Best side-cutting pliers

hollybeau
Posts: 91
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2009 10:03 am

Best side-cutting pliers

Postby hollybeau » Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:40 pm

I am bereft! I have misplaced my beloved side-cutting pliers that I have had for years. They were from memory specialist pliers, probably made for the jewellery trade. I last remember using them for a non-modelling job (re-doing the tv aerial!) and I just simply cannot find them since. As I cannot manage to do any serious modelling without a pair I wonder if you good people can recommend a good make and supplier for me to replace them. I have tried Eileens but there are no illustrations except for the Xuron products which don't look like my old cutters.
Of course the moment I buy a new pair the old ones will turn up................
Thanks in anticipation.

Bryan

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Tim V
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Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby Tim V » Wed Jan 20, 2021 8:05 pm

Have you looked in the Expo tools catalogue? https://www.expotools.com/

My side cutters came from Eileens, but are logoed Expo.
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

Jollysmart
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Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby Jollysmart » Wed Jan 20, 2021 8:15 pm

I bought a couple of pairs of these, very cheap and they do a good job. They were recommended to me by a 2mm scale modeller:-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Durable-Elec ... 3396368638

Other suppliers may have them at different prices.

jasp
Posts: 141
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 9:24 am

Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby jasp » Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:41 pm

The best side cutters, for brass, nickel silver and copper that I have are Lindstromm - expensive but superb.
For harder materials, eg steel wire and rail I use Maun cutters. Not as expensive as Lindstromm but superb and last a lifetime.
Jim P
Last edited by jasp on Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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David B
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Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby David B » Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:43 pm


tmcsean
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Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby tmcsean » Thu Jan 21, 2021 10:27 am

A few years ago I bought some replacement side cutters from a jewellery supplier. The quality was surprisingly poor and in the end I thought I would probably have been better off buying from Lidl. I've not come across Lindstromm cutters before but the best I have had were bought from MicroMark in the US. Their hidden price is endless emails and regular catalogs.

Tony

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JackBlack
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Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby JackBlack » Thu Jan 21, 2021 11:11 am

tmcsean wrote:Their hidden price is endless emails and regular catalogs.


I love the Micromark emails and catalogues! They're full of stuff I couldn't possibly afford to buy, let alone ship all the way over here....


Nick Allport
CLAG


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Guy Rixon
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Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby Guy Rixon » Thu Jan 21, 2021 12:18 pm

Micromark considered dangerous to credit cards!

Interestingly, they sell a hand-held notching shear. I wonder if it's any good for very fine work.

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stephenfreeman
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Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby stephenfreeman » Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:09 pm

Lindstrom will definitely last, bought a pair when a teenager from our local ironmongers, remember them? They will see me out (snips that is).

David Knight
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Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby David Knight » Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:20 pm

Xuron side cutters do as advertised but do not have hardened edges so don’t try cutting music wire with them. They are fine for rail though.

HTH

David

trustytrev

Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby trustytrev » Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:12 pm

Hello,
Were you working at the outside end of the tv aerial wire?
Might be worth another look round if so.
trustytrev. :)

hollybeau
Posts: 91
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2009 10:03 am

Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby hollybeau » Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:43 pm

Were you working at the outside end of the tv aerial wire?
Might be worth another look round if so


I wasn't on the roof but I did need to go up a ladder so a look in the gutter may be an idea.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I have looked at the Lindstrom cutters but at some prices over £200 I can't justify that sort of expense. The Maun cutters as recommended by JIm P seem to be a good compromise between quality and cost. Depending upon what I find when I put the ladder up again I am likely to be ordering a pair.

Bryan

jasp
Posts: 141
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 9:24 am

Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby jasp » Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:56 pm

I got my Lindstromms on ebay a couple of years ago for around £40 - worth every penny
Try www.haemar.co.uk
Jim P

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Guy Rixon
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Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby Guy Rixon » Thu Jan 21, 2021 9:33 pm

I have a pair of CK end-cutters bought about 25 years ago and still good. Screwfix sell this brand, and the prices range from about £14 for the basic ones to above £40 for the better ones. The expensive ones with "drop forged jaws" are claimed to cut wire up to 1.5 mm.

Philip Hall
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Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:49 pm

Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby Philip Hall » Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:39 pm

Jollysmart wrote:I bought a couple of pairs of these, very cheap and they do a good job. They were recommended to me by a 2mm scale modeller:-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Durable-Elec ... 3396368638

Other suppliers may have them at different prices.



Just taken delivery of a pair of these and they seem very good. Nice clean square cut in brass and soft iron wire, the latter useful because I use a lot of this for pipes etc.

Thanks for the recommendation.

Philip

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kelly
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Re: Best side-cutting pliers

Postby kelly » Sat Jan 23, 2021 3:56 pm

I tend to use my jewellery making ones, designed for memory wire.

You should be able to find them for sale from Cooksongold.
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