Hi, I’m after a set of decent cable cutters and was wondering what do you guys recommend to get?

If anyone has any spare ones lying around I would be interested to take these (sneaky wtd ad I know shhh :p)

Cheers

Daz

I was about to recommend these on-one cable cutters but i notice they are out of stock, they are exactly the same as the £30 pedros items we have in the workshop, and those cheap track pumps that Lidl had in a few weeks ago for £3.99 are exactly the same design as the £30 Pedros track pump apart from a crap valve attachment but they only cost a few £ to replace.

I’ve a pair of bbb cable cutters which i purchased from chain reaction, theyve been really good and they cut the cable clean which you wont get from pliers or the gardening type.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=3971

Maun side cutters – try looking on ebay.

Refused to pay for Park, gone through a couple of sets of cheap ones. Bought Park. Wish I’d bought Park to begin with.

I got some Fat Spanner ones and they have lasted well.

These ones: http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/270989378889?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla&crdt=0

Although only about £5 cheaper than Park ones from the look of it. I got mine as they were available at my LBS.

I have had a pair of Shimano cutters for years ,bit pricey now though .

has to be Park for me

park – you need to see past the blue label

felco are the ones to have

or a good set of sidecutters…. mines are Beta.

even the “shop” park cable cutters didnt last long – felco ones lasted infinately longer. seems to be a market for painting generic crap blue and crazy folk will pay top dollar for it.

somafunk – Member

and those cheap track pumps that Lidl had in a few weeks ago for £3.99 are exactly the same design as the £30 Pedros track pump apart from a crap valve attachment but they only cost a few £ to replace.

Plus they have a 2 year warranty. If, as reports say, they break after 5 minutes, take it back and get a new one. Although the one I have was left in a locker at work for about 10 years for emergencies.

Super B cable cutters FWIW. Branded Cyclo or BBB or similar. Work fine. Plus they have the pointy bit in the handle to straighten out the outer cables. OK for £12.

Cheap CK wire rope cutters from ebay- better than my Parks, by an awfully long way, and half the price. The Parks were just as good on day one, though a bit crushy. But after a few bikes they’d started to lose their edge. So now I just use them for their excellent cable crimper and I use the cheapo ones for their better wire cutting.

They look suspiciously identical to some more expensive branded ones 😉

no love for Park cutters here either..apart from the cable crimping function

Park simply do not last in a workshop environment, but for home use they are ok although overpriced compared to ice tools, etc.

in our workshops? we use Knipex 74-180 for cable cutting, they last for years. Most Evans and Cycle Surgery workshop use them too

I got some ‘parrot cutters’ from the local hardware store. £12 and brilliant. nice clean cut.

If your going to use them fairly often, Park is worth paying for.

Thanks for your replies guys, park sound good but way out of my budget 🙁 looks like the best option is to go for the super b ones, they have good reviews too http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/tools/cycling-tools/cable-cutters/product/review-super-b-cable-cutter-10412

Thanks again 🙂

Park cutters for £22

I’ve had a set of park cutters for about 20 years. Thought about retiring them, bought cyclo, tacx, and a few others, but they fail quickly and are doomed to spoke cutting duties where the parks carry on.

Alternatively, these are good, but can’t comment on exactly how long they’ll go for birzman cutters

Halfrauds Bike Hut cutters are excellent

had em a few years now and they’ve not let me down – even for fitting braided hose

Park for me – seem to remember I picked a pair up for about £25 after a bit of googling. Been very happy with them.

Stu

Screwfix £6

I like Park generally just not their cutters. Shimano for me

I’d love to know what people are doing to say Park cutters don’t last.
The first shop I worked in the original set had been there 8 years, used every day & were still going strong when I left.
My personal ones are 5 years old & haven’t had any problems & the shop I now work in uses Park as well-no idea how old they are but they’re faultless.
Assuming we’re talking about the proper ones & not the cheaper DIY version?

“If your going to use them fairly often, Park is worth paying for.”

sadly this is no longer the case.

the first set that were in use at the shop for a number of years were good – we replaced them with like for like- the expensive version after they went missing.

the new set were no where near as good.

shimano are much better

and felco are buy and forget for shop use

Felco here. Had them over a decade and still sharp.

goldenwonder – Member

I’d love to know what people are doing to say Park cutters don’t last.

Shockingly enough I cut some gear cables. I reckon, maybe 5 complete builds and a few services? Shimano inners and outers mostly.

I’ve done that much with the ones in the shop in the last week!

maybe its their QC thats gone down the pan rather than the product.

jedimaster – Member
Thanks for your replies guys, park sound good but way out of my budget looks like the best option is to go for the super b ones, they have good reviews too http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/tools/cycling-tools/cable-cutters/product/review-super-b-cable-cutter-10412

Thanks again

These ones, not the ones in the review:

Super B Cable Cutters

Look at Lindstrom or Bahco

Knipex for me too
Not cheap but very good even on Goodridge hose

For budget use maybe cyclo or one of the many clones

Another Knippex user.
Pair used at work regularly as in day to day.
Pair for the bikes. Used them for years and can’t fault them.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/cable-cutters-150mm-6/27403

£6 and put the park ones (now in bin) to shame.

Not perfect, but fine for Hope braided hoses

TRAILRAT is correct 🙂

Park Tools have declined in their choice of suppliers during the last couple of years, do not assume older Park tools are the same quality as current items 😉

we have seen this specifically on their pedal spanners, screwdrivers, spanners and cable cutters.

I would not touch any generic, non-bike specific tools (screwdriver, spanners, adjustable wrenches) from Park; you can buy much better quality alternatives at better prices if you shop around (as long as you can live without the fancy “blue dip” on the Park handles)!

recently? when running a busy London bike store workshop for the flagship branch of a leading chain store, I had 6 mechanics working 7 days a week.

you would not believe how quickly current generation Park tools wore out, compared to other brand alternatives. Even the company management soon realized this, and switched our suppliers for non-bike specific tools.

personally? I would always purchase Pedro’s bike specific tools above Park, when available…

I’ll agree that the Park spanners & screwdrivers are next to useless-not really any better than sealey stuff.
For that I tend to use Snap On ( interest free) Or Kennedy Professional which are the same as Halfords Pro range

Now you’ve made me think I need some new cable cutters!

Which ones do you reckon?

Knipex – £24
http://www.ebay.co.uk/ctm/Knipex-Leverage-Diagonal-Cutters-Comfort-Grip-74-180-?refItemId=250808071486

or

CK – £16
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CK-Aircraft-Cycle-Brake-Bowden-Cable-Wire-Rope-Cutter-T3744-/110808723579?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item19ccb6f07b

or

Super B – £19
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/super-b-professional-cable-and-housing-cutter-tb-wc30-prod28486/?src=froogle

or something else I’ve missed?

I’ve got some ck one and have no complaints, picked them at a boot fair so they had work before me.

By the sound of it 10 year old parks. Mine are going strong after years of abuse

Not those knipex ones listed on eBay above they are wrong for cycle use

You need the Bowden or wire rope ones. The product number is listed by esher shore nr the top

Ordered the CK Bowden ones 🙂