MT for zip ties

[HarleyXJGuy]

Had to deal with some heavy duty zip ties today and while my Workchamp main blade got it done I wonder if there is a MT that is good at cutting thick zip ties that are tight?

[HarleyXJGuy]

Pictures because this thread is worthless otherwise.

[Aloha]

Hook on the Charge TTi.  I also like Benchmade rescue hook or any tool similar.   

[Alan K.]

Leatherman and SOG both make multi function EMT scissors, and there's the Paul Chen Professional tool. The Professional is only $14 on Amazon.  It looks like a Gerber 600 but it has shears instead of pliers.  The file is removable so you can use it to sharpen the shears.  If you find yourself needing to cut a lot of heavy duty cable ties though, you should probably just buy a small diagonal cutter and call it a day.

[Alan K.]

Yes! The hooked blade on a Charge.  I hadn't thought of that.

[zoidberg]

I can recommend the Stanley 99E Utility Knife with either large hook blade or concave trimming blade.

Someone here had the Milwaukee Fastback 6-in-1 Folding Utility Knife, looks fun but sadly I can't get those down here.

[Demel]

I can agree 100% with the hook on the charge blade. I've used it on zip ties for years and it's great.

I'm wanting to also try the SOG Powerlitre/Powerpint tool that have a hook on them. The old Powerlock and Powerassist V cutter worked well. However, I know SOG changed their policies recently so maybe the newer ones work just as well.

I can recommend the Stanley 99E Utility Knife with either large hook blade or concave trimming blade.

Someone here had the Milwaukee Fastback 6-in-1 Folding Utility Knife, looks fun but sadly I can't get those down here.

  can't go wrong with a good utility blade

[Antti Lammi]

That Paul Chen Professional Tool looks pretty nice and awesome, maybe i nned yo get 1 or 2 of those. But back to topic.
Charge Tti hook is pretty good but still not optimal, i have cutted zipties with it and sometimes it just need ridicilous amount force to cut or need to adjust it right to cut anything.
I have used Raptors for cutting but usually its just too big to get edges underneath zipties if its allready tight spot.

Maybe best for zipties would be cutters like cable cutters since there would not be slipping so easily like straight edge cutters or micro sidecutters for force and easy cut.


Only Tools Matters

[Antti Lammi]

Utility knife with hooked blade is good but its bit like charge hooked blade, with heavyduty zipties both need sometimes ridicilous amount force to cut and charge hooked blade is annoying to sharpen. Best tool to cut those heavyduty zipties is sidecutters so far, all other zipties go basicly with any blade but heavyduty zipties goes easily with sidecutters


Only Tools Matters

[nate j]

If you find yourself needing to cut a lot of heavy duty cable ties though, you should probably just buy a small diagonal cutter and call it a day.

heavyduty zipties goes easily with sidecutters

I agree.  While not considered a MT, this is the way to go if you have a lot of ties to cut.


Also not a MT, but my Case Marilla really does a number on cable ties.  I think it is combination of the acute point, wedge-like blade shape, relatively thick blade, and the almost-flat but just slightly curving spine.

[HarleyXJGuy]

Another reason to finally get me a Charge.

Agree that sidecutters are the way.

Was wondering a MT because it’s not that often I need to cut one. Couldn’t justify carrying sidecutter all the time.

[MadPlumbarian]

I’ve always used a zip tie gun, idk where I found it, I think a flea market for like $3 but OMG for the smaller zip ties it’s so worth it, now they make a diff type of tool but I have no clue what the name of it is that I used to use when I did h.v.a.c, it wasn’t a gun but it stretched the ties tight and also cut them,
JR

[aicolainen]

Not a MT in the classic sense, and probably not a very meaningful MT for the OP...

but for electricians and electronics engineers that need an effective tool on the go, I can recommend the Knipex Electricians pliers - 1301160
https://www.knipex.com/products/combination-and-multifunctional-pliers/electricians'-pliers/electricians-pliers/1301160

It's not a true side cutter, as it has a symmetrical cutting bevel, but it is a side cutter and for really heavy duty zip ties the added strength of a symmetric bevel is probably more advantageous than a 100% flush cut.

Never tried the Charge hook cutter on zip ties, don't even have a Charge, but it sounds kind of risky. Especially on heavy duty zip ties where you may have to apply a bit of force, I would expect there is a big risk of a rather uncontrolled overtravel and reflexive counter motion when the zip tie finally gives in. Beyond the risk of knocking your hand into something and hurt yourself, I can't help seeing the potential of accidentally damaging adjacent cables. And this becomes more of an issue the more confined space you're working in.

[Crunchie64]

If you’ve got enough room to get it in, the rescue hook on the Raptor Rescue does a good job.
Feels a bit stronger than the one on the Charge, and less risky if you slip.

[David Bowen]

I agree.  While not considered a MT, this is the way to go if you have a lot of ties to cut.


Also not a MT, but my Case Marilla really does a number on cable ties.  I think it is combination of the acute point, wedge-like blade shape, relatively thick blade, and the almost-flat but just slightly curving spine.

How are you liking your Marilla?

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[Djiaux]

I haven't tried it myself, but I've heard that a great tool for cutting tight zip ties is a Leatherman Wingman or a Leatherman Rev.

Unlikely, yes, but it seems like the small package opener is pretty great for that task. It is small so you can put it in tight spaces, it cuts very well so you can cut the zip tie and it seems like it is resilient enough.

Again, I've heard. I haven't tried it and I don't own those multitools.

[Farmer X]

The Rev and Wingman package openers might work, but they're not terribly sharp from the factory.

[zoidberg]

Leatherman OHT also has an outside hook.

[Old Boy]

I’ve used the wire cutters in the pliers in the now discontinued  Leatherman P4. Maybe the PS4 will work as well. Though it’s also being discontinued but still can be found.

[nate j]

I’ve used the wire cutters in the pliers in the now discontinued  Leatherman P4. Maybe the PS4 will work as well. Though it’s also being discontinued but still can be found.

The limitation with most PBMTs for cable tie duty is that they have the wire cutters right next to the pivot.  This is a sensible design for taking advantage of leverage to maximize the force that can be applied to the wire, and also allows the pliers tip to be available for fine manipulation of objects.

The issue is that one has to have enough clearance under the cable tie (i.e. the cable tie has to be loose enough) to slide most of a plier jaw underneath it, in order to get the cable into the wire cutter portion of the jaws.  In my experience, this is often not the case.  Of couse, if one does have this clearance, then any decent quality PBMT wire cutters should make quick work of pretty much any cable tie.

[nate j]

How are you liking your Marilla?

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

It wasn’t love at first sight, but it has really grown on me, to the point that I carry it regularly.

It opens very quickly with the flipper.  The frame lock provides a solid lockup and isn’t too slow to close either.

In spite of its somewhat unusual shape, I’ve become convinced that the design of the blade is a minor stroke of genius.  It has a good usable point, acute enough to be used as an awl in a pinch.  This point combined with the only slightly curving spine makes it easy to cut off things like cable ties and hospital bracelets.  The almost continuously curving edge offers plenty of belly.  In spite of the somewhat thick blade stock, the edge is fine enough to trim cigars with ease.

The handle is a comfortable shape and reasonable size even for my larger than average hands, but I’m not a fan of the G-10 panel.  I suppose the purpose is to enhance grip and possibly make it more visually interesting, but I think both purposes would have been better served by light knurling or otherwise texturing the aluminum handle.  (Benchmade Bugout shown below is a beautiful example of this.)

The most glaring problem is that the screws that hold the pocket clip on are not countersunk or even flat, and the huge rounded screw heads really interfere with using the pocket clip.  I’ve somewhat mitigated this problem on my Marilla by bending the pocket clip out a bit.  The screws are no longer such a problem, but the trade off is that the pocket clip doesn’t really the grip the pocket now; the knife just hangs on the edge of the pocket.