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Looking to purchase a small pair of wire side cutters for small electrical jobs and perhaps a pair of long nose pliers.

 

Really looking for reasonably quality tools not your cheap two for a five type.

 

Any particular manufactures to look out for and suppliers .

 

Many thanks

 

Eltel

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Perhaps a bit more than I can afford, don’t doubt the quality.

 

Perhaps something a little less expensive.

 

But thanks for posts so far.

 

Eltel

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Applying Mikes first rule of poker playing with those Accurascale chaps, one of them appears on here talking about Lindstrom tools, so my guess is that there next locomotive release will be this;

 

http://railwaywondersoftheworld.com/ljungstrom.html

 

Mike.

Apologies to Terry for thread drift of epic proportions.

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Buy the best that you can afford and maybe even a bit over that. They will repay you over the years. I've a set of jewellers screwdrivers with brass handles that I bought forty years ago, I winced at the price but they are still very good.

 

I only go cheap for rough work tools.

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Xuron and other side cutters usually say that they can be used for cutting "soft wire" of certain thickneses.  What is soft wire?  I've been told that brass wire, the one I most commonly use, is in fact hard wire (as I suspect is nickle silver wire) and the rapidity with which I go through sidecutters, albeit cheap ones, tends to testify to that.  I suppose I'd really like a set of sidecutters that will reliably and in the long term flush cut brass wire up to, say, 1mm.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, what with Christmas coming up!

 

DT

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It all depends on your budget.

 

To use an example there is no use recommending Bentleys if the OP just wants a reliable car to get to work that will last for a few years. As he say's it's just for small electrical jobs.

 

 

Try Squires, Eileens Emporium, Gaugemaster, Expo, Hobbycraft, etc. Plenty of decent tools that don't cost a small fortune. Find what is suitable and shop around. Also some good deals on places like Amazon at the moment.

 

Eileens is a good start. https://eileensemporium.com/

 

 

 

 

Jason

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Xuron and other side cutters usually say that they can be used for cutting "soft wire" of certain thickneses.  What is soft wire?  I've been told that brass wire, the one I most commonly use, is in fact hard wire (as I suspect is nickle silver wire) and the rapidity with which I go through sidecutters, albeit cheap ones, tends to testify to that.  I suppose I'd really like a set of sidecutters that will reliably and in the long term flush cut brass wire up to, say, 1mm.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, what with Christmas coming up!

 

DT

 

When they mention soft wire they mean the stuff that amateur jewellers use. The stuff that is very bendy and can be cut with scissors.

 

 

 

Jason

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Xuron and other side cutters usually say that they can be used for cutting "soft wire" of certain thickneses.  What is soft wire?  I've been told that brass wire, the one I most commonly use, is in fact hard wire (as I suspect is nickle silver wire) and the rapidity with which I go through sidecutters, albeit cheap ones, tends to testify to that.  I suppose I'd really like a set of sidecutters that will reliably and in the long term flush cut brass wire up to, say, 1mm.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, what with Christmas coming up!

 

DT

These are used as piano wire cutters they last for ever in industrial applications.  Well they did when I used them in industry many years ago.  I don't think the quality has changed as I bought a pair a couple of years ago and they are going strong.

https://www.maunindustries.com/diagonal-cutting-nipper-for-hard-wire-with-plated-handles/?gclid=CjwKCAiAl7PgBRBWEiwAzFhmmn15HP8luv7gw_JpKwbxfjhzyX8bLPoCl-itaIMR226jkkZMcrpBmhoC9UEQAvD_BwE

 

Edit: Sorry, I did not see you wanting flush cutters, these are diagonal cutters; generally they need to be diagonal to be strong enough for hard wire.  I have left the post rather than deleting it as it may be of interest to others.

Edited by dhjgreen
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When they mention soft wire they mean the stuff that amateur jewellers use. The stuff that is very bendy and can be cut with scissors.Jason

 

Thanks - you've confirmed what I thought.  That being the case, it seems that the entire Xuron range is pretty useless for modellers who want something that will reliably flush cut brass wire.  Best policy is perhaps just to buy cheap cutters and replace them from time to time as necessary.

 

DT

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I’m now ever more confused so I’ll restate my original question.

 

“Looking to purchase a small pair of wire side cutters for small electrical jobs and perhaps a pair of long nose pliers”

 

 

 

I just don’t want to buy cheap junk and at 69 I’m not looking for something to last 50 years

 

A reasonable make, a perhaps model number and possible price, something around £20 is what I’m looking for.

 

Eltel

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Xuron side cutters are fine for the brass and n/s wire we use and they cut very close. Mine have been used for a few years now and are unmarked. For precise square cutting of this wire I use an old pair of Xuron shears. I don't use either of these on steel wire of any sort and always use hard wire cutters for piano wire.

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I’m now ever more confused so I’ll restate my original question.

 

“Looking to purchase a small pair of wire side cutters for small electrical jobs and perhaps a pair of long nose pliers”

 

 

 

I just don’t want to buy cheap junk and at 69 I’m not looking for something to last 50 years

 

A reasonable make, a perhaps model number and possible price, something around £20 is what I’m looking for.

 

Eltel

 

Anything here that takes your fancy? Worth a browse at least.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/b/ref=dp_bc_4?ie=UTF8&node=1938981031

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/b/ref=s9_acsd_hfnv_hd_bw_b27DiQ3_ct_x_ct00_w?_encoding=UTF8&node=1938975031&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&pf_rd_r=Q2C8QEZ7WT073KBGXVZD&pf_rd_r=Q2C8QEZ7WT073KBGXVZD&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=729df633-0430-5188-961d-b0dce93305a8&pf_rd_p=729df633-0430-5188-961d-b0dce93305a8&pf_rd_i=1938969031

 

 

 

 

Jason

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“Looking to purchase a small pair of wire side cutters for small electrical jobs and perhaps a pair of long nose pliers”

 

 

 

 

 

https://xuron.com/index.php/main/consumer_products/5/38

 

https://xuron.com/index.php/main/consumer/11 or maybe  https://xuron.com/index.php/main/consumer/13

 

Xuron Tools have a lifetime warranty, so long as you don't abuse them.

 

HTH

 

Brian

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Xuron Tools have a lifetime warranty, so long as you don't abuse them.

 Indeed.  But as every Xuron sidecutter I've looked at specifically says that it is suitable for cutting "soft wire" up to a certain thickness, cutting hard wire such as brass would be considered abuse and would void the warranty.

 

DT

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Mostly I have bought cheap tools over the years with the odd one thrown in. Some of the tools bought cheaply at railway shows were end of lines expensive ones but using tools appropriately seems the best choice, example I use the newest files for brass and nickel silver, oldest for copperclad sheet (especially the glass fibre ones)

 

Wire cutters, I use bigger ones for rail and have just bought a pair of Hilka (Very reasonably priced under £5) from the hobby shop  http://www.hilka.co.uk/product_detail.asp?s=26100500

 

Long nose pliers like tweezers, cheap ones can be good providing they close flush !!

 

Its too easy to either say buy cheap or buy expensive, at shops & shows you can pick things up and see if they suite your purposes. I would say with somethings its best to buy top quality, other things its best to buy things and replace them once they have served their usefull working life

Edited by hayfield
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 Indeed.  But as every Xuron sidecutter I've looked at specifically says that it is suitable for cutting "soft wire" up to a certain thickness, cutting hard wire such as brass would be considered abuse and would void the warranty.

 

DT

 

The brass wire we commonly use in our modelling is easily cut with Xurons. I'm cutting small 'bundles' of handrail wire for inclusion in my kits, it is from Gibson and is referred to as 'half hard' and I'm still using the same cutter I've had for years so don't be so dismissive of Xurons. There is a specific Xuron cutter for hard wire which is what I use to cut spring steel wire for sprung suspensions this would be similar to piano wire which is really hard.

For a whole collection of Xurons check out the 'EXPO Drills and Tools' online catalogue.  https://www.expotools.com/cgi-bin/ss000001.pl?page=search&SS=xuron&PR=-1&TB=O&ACTION=Go%21

EXPO will honour the warranty on Xurons if you ever need it.

 

Dave Franks.

Edited by davefrk
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 Indeed.  But as every Xuron sidecutter I've looked at specifically says that it is suitable for cutting "soft wire" up to a certain thickness, cutting hard wire such as brass would be considered abuse and would void the warranty.

 

DT

 

 

The OP does state "... a small pair of wire side cutters for small electrical jobs" (i.e. predominantly copper) though.  But I'd have no fears on half-hard brass wire though (as Dave has mentioned), unless of course it's silly thick stuff.

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