Scalefour Forum

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

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

My side cutters came from Eileens, but are logoed Expo.

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.

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

Would a few minutes looking at this help?

https://www.paulbudzik.com/tools-techniques/sprue-cutter-review/sprue-cutter-review.html

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

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....

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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