Bolt Croppers

[wooslehunter]

Just read the post below on bolt croppers & I thought I'd post this as a new thread just because no-one mentioned it & it's important.

If you do cut a rig away with whatever method, be aware that even though a piece of rigging may appear to have no tension, it may actually spring one hell of a way with amazing force once cut.

Therefore, when you're heaving on the croppers or hacksaw over the wire, watch out when it goes. Even better, secure it before you cut.

You could easily lose eyes, bits of face or even a head!!!!!

By the way cable cutters and/or hacksaws work. Bolt croppers don't work well at all, especially on stranded wire.

 

[Clive_Rigden]

They do work on padliocks though.

Though thinking about it further, they'll most probably be in the locker with the lost key . . . /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Das_Boot]

If you use bolt cutters use very over size ones. If the largest shroud is lets say 8mm get bolt cutters that will cut up to 16mm and so on. Believe me they work.

 

[T_S]

Yes I have actually modified a dustbin lid to fit round my bolt croppers, this hopefully will prevent rigging gently slapping my wrist if I cut it!

 

[Cobra25]

The Machine Mart cable croppers look the biz and about £20 Thanks who ever posted that

 

[starboard]

Bolt croppers dont work propaly for cable because when the jaws are shut they are not fully shut if you see what I mean, they therefore leave a few strands of wire connected. The correct piece of equipment is pukka gen cable croppers, prefer the type with a notch cut out in the blade to stop the cable slipping.

Paul.

 

[cliff]

[ QUOTE ]
The Machine Mart cable croppers look the biz and about £20 Thanks who ever posted that

[/ QUOTE ]Looks can be deceiving.......
I think you will find those are for copper or aluminium ELECTRICAL cable and NOT for (high tensile) stainless steel rigging wire. I have a pair of 24" double acting, compound lever cutters and while cutting Cu and Al cable is effortless, cutting MS stranded wire requires a lot more effort and cutting 10mm SS wire is "gut busting" - I cannot see single acting single lever cutters coping with 10mm SS wire never mind solid rod.
Personally I like the explosive cutters - no messing about clip them round the wire and fire.
----------

“Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity”
Skype id:cliffillupo

 

[sixpack]

I have a pair of the Machine Mart type 24" cutters and I fully agree with you. They are useless for cutting rigging wire or rod. O.K. for copper cable but not for anything else really except maybe aluminium or other soft metal wires or maybe pruning the roses.

 

[webcraft]

Actually Cliff the Clarke cable cutters as available from Machine Mart came out as the best value in a YM comparative test eighteen months or so ago - they were reported as having no major problems cutting ss rigging wire.

Sixpack - were the cutters you used Clarke or some other make? Not all cable cutters performed equally in the test.

- Nick

 

[Conachair]

If you want the best then a set of felcos is it. C16's are the biggest set - just under £200. On any site using a lot of steel wire rope you won't see anything else. Flints sell them over the counter in London, probably as cheap as you'll get but I'd be interested if anyone knows a cheaper outlet.

http://www.flints.co.uk/acatalog/shop.html & seach for FELCO.
The owner has a beautiful boat as well - oh to have staff!

 

[jerryat]

Hi Sailor padz!

Yep, we carry Felco cutters on board that will cut up to 9mm rigging wire, though thinner 'spring' wire. Only used them once, on a spare bit of our 7mm stuff, to see if 'they do as it says on the tin', and they do! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Very good IMHO though I hope to God we never have to use them in anger!

Cheers Jerry