical tape then hit the guillotine with a small sledge.

 

[Rossco]

All ropes on the 1500ton shovels at work are cut with an angle grinder. Cutting disc installed.

 

[PBCampbell]

http://www.morse-starrett.com/ms/model1.html

 

[Local]

If doing a lot of cuts get a cordless bandsaw to avoid the sore hands.
These might work good as you can use with one hand without much force.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TDKEYA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[T45]

http://www.morse-starrett.com/ms/model1.html

Lots of cool stuff there...

http://www.morse-starrett.com/ms/manual_cutters.html

 

[stercorarius]

I run a lot of 3/8 steel cable for dairy fencing. Best tool for my application that I have found is
http://www.harborfreight.com/media/...b33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_14736.jpg the harbor freight bolt/cable cutters. Mine have grey handles, the picture shows yellow. Maybe they've changed since I bought mine. The inside crotch of the cutters makes cutting cable effortless. Regular bolt cutter jaws get way too loose way too quick for cable. No problems with these for the price. A torch is the fastest and kind of welds the ends so you don't have loose strands which is nice, but the ends are difficult to get clamps on afterwards and I've had too many second degree burns on my right palm from going to pull a cable tight, forgetting I just torched it, to care to use that method anymore.

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[GTO]

Cordless angle grinder w/ cutoff wheel

This

 

[anurag1990]

knipex 95-71-445 (18" long) cable cutter has capacity upto 10 mm ( or 3/8" approx.)

 

[californiaHank]

I have Felco C9 cutters. I use them for SS wire rope on sailboats.
They're good for 3/16" cable, but a bit marginal for anything bigger than 1/4".
They're about 13 inches long - I wouldn't consider anything smaller for 3/16" stainless.
The C3 Felcos mentioned earlier are a good tool, but somewhat undersized for 3/16 wire, particularly if it's stainless.

 

[vettex2]

chop saw with metal wheel

 

[DeliveryGuy]

I have the KNIPEX 95 61 190, but they're a little light duty for Stainless 3/16. It will cut it, but I had to squeeze for all I'm worth. 3/16 regular 7x19 rope is much easier to cut than stainless.

My Arm HSC-600 swage crimper has a built in cutter that I use for the big stuff, and my Knipex stays in my carry bag for anything 5/32 and smaller.

 

[flushcut]

Cordless angle grinder w/ cutoff wheel

I do the same quick and clean.

 

[slip knot]

I use either a hammer shear or a metal chopsaw. Either one gets a few wraps of tape prior to cutting to keep the ends from unravelling.

 

[skruft]

There are a few different manufacturers of wire rope cutters, and I have a no-name pair from Korea that seems to work fine.

 

[Ign]

If ya wanna get fancy get the Klutch angle grinder holder
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=337507

 

[WhiskeyRanger]

Knipex Cobalt mini bolt cutters for small stuff, metabo with a cut off wheel for bigger stuff.

 

[ToolNuttt]

Knipex 8" high leverage bolt cutters is my go to plier

 

[DHCrocks]

good upto 6mm wire rope. 3/16" is 4.76mm

 

[anurag1990]

good upto 6mm wire rope. 3/16" is 4.76mm

nice picture. looks old model from knipex. new ones are all forged.

 

[trashmanssd]

We cut the 1/2" overhead cable on our packers with cutoff tool, we also use that to cut the 7/8" Cables on our Rolloff trucks. Cuts through like butter only takes 30 seconds for 1/2" about a minute for 7/8".

 

[turbowoodworker]

Thanks for all the responses. I ended up with the Klein model much like the Knipex shown above. It works fine.
I appreciate the advice given.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Cordless angle grinder w/ cutoff wheel

A bit smaller. M12 rotary tool and cut of.

 

[DHCrocks]

nice picture. looks old model from knipex. new ones are all forged.

wierd, so Knipex keeps the same model numbers but changes the part? so how do you know if you have a current model or and old one. I wonder why they dont give it a new part number or add a letter to designate a new version.

 

[Tom.C]

We have a small shear at work, you run the cable through then hit it with a sledge hammer, it's like a little guillotine, not sure what its called but it works great

 

[Tom.C]

https://www.google.com/search?q=sle...&sourceid=silk&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=Z16MjuzRrsGowM:

Impact cable cutter

 

[teddlett]

Felcos, though mine look just like the kinpex in the picture. We use them all the time to fix cables folks try to cut with those bolt cutter looking things.

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