String cutter recommendations?

[202dy]

[QUOTE="Olde Axeman, post: 16040459, member: 170146" At one time I would have also recommended Craftsman, but in recent years they have degraded the quality of their tools by substituting casting for forging and having some of their stuff made in China. Then, there's the question of whether or not Sears will even be around in 10 years after being bought out by K-Mart.[/QUOTE]

Which is exactly why we buy tools that we are going to modify at the flea market. A beat up pair of Craftsman (or other good tool) can be had for a dollar or two. It can be ground and polished without fear of messing up a new tool.

As far as Sears longevity, retail is changing in big ways, thanks to the interwebs. Malls are soon to be obsolete. That will not necessarily hurt a business like Sears if they are willing to adapt. It appears that they are. Stay tuned.

 

[Hopkins]

It is spelled Klein, and that really only matters to your search engine. Klein is the apex predator of the diagonal cutter world. At one time I would have also recommended Craftsman, but in recent years they have degraded the quality of their tools by substituting casting for forging and having some of their stuff made in China. Then, there's the question of whether or not Sears will even be around in 10 years after being bought out by K-Mart.

In any event, here's the Klein bad boy you want. Extra leverage for minimal cutting effort and very high quality.

http://www.amazon.com/Klein-D2000-48-High-Leverage-Diagonal-Cutting-Pliers-Angled/dp/B0000302WZ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403095168&sr=8-1&keywords=klein diagonal cutting pliers

Craftsman is casting their cutters now?

 

[GBassNorth]

Finally, a thread where it actually makes sense to ask - what's the best cutter for metal?

 

[Hopkins]

Finally, a thread where it actually makes sense to ask - what's the best cutter for metal?

 

[Ewo]

"Kline"? Nein! -Klein-, es ist!

But I guess I'm not understanding the question in the thread starter. I've been using a .142 B string for a while, and I've never had any difficulty trimming to the right length to wind around the tuning peg with any hardware store side cutter that was around. It's tapered after the string reaches the nut.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

I used to use my Gerber, but the blade in it wore out;
I now use any old dikes I have laying around.

Kline, Klin. Craftsman, Cresent, Ace, thats not the point. The point is a quality 7" cutter.

But which is the best for METAL?

 

[joeyl]

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I use these and have no problems with B strings

 

[Linnin]

I have one, it is in fact a nice cutter. It's a by pass cutter as opposed to the Klines which are double cutters (like an anvil cutter but has two blades which touch together.) A little silicone spray makes the winder usable too.

I have one and use it for every string change. I find the winder very usuable. The cutter is good enough and gets the job done with minimal effort. A few drops of gun oil is all it takes!

 

[sowilson]

Love the Knipex mini-bolt cutters, keep one on my boat for cutting fish hooks (I don't like to get my hands near the mouths of Muskies - I just cut the treble hooks). I keep a Knipex diagional cutter (IIRC 7") in my band tool kit.

 

[walterw]

Bass strings are much harder than the copper wire side cutters are designed to cut. This extra hardness plays hell with the edges of the cutter and will blunt even the best cutters available so unless you are going to buy something with a free replacement warranty stick with the B or C brand. They will last about as long as the more expensive versions and cost a lot less.

i go the other way here; my 6" kleins have held up for a really long time now with daily continuous use on strings of all sizes, no nicks or gouges. they're not all that expensive and way worth it. (i never touch screws with it, those are reserved for the knipex mini bolt-cutters.)

the kleins are also nicely close to flush-cutting, unlike typical cheaper cutters. not a huge deal on basses, but important with guitars to allow for close-snipping the strings that stick out the side of tuners without the top-holes.

 

[Cartman86]

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[Jeff Bonny]

For less than $25 a pair of [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]is a lot of bang for your buck....they do the job and will last years. Cheap ones go dull (the really cheap ones come that way) and end up crushing and pinching more than really cutting.

For about $35 another option is a pair of Invalid Link Removed cable cutters. They're made to cut bicycle cables very cleanly so the end doesn't deform or fray and they work well on bass strings. The Shimano ones are really good too. I think they're up around $50. Dunno If I'd buy a pair just for strings but if you work on bicycles it could kill two birds with one stone.

The crème de la crème though is a set of [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. Nobody makes a better set of wire cutters. Period.
Some may consider them overkill but they make perfect clean cuts and will last decades.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[fhm555]

...i go the other way here; my 6" kleins have held up for a really long time now with daily continuous use on strings of all sizes, no nicks or gouges. they're not all that expensive and way worth it. (i never touch screws with it, those are reserved for the knipex mini bolt-cutters.)...

I'll have to get me some kleins for wire cutting and keep the craftsman for the screws.

 

[MVE]

I use my $75.00. 4" Klein side cutters for detail work and guitar strings.

I usually use my 7" ChannelLock cutters for bass strings. They were about $25 in the Electrical section of HD, and they are a great high quality made in USA value.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

I bought a diagonal cutter at Rat Shack. It sucks.

 

[RustyAxe]

Interesting thread ... 35 posts (so far) about cutting a string?

 

[202dy]

Interesting thread ... 35 posts (so far) about cutting a string?

The subject of this thread is tool choice.

If you work at the bench and your product will be judged by the public this can be an important issue.

 

[MVE]

Yours would make it 36.

Seriously, tool choice is a very important subject.

 

[walterw]

I use my $75.00. 4" Klein side cutters for detail work and guitar strings.

are they gold-plated? hand-sewn leather handle grips?

also, as a rule you want to go as big as will comfortably fit the job at hand, the 4" ones might be a bit dinky for strings long-term. the 6" kleins are a good beefy size that's still able to get in tight between guitar tuner posts and such. (i know guys who use the big ol' 8" klein high-leverage cutters, but that's too clunky for me.)

 

[joeyl]

Interesting thread ... 35 posts (so far) about cutting a string?

The more suggestions, the better. Would you rather have no responses?