Why no wire cutters on SAK pliers?

[theonew]

Lately I have had to do a couple of small electronic repairs that involved a bit of cutting and stripping of wires that are usually no thicker than 16 - 18 gauge. For these projects I've used the wire cutters on both a Squirt PS4 and a Sog CrossGrip which are ideal for working in small spaces. Today I pulled out a cosmetically rough SwissChamp I bought cheap as mod fodder with the idea in mind of modding it down to a four layer SAK: blade layer, saw layer, pliers layer and the opener layer. But as it has been many years since I last used SAK pliers I had forgotten that they have virtually no wire cutting capabilities. Why is that? Why not just add the additional functionality which is completely appropriate for a tool of this size 

[sawman]

Could they be saving that capability for the Deluxe Champ?  Which by the way, will MSRP around USD $200 

[Mechanickal]

It's got a tiny wire cutter...
Open the pliers FULLY and you'll see the small notch just above the pivot.
For my work with alarm systems and other electronics, it's capable enough.

[gene stoner]

Unless it's it's an early one w/o the wire cutter.

[theonew]

I definitely have an older model as the magnifier is glass in gray plastic and it does have a really tiny wire cutter, which is why I said virtually. The size wire that could be cut with those could probably be cut with the scissors without damaging them. I tried it on the wire in the picture and it just nibbles at it.

[gene stoner]

I've had that same problem. Sometimes I can use the metal saw but that's slow and sometimes awkward to do.

[Rich S]

Maybe try sharpening the notches at the back of the pliers???

Rich

[theonew]

Clever idea and that could potentially be done to make them function as wire strippers but wouldn't help with basic wire cutting.

[Tired_Yeti]

Are your sure that was intended to be a wire cutter and not a splice crimper?

You can cut wire with a blade or the scissors but you cannot crimp the splices with anything but the pliers.


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[theonew]

Granted that I may be the sole member of the 'Never Used a Splice Crimper Club' and also just googled it and am still not sure of the functionality, I still think that the ability to cut wires, something I've been doing since I was maybe 7 or 8 years old, might appeal to a broader audience

[Tired_Yeti]

Cut the insulation with the small blade


Strip the wire with the wire stripper notch.


Open the crimper wide to fit the butt splicer.


Crimp the splicer


Finished product!


Or am I missing what everyone is talking about?
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[theonew]

I have never done any butt splicing but that is a pretty nice looking crimp 

[Mechanickal]

Last time I tried to use the cap crimper, the cap was stronger then the force that I could apply with the pliers.

[shibafu]

Last time I tried to use the cap crimper, the cap was stronger then the force that I could apply with the pliers.

This I think is the reason the wire cutters aren't bigger.  You're squeezing the pliers with your finger and thumb, you can't exert the force that you can with a dedicated pliers tool that you can wrap your hand around.  Even with a little Leatherman Squirt you can exert a lot more force than with SAK pliers.

[Mechanickal]

Last time I tried to use the cap crimper, the cap was stronger then the force that I could apply with the pliers.

This I think is the reason the wire cutters aren't bigger.  You're squeezing the pliers with your finger and thumb, you can't exert the force that you can with a dedicated pliers tool that you can wrap your hand around.  Even with a little Leatherman Squirt you can exert a lot more force than with SAK pliers.

Good point!

[gerleatherberman]

Or for a real pliar based tool. Like a swisstool, spirit, LM, Gerber, or SOG.
Stick wire in hard wire notch in plairs, lightly squeeze and pull wire out of pliars. Stick wire in connector in plair jaws and squeeze to crimp.
Three separate tools on a sak seems like an ordeal(blade, strip notch on bottle opener, and very light crimp with tiny pliars). I understand some people's obsession with minimal carry, but there are just easier ways to crimp wires with actual pliar based tools.
If you had to crimp 50 wires, then a SAK w/pliars would be illogical at best.
The Spirit and Swisstool(as will any other pliar based tools) will be 10x more efficient at stripping and crimping. IMHO of course.

[Don Pablo]

Or for a real pliar based tool. Like a swisstool, spirit, LM, Gerber, or SOG.
Stick wire in hard wire notch in plairs, lightly squeeze and pull wire out of pliars. Stick wire in connector in plair jaws and squeeze to crimp.
Three separate tools on a sak seems like an ordeal(blade, strip notch on bottle opener, and very light crimp with tiny pliars). I understand some people's obsession with minimal carry, but there are just easier ways to crimp wires with actual pliar based tools.
If you had to crimp 50 wires, then a SAK w/pliars would be illogical at best.
The Spirit and Swisstool(as will any other pliar based tools) will be 10x more efficient at stripping and crimping. IMHO of course.

I would go a step further. If you're crimping 50 wires, use the dedicated tool. 

[twiliter]

Or for a real pliar based tool. Like a swisstool, spirit, LM, Gerber, or SOG.
Stick wire in hard wire notch in plairs, lightly squeeze and pull wire out of pliars. Stick wire in connector in plair jaws and squeeze to crimp.
Three separate tools on a sak seems like an ordeal(blade, strip notch on bottle opener, and very light crimp with tiny pliars). I understand some people's obsession with minimal carry, but there are just easier ways to crimp wires with actual pliar based tools.
If you had to crimp 50 wires, then a SAK w/pliars would be illogical at best.
The Spirit and Swisstool(as will any other pliar based tools) will be 10x more efficient at stripping and crimping. IMHO of course.

+1 I use the Spirit to cut wires pretty often, even Romex is pretty easy with 2 chomps, but I keep regular wire cutters in my tool bag too, sometimes using a dedicated tool is more efficient. Also no MT will substitute for a good set of pump pliers (channel lock type). 

[Tired_Yeti]

...Three separate tools on a sak seems like an ordeal(blade, strip notch on bottle opener, and very light crimp with tiny pliars). I understand some people's obsession with minimal carry, but there are just easier ways to crimp wires with actual pliar based tools...

100% agree. I think the SAK is meant for unexpected emergency-type use for most things anyway. Even then, it can really only handle smaller jobs. If you knew ahead of time that you'd be wiring something, you'd probably want to bring a dedicated electrician's tool. At least, *I* would. When I know I'll be wiring, I don't take a SAK or a LM, I take this...


P.S. Yes, it was a painful son-of-a-gun crimping the splicer with the SAK pliers. Leather gloves help. It still sucks, though.
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[gerleatherberman]

So true about the dedicated tools.