I need a decent pair of side cutters for cutting gear cables (I find on short sections the cables unwind with my Park cutters) – I’m thinking Knipex etc, but not sure which?

I bought a pair of proper cable cutters after years messing around with side cutters. Chalk/cheese.

Mebbies yer Park’s are knackered. I wouldn’t go back to sidecutters.

Definitely proper cable cutters. The curved blade means they are less likely to unravel cables. As above it sounds like your current ones are faulty rather than fundamentally flawed.

I use knipex.  had em over 20 years.

Park ones are crap tbh. I use some cheap ebay “wire rope cutters”, and they cut as clean as you like.

TIP, heat the cable with a lighter prior to cutting. clean end that stays together every time.

Park are overrated. Knipex good (used them in LBS workshop)/

Yep, my Park ones were a very poor buy 🙁

My Park ones are great when the length of cable is in excess of approx. 20mm, but under that (ie for cutting remote cables) the cables flex and unwind (and heating the cables that close to shock etc is out of the question).  Which Knipex cutters are people using (there’s LOADS!)?

I use these

https://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=1216&L=1&page=group_detail&parentID=1371&groupID=1438

Handy crimping tool tool on it

knipex wire rope cutters are good but my jewel in the shite award goes to

bnq magnusson high leverage side cutters . they really do make a nice cut and retain edge – mines are at least 8 years old..   so much so that my i bought another 3 pairs when i saw them back in stock last time i was there – ill never need to buy sidecutters again 😀

only use them for cables and zip ties though – dont be trying to cut spokes or mudguard stays with them or youll blunt them.

park ones are shit even shimano ones have gone massively down hill .

the top pedros ones work well though and last.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/magnusson-side-cutters-7/4163v

those ones

Park cutters need sharpening with round file occasionally. The steel used in old ones is really soft  – the new ones with more rectangular shape might be tougher?

You need curved blade cutters, not regular flat blade side cutters. No need to spend a lot of money – mine must be 15 years old, cost a tenner and still cut cables like new.

Something like these will I’m sure do the job nicely:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/221416154786

Obviously, you may want to spend more on posher ones, but my cheap ones are still going strong 🙂

I’ve got a set of blue French ones (forget the brand but it’s well thought of in France) that I got from Decathlon. They’ve been excellent.  While I’ve never tried a set for this, I’ve often wondered if the high leverage of Aviation shears would offset the tendency to crush and get a nice clean cut on cable?