Bolt croppers

[Martin_J]

In a previous thread on this forum I posted about our experience with the Felco C16 cutters we have on board. They look great, are expensive and heavy, but didn't make much impression on our 10mm rigging when tested on a shroud we had just replaced.

Racing regulations then said that we needed something we could show worked.

So, as well as the hacksaw we bought some
Baudat KS13 cutters from Seateach when they were in Emsworth. They come in a nice handy case and are so easy to operate.

Looks like they're like these...

Baudat KS13 cutters

The video below looks like we took our time cutting the old 10mm shroud. We were actually all trying to see how far each squeeze cut through the 10mm shroud. It shows how compact it is and how short the handles actually are.

Baudat KS13 cutting 10mm shroud

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

Has anyone actually tried to cut 10mm stainless wire or fittings with bolt croppers? Wire squashes - it isn't easy to crop. I doubt it is possible. and certainly not while hanging on to a wildly gyrating wreck in a storm
Does a battery powered angle-grinder work under water, as it would need to do in a storm? I very much doubt it.
You'll be there all week with a hacksaw.
I fear this is not as easy a task as might be imagined.

A hacksaw with a new blade isn't as slow as you think actually.

 

[Martin_J]

One thing we noticed when cutting an inch off the end of that old shroud.... Those individual pieces shot away in all directions like nails from a nail gun...

 

[KompetentKrew]

I have one of these on board which I really must test soon, but I paid less than half as much.

• Shootit 12 Emergency Rigging / Steel Rope Cutter by Toolova | eBay
• Archive - https://archive.vn/3b0U9

 

[Neeves]

There has been a lot of previous debate on the various methods of cutting rigging. If you plump for the bolt-cropper route it is perhaps better to go for a dedicated rigging cutter. This is similar to a bolt cropper but has a semicircular cutout in one blade that will hold the wire captive while cutting, whereas a common or garden bolt cropper has two straight blades which allow the wire to slide out resulting in repeated attempts at cutting having to be made.

I thought they were called 'parrot. bolt croppers - but I might have a vivid imagination.

Jonathan

 

[rogerthebodger]

In a previous thread on this forum I posted about our experience with the Felco C16 cutters we have on board. They look great, are expensive and heavy, but didn't make much impression on our 10mm rigging when tested on a shroud we had just replaced.

Racing regulations then said that we needed something we could show worked.

So, as well as the hacksaw we bought some
Baudat KS13 cutters from Seateach when they were in Emsworth. They come in a nice handy case and are so easy to operate.

Looks like they're like these...

Baudat KS13 cutters

The video below looks like we took our time cutting the old 10mm shroud. We were actually all trying to see how far each squeeze cut through the 10mm shroud. It shows how compact it is and how short the handles actually are.

Baudat KS13 cutting 10mm shroud

This tool has the correct type of blade for cutting wire rope of any round cable.

Thinking about the hydraulic cable crimping tool posted by PaulRainbow and costing about 10 pound with the dies replaced with cutting blades as used in thic cutter may be a suitable tool rather rather normal bolt cutters.

May need some Engineering to adapt.

 

[Dipper]

And as I've said before - on my one dismasting I took the pins out, as planned. In case of a stuck one I have a junior hacksaw and lots of fine blades.

Until you've experienced the rolling you have no idea how hard it is to hang on, so heavy or two-handed tools are out.

When I had a new Z-Spars mast, it came with overlong wire rigging and StaLok terminals. I had to cut each wire to length. A Junior hacksaw with new blades was surprisingly quick effective.

 

[RJJ]

A hacksaw with a new blade isn't as slow as you think actually.

I went through a very large bronze bottlescrew in about three minutes. That was with an old blade, but with the considerable advantage of a bench on terra firma.

I'm sufficiently confident (1) knocking out the toggles and split pins or (2) just undoing the bottlescrews if possible before (3) hacksawing those that remain

Two hacksaws so two people can work each side. ten new blades sacred to the task.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I use a spring pin like this to retain my life raft to its cradle so it can be released without tools.

I make mine from 3 mm stainless steel wire.

Some thing like th1s could be used to retain the toggle pins with safety cover to allow the release of rigging without the need of tools ( maybe just a big hammer)

A drop nose pin could also be used to retain the rigging toggles.

 

[Graham_Wright]

I use a spring pin like this to retain my life raft to its cradle so it can be released without tools.

Some thing like ths could be used to retain the toggle pins with safety cover to allow the release of rigging without the need of tools ( maybe just a big hammer)

???

 

[rogerthebodger]

???

Sorry forget to post the picture.

 

[Stemar]

I carry bolt cutters because I've got them and, on an aging Snapdragon that rarely leaves the Solent, I really don't think I can justify the expense of something that will actually cut my rigging wire. My assumption is that I'm far more likely to succeed in cutting the turnbuckles than the wire itself. I would think the same applies to bigger boats with bigger rigging.

 

[rib]

I was demasted in a 46 ft bav off portland bill.. Fully crewed... After securing along side (eventually getting rid of as it was a battering ram) the combination of bolt cutters (cheap ones) and releasing pins ( extremely hard when under load) and took a least two men. angle to get a swing meant coming thru the port light !! . The bolt cutters had to be worked cutting one or two wires at a go not a clean cut. But nothing to bad. Releasing the pins was harder. Top tip just before you dump over side make sure you have done both back stays ??

 

[Malish]

In a previous thread on this forum I posted about our experience with the Felco C16 cutters we have on board. They look great, are expensive and heavy, but didn't make much impression on our 10mm rigging when tested on a shroud we had just replaced.

Racing regulations then said that we needed something we could show worked.

So, as well as the hacksaw we bought some
Baudat KS13 cutters from Seateach when they were in Emsworth. They come in a nice handy case and are so easy to operate.

Looks like they're like these...

Baudat KS13 cutters

The video below looks like we took our time cutting the old 10mm shroud. We were actually all trying to see how far each squeeze cut through the 10mm shroud. It shows how compact it is and how short the handles actually are.

Baudat KS13 cutting 10mm shroud

second the Baudat option. Very compact and efficient, and because of the ratchet option they don't fall off the wire if you lose grip of them.

 

[Norman_E]

Those expensive ratchet cutters look good, but my boat came with a huge pair of rigging cutters with steel handles almost a metre long. When I had a re-rig I took an old 10mm wire and tried them. The only way I could cut it was with one handle on the ground and forcing the other one down, easier with a foot than a hand. That was on the hard, against concrete. Whether I could do it on a boat deck looked doubtful. I could cut 8mm with a handle in each hand, but it needed someone with more strength than me for 10mm. I relied on board with a good quality hacksaw frame fitted with Eclipse 32TPI Bi-metal blades. A strong hacksaw frame is essential as the blade needs to be heavily tensioned, and the good quality blades with hardened high speed steel teeth and a flexible carbon steel back are the only ones you should buy for the job. I always carried at least half a dozen blades on board.