High Tensile Wire Cutting Test, Warning: Minor Tool Abuse

[twiliter]

I recently sold my backup Gerber so I wasn't brave enough to try these. Yet. I might feel up to it later.

Be prepared that you may need to replace the replaceable Gerber cutters.  IIRC they are very hard and very brittle, so they do well on cutting large quantities of softer wire (which is what they were designed for), but tend to break on hard wire.

If I had to use an MT to cut large(ish) diameter hard wire I'd consider filing a notch first to reduce the chance of smurfing up the cutters.  Or even just file a couple of notches and then bend the wire back and forth until it breaks at the weak point you have created.  There is often "more than one way to skin a cat" if you use your imagination and think laterally.

That is why I didn't want to try them.
However IMO they aren't any good at cutting soft wire either.
So I might as well kill them.

My original idea was to test multiple cutters going from easy to hard stuff and noting the outcome.
Once I sold the backup I thought I would flag the test.
Now it is just a time thing, if I can find some I'll probably do it.

I wonder how hard it is to file HT fencing wire?

Practically impossible.   I learned this the hard way when trying to free a sheep stuck in the fence in rain and mud.  The wire cutters on my first generation LM Super Tool wouldn't go through the 50 year old fencing wire we have on the farm since I couldn't get enough leverage, so I tried the teeth along the bottom edge of the file.  It barely scratched it.  While I went to get the bolt cutters to cut the wire, my grandparents were able to free the sheep without tools, so at least the story had a happy ending.

Good story! I found bending ht back and forth is usually quicker than a file or hacksaw.

[zoidberg]

I recently sold my backup Gerber so I wasn't brave enough to try these. Yet. I might feel up to it later.

Be prepared that you may need to replace the replaceable Gerber cutters.  IIRC they are very hard and very brittle, so they do well on cutting large quantities of softer wire (which is what they were designed for), but tend to break on hard wire.

If I had to use an MT to cut large(ish) diameter hard wire I'd consider filing a notch first to reduce the chance of smurfing up the cutters.  Or even just file a couple of notches and then bend the wire back and forth until it breaks at the weak point you have created.  There is often "more than one way to skin a cat" if you use your imagination and think laterally.

That is why I didn't want to try them.
However IMO they aren't any good at cutting soft wire either.
So I might as well kill them.

My original idea was to test multiple cutters going from easy to hard stuff and noting the outcome.
Once I sold the backup I thought I would flag the test.
Now it is just a time thing, if I can find some I'll probably do it.

I wonder how hard it is to file HT fencing wire?

Practically impossible.   I learned this the hard way when trying to free a sheep stuck in the fence in rain and mud.  The wire cutters on my first generation LM Super Tool wouldn't go through the 50 year old fencing wire we have on the farm since I couldn't get enough leverage, so I tried the teeth along the bottom edge of the file.  It barely scratched it.  While I went to get the bolt cutters to cut the wire, my grandparents were able to free the sheep without tools, so at least the story had a happy ending.

Good story! I found bending ht back and forth is usually quicker than a file or hacksaw.

The bending thing is great when putting up a fence but it's not always that easy to do when trying to remove livestock from said fence.

[twiliter]

I recently sold my backup Gerber so I wasn't brave enough to try these. Yet. I might feel up to it later.

Be prepared that you may need to replace the replaceable Gerber cutters.  IIRC they are very hard and very brittle, so they do well on cutting large quantities of softer wire (which is what they were designed for), but tend to break on hard wire.

If I had to use an MT to cut large(ish) diameter hard wire I'd consider filing a notch first to reduce the chance of smurfing up the cutters.  Or even just file a couple of notches and then bend the wire back and forth until it breaks at the weak point you have created.  There is often "more than one way to skin a cat" if you use your imagination and think laterally.

That is why I didn't want to try them.
However IMO they aren't any good at cutting soft wire either.
So I might as well kill them.

My original idea was to test multiple cutters going from easy to hard stuff and noting the outcome.
Once I sold the backup I thought I would flag the test.
Now it is just a time thing, if I can find some I'll probably do it.

I wonder how hard it is to file HT fencing wire?

Practically impossible.   I learned this the hard way when trying to free a sheep stuck in the fence in rain and mud.  The wire cutters on my first generation LM Super Tool wouldn't go through the 50 year old fencing wire we have on the farm since I couldn't get enough leverage, so I tried the teeth along the bottom edge of the file.  It barely scratched it.  While I went to get the bolt cutters to cut the wire, my grandparents were able to free the sheep without tools, so at least the story had a happy ending.

Good story! I found bending ht back and forth is usually quicker than a file or hacksaw.

The bending thing is great when putting up a fence but it's not always that easy to do when trying to remove livestock from said fence.

I much prefer wire cutters to either one, freeing stuck critters is delicate work. Freeing horses from wrecks like that is downright horrifying. 

[zoidberg]

I recently sold my backup Gerber so I wasn't brave enough to try these. Yet. I might feel up to it later.

Be prepared that you may need to replace the replaceable Gerber cutters.  IIRC they are very hard and very brittle, so they do well on cutting large quantities of softer wire (which is what they were designed for), but tend to break on hard wire.

If I had to use an MT to cut large(ish) diameter hard wire I'd consider filing a notch first to reduce the chance of smurfing up the cutters.  Or even just file a couple of notches and then bend the wire back and forth until it breaks at the weak point you have created.  There is often "more than one way to skin a cat" if you use your imagination and think laterally.

That is why I didn't want to try them.
However IMO they aren't any good at cutting soft wire either.
So I might as well kill them.

My original idea was to test multiple cutters going from easy to hard stuff and noting the outcome.
Once I sold the backup I thought I would flag the test.
Now it is just a time thing, if I can find some I'll probably do it.

I wonder how hard it is to file HT fencing wire?

Practically impossible.   I learned this the hard way when trying to free a sheep stuck in the fence in rain and mud.  The wire cutters on my first generation LM Super Tool wouldn't go through the 50 year old fencing wire we have on the farm since I couldn't get enough leverage, so I tried the teeth along the bottom edge of the file.  It barely scratched it.  While I went to get the bolt cutters to cut the wire, my grandparents were able to free the sheep without tools, so at least the story had a happy ending.

Good story! I found bending ht back and forth is usually quicker than a file or hacksaw.

The bending thing is great when putting up a fence but it's not always that easy to do when trying to remove livestock from said fence.

I much prefer wire cutters to either one, freeing stuck critters is delicate work. Freeing horses from wrecks like that is downright horrifying. 

You can say that again.

[rdub934]

Cool test! I am shocked that the carbide inserts on the 600 survived, and actually did pretty well

[ToolJoe]

Would you say the MP600 cutters survived the best overall with most of the stuff that was thrown at it?

[zoidberg]

Would you say the MP600 cutters survived the best overall with most of the stuff that was thrown at it?

Yes however "survived the best" is only one aspect of using cutters.

cable ties - not good
thin wire: cutters - good, hw notch - not good
thick wire - good
power cord - five or more cuts, individual wire: cutters - not good, hw notch - not good
bike brake cable - no problem, bike brake cable stripped - not good
HT wire, hw notch - good, hard to do, two hands needed

I would only recommend them for cutting hobby wire.
Compared to the others tested I would rate them last for cutting performance, comfort and effort required to use.
I would carry a BN MP600 just for the plier head but I would almost always pair it to another MT with better cutters.

[Wanimator]

So the Surge's replaceable cutters' heavy/hard wire cutting notch cut the thick wire well?

[zoidberg]

So the Surge's replaceable cutters' heavy/hard wire cutting notch cut the thick wire well?

Yes.

To save time and effort I only took pics of the more surprising wins or fails.
If you don't find a comment or pic, then it would have been a successful cut.

[Wanimator]

So the Surge's replaceable cutters' heavy/hard wire cutting notch cut the thick wire well?

Yes.

To save time and effort I only took pics of the more surprising wins or fails.
If you don't find a comment or pic, then it would have been a successful cut.

Cool, I wonder how they would fare against chain link fence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E9USVqkJXU