Who makes good flush cutters?

[Sparky Six Axis]

In all my years I've never owned a good set of flush cutters for cutting zip ties. They either break or the tips bend and stop cutting. Oh and they all are locked open so when you grab them in your bag they fillet your fingers and make you bleed.

I've been carrying the milwaukee version for awhile and they haven't broke, but they don't lock closed.

48-22-6105 Mini Flush Cut Pliers Cutters for Milwaukee - Amazon.com

48-22-6105 Mini Flush Cut Pliers Cutters for Milwaukee - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

We talked a bit about these last year https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...-plastics-and-cable-ties-specifically.547855/

 

[Madjik Man]

The Tsunoda KBNs are amazing. I also have the TH-150NC which is a flush cut and catcher. No more flying cut pieces.

 

[four.cycle]

@Sparky Six Axis =
The Tsunoda KBN150 consistently gets the highest marks from members here, followed by the smaller KBN125.

 

[mike93lx]

I have a bunch of the kleins and have been happy with all of them. They're also great for cleaning up supports on 3d prints

 

[ecotec]

I got the Knipex ones recently, and they have been great so far.

 

[Jgaz]

@Sparky Six Axis =
The Tsunoda KBN150 consistently gets the highest marks from members here, followed by the smaller KBN125.

^^This^^

 

[whateg01]

I keep buying them for like $5/10 (probably not actually that cheap) on Amazon. No name stuff that cuts zip ties easily. I have a set of Milwaukee that I damaged trying to cut what I thought was copper wire but turned out not to be. So I buy the cheap ones now and when they get lost, I don't cry over them. How do y'all damage them cutting zip ties?

 

[ez-duzit]

Klein.

 

[Sparky Six Axis]

How do y'all damage them cutting zip ties?

Cutting 14,000 zip ties per day

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Cutting 14,000 zip ties per day

That would be 29 per minute consistently over an 8 hour day.

 

[Jgaz]

How do y'all damage them cutting zip ties?

Cutting a zip tie that is heavier than your cutter should handle.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

How do y'all damage them cutting zip ties?

These electronics nippers people are using are designed to cut copper wire.

Copper is a soft metal that is sheared by the blade.

Plastic cable ties on the other hand being nylon, are flexible and compress during the cut, needing more force, which is eventually released in a snap when it finally cuts through.

On the left is the Super Knips XL, recommended for all but small cable ties.

 

[Hakeem]

I had the Tsunodas and they were nice but didn’t leave quite as flush of a cut as other flush cutters. They had a slight bevel on the “flush” side which keeps it from leaving a completely smooth cut.

The Icon set has been great for me along with the Snapon combo flush/diagonal cutters

 

[whateg01]

Cutting a zip tie that is heavier than your cutter should handle.

I guess I'm doing something wrong then, because I have some that only ever get used to cut zip ties off of my transit cases when they get to their destination.

These electronics nippers people are using are designed to cut copper wire.

Copper is a soft metal that is sheared by the blade.

These side cutters don't shear anything. They aren't shears. They cut through copper wire the same way they cut through zip ties.

Plastic cable ties on the other hand being nylon, are flexible and compress during the cut, needing more force, which is eventually released in a snap when it finally cuts through.

I must be using mine wrong since they still work for cutting zip ties.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

These side cutters don't shear anything. They aren't shears.

Granted.

They cut through copper wire the same way they cut through zip ties.

As per the rest of what I said, it seems to me there is more "pushing through" and load-up of pressure occurring when cutting a cable tie, than with thin copper wire.

I must be using mine wrong since they still work for cutting zip ties.

It could be...

• you're not cutting too big cable ties, or especially high grade ones
• you are careful to seat the tie near the base of the jaw
• your cutter's tips are not too narrow or optimised for confined spaces

 

[Sumboodie]

I've had a Snap On set for ~20 years. Well, 2nd set, an employee used the 1st on wire and ruined it.

Says Ergo Made in Spain.

Look like these but red handle.

https://www.lindstromtools.com/us_en/ergotm-precision-diagonal-plastic-cutters-pb_p6160_.html

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

I can't find this video on YouTube, but you don't need to log in anyway

10K views · 191 reactions | Cutting cable ties with the KNIPEX Electronic Super Knips® 78 61 125 – but the right way! These pliers are specially designed for working on electronic components. This includes, for example, cutting thin wires and fiber

Cutting cable ties with the KNIPEX Electronic Super Knips® 78 61 125 – but the right way! These pliers are specially designed for working on electronic components. This includes, for example,...

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At 1:04, he says the standard 125mm is fine for up to 2.5mm (halfway between 1/16" and 1/8") ties.

I'm sure they'd also be fine on 4.5mm (halfway between 1/8" and 3/16"), but might need care with your hand force and where you place in the jaw, and a bit of luck if you're doing hundreds.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Knipex: What do you use to cut cable ties flush?

Cable ties are usually made of high-quality plastics, which have high tearing forces. When they are cut off with pliers, high frictional forces therefore arise between the plastic of the cable tie and the steel of the cutting edge of the pliers.
The wider and thicker the cable tie, the greater these forces become.

The surface of the cutting edges and their wedge angle also have a major influence on the cutting forces that are generated.

models come close to their load limit when cutting cable ties, especially with wide cable ties, but also when cutting with a fast cutting motion: the speed increases friction.

None of this is specific to Knipex of course, just they are the ones talking about it.

 

[Two Speed]

I got a set of channel lock flush cutters for work, used daily, forget how long, but I ended up with a handle snapping on them mid job. Overall I was satisfied with them, but don't cut electrical cords with them, I suspect that hastened their demise. #758. Being mid job I saw milwaulkee "flush cutters" at the one of the larger hardware stores, and despite my personal distaste and anti-milwaulkee products I thought I'd give them a chance, biggest regret and mistake. They are NOT flush cutters despite the package declaring FLUSH cut. Don't belive the package, and of course they are packaged so you can't inspect the cutter end. **** milwaulkee and their **** tier products. All of it. ALL OF IT. Never again. I swore of milwaukee garbage years ago (smoke let out of two drills, drill chucks that didn't stay tightened and refused warranty on them.Did I mention, **** milwaukee? No? **** 'em sideways with a splintered bat. Ended up spending some time with the grinder and having to turn them into flush cutters.

 

[seber]

I got disgusted with them all. I ground a standard wire cutter into a flush cutter. That works.

 

[KnurledNut]

I got disgusted with them all. I ground a standard wire cutter into a flush cutter. That works.

I did that with a pair of 8" end cutters. Works great for heavy duty cutting.

 

[NoahG]

Xuron maxi-shears. They’re so good my wife demanded her own set. She used to work at a leasing office and they used a LOT of zip ties attaching tags to key rings for the leasing agents. After a girl cut herself pretty bad trying to cut them off with a pair of scissors, I showed them the light.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GXHF2JK?tag=atomicindus08-20

For the shop, I’ve been stocking these:

https://www.amazon.com/Cutters-BOOSDEN-Spring-Loaded-Cutting/dp/B09BTPSSYS/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Davefr]

Just use a Panduit zip tie tool. It tensions and cuts all at the same time. They're expensive new but reasonable on Ebay.