I think every home has simple wire cutters that are very useful when working with wire, wires and even nails. So, the correct name for this tool is side cutters.
We all know very well how they work and how much benefit they can bring. But few people know that they come in different types, and even when choosing such a seemingly simple tool, there are some peculiarities.
Appointment of side cutters
First, let's talk about the scope of this tool. A person's productivity is affected not only by his skills, but also by the quality of the tools he uses. There is a price to pay for versatility. This statement is also true for simple side cutters.
If you need a tool that can work under voltage, then you will need to pay extra. Cheaper options are only suitable for simple assembly and plumbing tasks.
Simple side cutters can be used almost everywhere, but you can’t work with wires that are under high, and not very, voltage. For this, it is worth using wire cutters made of materials that are not conductors of electricity.
Simple side cutters are also good, just not safe in certain conditions. They also cut thin metal well, help with wires and cables that do not carry current, and easily deal with plastic. The size of the tool itself determines the thickness of the material it can cut.
If the side cutters are dielectric, they can be manipulated under voltage, but it is still recommended to use, in addition, special dielectric gloves. Such a tool can work with networks up to one thousand volts.
At the same time, the temperature of the environment in which you have to work should not be lower than minus twenty degrees Celsius, and should not exceed 70 degrees. The level of humidity in such a room, or on the street, should not be higher than 80 percent, in relation to 25 degrees of air temperature in Celsius.
Classification
Side cutters are divided into several groups, depending on the size, shape and purpose. More massive models, which are designed to work with materials of greater thickness, are called bolt cutters. They are able to work with thicker sheets of metal, wires and fasteners with a larger diameter, and are themselves large.
Almost all models of modern side cutters have a dielectric coating on the handle. So which side cutters are better - those with insulation on the handles, or is it not required?
Of course, it is not necessary, but it is much more convenient to buy such a tool once and not think that you do not have equipment for working under voltage. Moreover, we do not buy wire cutters every month, and, I think, not even every year. This is an item that can be useful for many years, with the right choice and operation.
Side cutters that have an additional coating are also good for ease of use. They do not slip in the hand so much, and therefore it is much more pleasant to work with this option. In addition, they do not absorb moisture and are not damaged when dropped, like cheap plastic pens.
Most often there are cutters of three sizes. The first are side cutters 15 centimeters long. These are mainly used for small wiring, work with small electronics and appliances.
Side cutters 18 centimeters long are less common. These are more often used when working with large and thick wires and sheets of metal of higher thickness.
Working with side cutters
The purpose of side cutters depends more on the person who uses them. But in any case, when buying, you should carefully examine the wire cutters. Handles should not have any defects - this applies to both the coating and the general shape of the handles.
Slightly curved handles can be very uncomfortable when working, and damage to the dielectric coating, under certain conditions, becomes a threat to life. Therefore, do not neglect trite simple tips.
Side cutters are good not only for cutting thin metal and cutting wires. To do this, it is enough to place a wire, or a piece of a sheet of metal, between the jaws, and apply force to the handle.
If you do not want to cut the wire, but simply strip the insulation from it, you can use the screw to adjust the wire cutters. Having slightly unscrewed it, it will be possible to apply force to the side cutters without fear for the cable core. If there is no such screw, then you will need to rely only on your own strength and accuracy.
It is best to take side cutters that have a reinforced design and a dielectric coating on the handles. Also, such a model must have an adjusting screw.
Such a tool is well suited for all household tasks, whether it is working with a wire, or cutting metal, the thickness of which, for example, is 3 millimeters.
Also look at the base material of the wire cutters. It is better if it is hardened steel, on the lips of which there will be special titanium inserts. This strengthens the tool and makes it more reliable.
Photo side cutters
One of the most common cutting tools for the home craftsman are side cutters. Their principle of operation is based on the use of a lever, which increases the force applied to the handles, and the cutting jaws bite off any material.
A similar principle of operation for ordinary wire cutters, in which the cutting edges are perpendicular to the handles, and the distance from the hinge to the object being cut is constant, so the force at the cutting point is also stable, and depends only on the grip force of the hand.
Design features
Side cutters differ in their device from ordinary wire cutters in that their sharp edges are located on the same plane with the handles, or at a slight angle to them. They are used for cutting wire or wires with a small diameter, as well as for small cuts on plastic, metal when performing installation and repair work, or when dismantling various equipment.
When working with side cutters, the cutting force can be adjusted by moving the object being cut closer or further away from the hinge. The handles of this tool are large, and the cutting edges are much smaller. This allows you to increase the cutting force of the material due to the effect of the lever. If you need to bite a thin copper conductor, then just use the tips of the sponges. To cut through a thick wire, place it as close as possible to the hinge and squeeze the handles.
Standard side cutters include the main parts shown in the figure.
The working parts are connected using a special reinforced lock. The elastic spring is located between the handles. Its task is to return the cutting edges to their original position, which is performed immediately after cutting the wire. The jaws must be tightly closed along the entire length of the sharp edges. The swivel joint gives this tool the smooth, easy action required to make cutting easier.
Varieties
There are several types of side cutters that differ in structure, which should be considered when purchasing them.
Standard side cutters
This is the most popular type of side cutter available at any hardware or hardware store. With such wire cutters, you can bite a wire with a diameter of not more than 2.5 mm.
Reinforced side cutters
Such wire cutters are used by workers when performing plumbing or installation work. The cutting edge of this tool is made of high-strength alloy steel, which is hardened to increase strength.
High voltage
The name of these nippers speaks of their applicability. They are intended for electricians performing work under voltage. Such side cutters can be used when working with voltages up to 1000 volts, thanks to dielectric plastic handles.
Mini wire cutters
Such miniature wire cutters are used by network equipment adjusters, programmers, radio electronics enthusiasts, and can also be used for household work. They have small dimensions, which allows them to be used in hard-to-reach places.
Side cutters can have different designs and any size, and can also differ in the shape of sharp edges. This depends on how the tool works. If the jaws of the pliers are thin and long, then it is better to use them for biting off thin conductors used in electronic devices. They are also suitable for hard to reach places.
There are models of side cutters that have a recess on the working sponges for easy removal of insulation from wires.
How to use side cutters
There is an erroneous opinion that wire cutters are a simple tool, and there is no difficulty in using them. However, each job has certain requirements and rules. Consider the advice of experts and manufacturers.
- Side cutters must be placed at a right angle to the wire to be cut.
- It is not recommended to apply excessive force to the handles. Nippers must be handled carefully so that there is no extra effort on the lips.
- When working with such a tool, it is necessary to monitor the cutting process and the movement of the tool. If there are people nearby, it is necessary to point the tool away from them so as not to accidentally cause injury.
- If you need to bite through a thick wire, then it is advisable to perform such work in a special recess of the wire cutters located in the cutting part of the tool.
- When biting, the cutting edges should be fully closed. If at the end of the stroke the jaws begin to diverge to the sides, then work should be stopped, otherwise the cutting part of the tool may break.
- When working with powerful large wire cutters, it is advisable to resort to the help of a second person who will support the parts to be cut off and remove them in a safe place in a timely manner. Such situations usually arise in production. In everyday life, they rarely work with an assistant.
How to choose side cutters
The quality and productivity of the work performed to a greater extent depends on the quality of the purchased tool. Therefore, it is necessary to select side cutters, first of all, according to their appearance. Notches and dents on the tool indicate poor workmanship.
The cutting parts of the nippers must be tightly closed along the entire working length. The edges when closing should not diverge to the sides. Most often, locks on wire cutters are made detachable, but there are also one-piece designs. This does not affect the quality of the work.
When choosing side cutters, it should be borne in mind that their design can be double-hinged or single-hinged.
It is more convenient to work with a tool with two hinges, since the force required to apply to the handles will be small. If the tool is equipped with a return spring, then the handles will quickly return to their original position immediately after cutting the wire.
If you are going to work with side cutters under voltage, then you should purchase a special high-voltage version.
Often such a tool is used in domestic conditions. Over time, the cutting edges of the pliers become dull, and working with them becomes uncomfortable. You can sharpen the cutting part yourself.
If the household has emery, then sharpening the wire cutters is not difficult. This does not require a large power grinding machine. Sharpening must be done carefully, without much effort, and observing safety rules. The tool should be brought to the emery with the back side. If the cutting edges are curved, then when sharpening, slowly turn the tool through a small angle in order to carefully grind all the places between the blades. If the place of sharpening shines, then everything went well.
Sharpening can be done even with a simple bar, only this will take much more time. The bar is best used only when absolutely necessary.
In order for the wire cutters not to become dull for a long time, it is necessary to use them correctly, knowing that they are not intended for biting off steel products. Their main purpose is to cut copper and aluminum wires. In rare cases, they are used to cut steel insulation. Although you can use special scissors for this.
On a tip from the respected DiHalt, I bought such a miracle in local industrial electronics:
They are sold oiled, in the best traditions of Soviet engineering. True, no brand, no information about the plant. I talked with the seller - he says they are selling old stocks, there will be no more. So it's time to shop. The price is about 500 rubles.
Despite their clumsiness and brutality, the cutting edges fit perfectly. You can see traces of yellow solder, which was used to solder the pobedit linings.
What gives the use of a win in side cutters? It greatly increases durability.
The hardness is slightly less than diamond. As a result, sharpening is held for a long time, unlike the “plasticine” Chinese side cutters, which become dull over time. And with sharp side cutters, biting the leads (usually copper, occasionally steel) is easy and pleasant, the effort is minimal. Moreover, I worked quite a lot with these side cutters and so far the sharpness is such that you can easily cut your hair with them. If they do not bite the piano strings, it seems to me that they will last for decades.
In general, if the appearance were made more beautiful, if the handles were made of good plastic (I put heat shrink on them), then it would be a super tool.
The quality of grinding in comparison with the Chinese:
Verdict: We knew how to do good things, but did this skill survive today?
UPD. As directed by a reader osmos7 am correcting myself. sponges are made of R5M6 steel, not hard right. This becomes clear after polishing and testing for hardness.
One of the most important tools of the housekeeper are cutting side cutters. Their main use is to bite through any matter with cutting lips, and the force applied to the handle when working with side cutters is increased by using the tool as a lever.
A similar type of this device is ordinary wire cutters, but in fact both tools cope with the task almost equally, since in both objects the cutting parts exert strong pressure on the place where the material is bitten, and the degree is justified only by the force of pressing the handle.
Characteristics of side cutters
The main difference between side cutters and ordinary cutters is their design feature - for cutters, the cutting lips are perpendicular to the handles, and for side cutters, they are parallel to the handle or at a small angle.
In almost all cases, the object of cutting is products made of wire or wires with a small diameter, or thin plastic, or metal during the installation or dismantling of devices.
When working with this tool, you can easily control the degree and strength of the cut of the material by moving the place of work along the edge of the side cutters. The design is made in the form of long and large handles and a short cutting part - this gives an additional opportunity to create a higher pressure during work.
In the case when only a thin copper wire needs to be cut, only the very tip of the cutting lips can be used, which will be quite enough due to the applied force, and if the wire has a rather large diameter, it is recommended to place it closest to the hinge and apply more force to the handles .
The design of the most common side cutters includes eight main parts, namely:
- spring
- handle
- heel
- cutting lips
- side part
- Back surface
- stiffener
- Pyatnik
You can see the design in more detail in the photo of the side cutter. Each of the parts of the tool is certainly connected using a specialized lock with a reinforced system - a hinge, the purpose of which is to give a smoother ride during operation.
Between the handles there is a spring, which makes it possible to return the side cutters to their previous shape immediately after biting the object.
Types and sizes of side cutters
There are four main types of side cutters. When buying, you should carefully study their purpose, so as not to make a mistake with the choice.
Standard - designed for wires and wire products of small diameter up to 2.5 mm. They are available for sale in absolutely every store in the construction or household sector.
Reinforced side cutters are already a more professional tool and are indispensable for plumbing and installation work. The cutting lips of this device are made of high-strength hardened steel and have increased reliability.
High-voltage (dielectric) side cutters are used in the field of the same name for electronics. Used when working with wires that are under any voltage. The safety of these pliers is maintained by dielectric plastic handles, which make it possible to carry out electrical work with voltages up to 1000 volts.
Mini side cutters are the main tool for programmers, network equipment installers, radio electronics specialists or a home craftsman. Their main advantage is their small size when working in hard-to-reach places for large wire cutters.
In general, this tool can look completely different both in size and shape. The degree of shape of their cutting elements can also be different, which gives each device a peculiarity of its work. If the lips are made thin and long, then such wire cutters are ideal for biting thin wires.
In addition to all this, there may be a recess between the lips and the hinge, which helps to easily remove the rubber insulation from the wire.
Application
The main common mistake when working with side cutters is frivolity in relation to the complexity of working with this tool. As with other devices, side cutters should be handled according to certain rules. For this, there are advice from experienced specialists, as well as recommendations from the best manufacturers of side cutters.
When biting a wire or wire, side cutters should be kept exactly at right angles to the object. Also, do not apply too much force to the side cutter handles, and therefore to the cutting lips, as this leads to their rapid blunting. It is strongly not recommended to inattentively monitor the work being done, especially near people.
If the object being cut is too large in diameter, it is recommended to bite with a special recess, which is located immediately after the cutting lips.
The elements of the side cutters that directly perform the main work must be tightly adjacent to each other, in no case should they be allowed to diverge to the sides, as this may affect the operation of the side cutters or lead to their breakage.
How to choose side cutters
Undoubtedly, the quality of the side cutters used must be high enough, as this directly affects the quality of the work performed. Therefore, choosing high-quality side cutters is primarily based on their appearance. The main difference between low-quality side cutters and reliable ones are various dents or notches on the tool.
The cutting lips of the side cutters must be in close contact with each other, otherwise the biting object will not be cut to the end. The hinge on the wire cutters can be made integral with the entire structure or separately from it - this item does not affect the quality of the side cutters.
One of the interesting designs are side cutters with two hinges. This is required to perform work with little to no effort due to a higher degree of pressure generated.
If the task of side cutters is to work with live wires, then when buying, you should pay attention to the appropriate design of such side cutters.
How to sharpen side cutters
If the wire cutters are used to a large extent in domestic life, and the cutting lips of the side cutters are pretty dull, then you can perform self-sharpening of the edges.
All that is required for sharpening is an ordinary emery. The main condition for this is accuracy, low effort and, of course, safety.
In order to properly sharpen the cutting parts of the side cutters, it is necessary to smoothly turn the side cutters with the back side in relation to the emery, and a noticeable sheen of the cutting edges will be an excellent result. If there is no emery in everyday life, then you can use an ordinary bar, but it is highly not recommended to do this all the time.
The main thing when working with side cutters is to remember that they are not at all designed for permanent work with steel, then the wire cutters will last a long time. The main scope of their application is wires, namely copper and aluminum. In exceptional cases, side cutters can be used to cut steel insulation, but for this it is better to use special scissors.
Photo side cutters
The main purpose of side cutters is to cut hard materials by squeezing with the blade. The only difference between side cutters and regular wire cutters is that the blade is on the same plane as the handles. Side cutters are used for cutting wires or wires.
Also, while working with plastic, metal, you can make cuts. It is especially convenient if you need to make a cut, and ordinary construction scissors cannot handle it.
Side cutter design
A special lock connects the working parts, which is additionally used to strengthen the structure. The spring, which is located between the handles, fixes the position of the handles and, after the end of work, returns them to their original position. This happens at lightning speed, after you release the handle while cutting wires or wire.
The swivel joint allows the use of a minimum of effort when working with hard materials. In the manufacture of side cutters, high-quality metal is used. When creating side cutters, manufacturers take into account that they must be not only durable, but also easy to use.
Therefore, the handle has an ergonomic shape, the material of which does not make the palm sweat during prolonged use, and with frequent use, it takes the form of the owner's hand. Also, due to the presence of an insulating winding, the handle will seem even softer.
What parameters should you pay attention to when buying side cutters?
First of all, you need to pay attention to the quality of the material from which the side cutters are made. You need to pay attention to whether there are any notches or damage on the side cutter blade.
You should also pay attention to the tightness of the cutting edges. You can check this if you take the side cutters in your hands and just squeeze them. If the cutting edges converge, then in this regard it is no longer worth worrying about.
There are two types of side cutters: single-hinged and double-hinged. If you plan to work with a large amount of material, it is recommended to purchase double-hinged ones. Due to the equipment of the leaf spring, the side cutters immediately return to their original position. Also, when working with double-hinged, you will apply less force when cutting than with single-hinged.
If you plan to use side cutters when working with electronics, then you should make sure that they are dielectric. Also, before buying, you should know “For what purposes and under what conditions will side cutters be used?”. In this case, you will be able to independently choose the size of side cutters, its technical parameters and price.
Again, insulating side cutters are capable of withstanding impacts up to 1000V. And of course, pay attention to the manufacturer. Not only the price, but also the service life of the side cutters will depend on the quality and the manufacturer. Before you buy side cutters, do not be lazy and look for information on the Internet about the most popular manufacturers.
Types of side cutters
As mentioned above, there are two types of side cutters: single-hinged and double-hinged. Also, side cutters are insulating and insulating.
Insulating are made entirely of insulating materials, and the main purpose of the application is to work with current. Insulating side cutters are universal in use, and only the handle is insulated.
Side cutters are made resistant to getting into a humid environment, durable. As manufacturers of side cutters say, before sending a batch for sale, each unit is tested for strength.
Rules for using nippers
The most erroneous opinion of many is that side cutters are a simple tool and anyone can use it. Like any tool, side cutters require reading the instructions from the manufacturer.
Most breakdowns occur due to improper use of side cutters. For example, you can cut at the wrong angle, which can cause the blade to become unusable.
The moment of incision should be monitored. If at the time of the incision the cutting parts begin to diverge, then work should be stopped immediately, since the edges of the blades can be broken.
If the blade of the side cutters is dull, which very often happens with constant work with side cutters, then the blade should be sharpened by special craftsmen.
The basic rules of operation so that the side cutters serve you for a long time and with high quality:
- Work should be carried out so that the ambient temperature is from -15 degrees to +60.
- It is forbidden to cut hard materials in the direction where the person is standing.
- Before working with electronics, it is worth making sure that there is an insulating material.
- The purchase of side cutters is an important matter for any builder and installer. After all, it will depend on the correct choice
"How much effort do you spend at work?". It is much better to hug your family after graduation than to lift a spoon with weight due to hard labor with side cutters. The choice is yours.
Photo side cutters
