Wire Cutter Woes

[bonsaibp]

Bought this Knipex angled head diagonal cutter and very pleased. Tried it with various nails and it did it w/ gusto.

http://www.amazon.com/74-21-250-Lev...K8/ref=sr_1_44?ie=UTF8&qid=1384280565&sr=8-44

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKa5Ia-0-Yw

It is a bit on the bulky side but if I need the power to cut heavy gauge wires, I am assuming there are clear space for it to go in. The angled head should help tremendously also. Just another option if you are still having cutter woes.

The biggest draw back to this type of cutter is when you have a large wire that's kind of tight, there usually isn't the strength at the very tip to cut it without cutting into the branch. Wire cutters made for bonsai have all their strength at the tip so you can cut the wire without damage to the branch.

 

[Poink88]

The biggest draw back to this type of cutter is when you have a large wire that's kind of tight, there usually isn't the strength at the very tip to cut it without cutting into the branch. Wire cutters made for bonsai have all their strength at the tip so you can cut the wire without damage to the branch.

True that with longer cutting blades the leverage at the tip is less but I am a small man (and not that strong either) but tried it with the biggest (6.0 mm aluminum) wires I have at the tip and it went through without any difficulty. I know copper will be much harder but do not see it as a problem (yet).

If need be (but I strongly doubt), I can easily grind this down to a shorter cutting blade length. Work but I am a tinkerer and enjoys it.

FYI, I also have 3 bonsai cutters and I use the smallest (7") and cheapest ($17.00 delivered made in China) w/o any problem (even on 6.0 mm aluminum) thus I wonder at Stacey's woes. We are only cutting aluminum and/or copper...any steel cutter (maintained properly) should work fine.

 

[GrimLore]

Anyone else find that pretty much any and all of the wire cutters
out there are just plain crap ???

I mean... I'm averaging about a month, month and a half worth
of use before they pretty much lose their cutting ability. Which
is really sad, cause they aren't cheap...

Oh well... guess it's back to my trusty $10, Home Depot one's
that I have had since before I got into Bonsai...

I have been using a pair of cutters that where my Dads for all wire for a LOT of years. I have not used the carbon or stainless bonsai types that I have even once. On some items I honestly believe you are better off just buying a Craftsman equivalent. A good wire cutter is a good wire cutter no matter what its target audience is... Also, many of the "bonsai" tools are to petite for my mitts and hard for me to use.

Grimmy

 

[M. Frary]

I have an older set of Channelock cutters that can cut cable or cut wire tight to a trees limb and they're as strong and sharp as when they were new.

 

[JudyB]

Being a production electrician, I use my regular electrical cutters. I don't seem to have any problems with them...

LIES, lies lies!!!
Now that I'm trying to cut large copper wire, I understand!!! Cutting the large wire is fine off the roll, because you can get the wire back on the blades far enough to get the cutting leverage. But when you are cutting off a tree, the ends of the blades don't carry enough power to get it cut.

Why is a bonsai wire cutter better then an average or quality 'normal' wire cutter? I don't get it please explain?

Two reasons

one. the fulcrum (pivot point) of bonsai wire cutters is very close to the working end of the tool. Only about 3/8 inch. On say some regular electrician wire cutters, the wire cutter head is much longer and pointier, they each have their purpose.

The fucrum being short with the long handles requires much less force to cut the wire after A. it stays on there a long time and gets hard as well as B. work hardens when it is bent.

2. the working end of the bonsai tool is short and blunt. It can be pushed rather hard into the tree to grasp the wire, but there is little danger of actually cutting wood. Do not push as hard with an electricians tool or you will cut a big chunk into the tree.

EXACTLY.
Learned another lesson, but I can see why it applies to some and not others. I can still get off smaller gauges with normal cutters.
Looks like I'm going with the J.Roth pro grade. I like the grip idea, sounds like lots of folks like them, and I can get them right away... Kaneshin is 2 weeks away...

 

[Adair M]

Unwrap small wire when removing it from the tree.

I have had a pair of Masakuni wire cutters 40 years. And I've never sharpened them. They still cut copper wire, all sizes we use for bonsai, like the day they were brand new.

 

[JudyB]

Adair, most of the time I do unwrap. However at this time of year, on D trees, it can be safer to cut, as you don't want to knock off the tender buds. Esp. on beech, and one flushers.

 

[Adair M]

Judy, I don't keep wire on D trees over the winter.

I only wire D trees in the growing season. Only new non-lignified growth with leaves on it. It gets wired, then removed in 6 weeks to 2 months, cut back, then when it grows out again, rewired. 2 maybe 3 times a season. Once the leaves fall off, the wire is removed for the Winter.

Oh, and for D trees, I do use aluminum.

 

[JudyB]

Never had a problem wiring D in winter. Most of which I do use alum. for, but the odd large branch or big bend, I now do use copper. Had a few of these last fall/ this winter.

 

[youngsai]

I am willing to wager that Masakuni and the other high end tools mentioned on here cut better, but I also bet that it is really only minimally better than this $16 Channellock wire cutters. I bought these and have not needed anything more for bonsai purposes. They have everything needed for bonsai, they meet each other flush and they cut all the way to the end, so they are good for cutting wire even while still on a tree. These cleanly cut through any gauge wire I have thrown at them, and I think for the money, you cannot go wrong with these.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Channellock-7-in-Side-Cutting-Pliers-337/202304948

 

[jkd2572]

Think this post was started by someone selling tools. Wire running tools?... Would have to see a video proving it.

 

[JudyB]

These cleanly cut through any gauge wire I have thrown at them, and I think for the money, you cannot go wrong with these.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Channellock-7-in-Side-Cutting-Pliers-337/202304948

#6 copper wire after being bent and on the tree for a year? and only being able to get the tips onto the wire placement wise?

 

[Poink88]

I am willing to wager that Masakuni and the other high end tools mentioned on here cut better, but I also bet that it is really only minimally better than this $16 Channellock wire cutters. I bought these and have not needed anything more for bonsai purposes. They have everything needed for bonsai, they meet each other flush and they cut all the way to the end, so they are good for cutting wire even while still on a tree. These cleanly cut through any gauge wire I have thrown at them, and I think for the money, you cannot go wrong with these.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Channellock-7-in-Side-Cutting-Pliers-337/202304948

#6 copper wire after being bent and on the tree for a year? and only being able to get the tips onto the wire placement wise?

Judy, I don't use copper so cannot answer that but for those who cannot afford the "proper" bonsai wire cutter...the one linked will do. Not as efficient or perfect but will do. The one I posted cuts nails even at the tips BTW (yes, with more effort).

Youngsai, If you have a grinder, you can slowly grind the half tip of that cutter and have an awesome high leverage cutter. Do it slowly and constantly dunk in cold water so you do not lose the temper on it. Much more work than buying but if you have more free time than money...

Also sharpening will help a lot. Most cutters have a very blunt cutting edge or wide angled bevel. Reduce that bevel angle and it will cut much easier. Too narrow and it may chip easily so you will have to find that sweet spot for the material you are cutting. DO NOT use it to cut steel after reducing the bevel. You will risk damaging (chipping) the cutting edge.

 

[armetisius]

Wire cutters?

Being a production electrician, I use my regular electrical cutters. I don't seem to have any problems with them...

As the son of a mechanic I have never owned a traditional pair of wire cutters; I know better. Want good tools? Buy good tools. But don't buy "the name" or just plain low quality because it has "Bonsai" slapped on its face. With only a FEW exceptions all these tools were scavenged from other professions to begin with. Go to any parts house and look at their "cotter key pliers". They come in several sizes, price points, and quality levels at generally half/two-thirds the price point of "bonsai" wire cutters. They are intended for cutting tempered steel (in tight quarters) and cutting copper/aluminum wire they have NEVER dulled. I still use my father's pair of high end German ones and would not think of using anything else. They treat 6mm grounding wire like a twig being cut with sharp pruning shears. And they haven't needed sharpening in the 30+ years I've used them. Let me assure you I have cut MANY things with them that I should not have and they are still kicking butt cutting wire. I have no experience with electrical cutters but cannot imagine them being anything but of equal quality to mine.