I really love some of the very expensive cutters that I have but they aren’t really necessary in a hobbyist context. Xcelite, Lindstrom, and Erem (now Weller Erem) make beautiful tools.As to quality cutters and strippers I would only add the following. Buy once and cry once meaning buy quality.
Ron
I wish I could get a replacement spring for my first pair of Erem wire cutters. I have a couple other pairs, but I like the style of my first pair. I was thinking about kludging something from a spring, but noticed that I had abused them and it's not worth the bother.Erem (now Weller Erem) make beautiful tools
I have a pair of these Xuron cutters, which can handle up to 12 gauge hardened wire. They make a nice flat cut.I went through sharpening a couple pairs of microcutters before I learned not to use them for anything but trimming PCBs and bought a good pair just for that. They are not high carbon steel diagonal cutters for cutting steel piano wire.
I was going to be stripping hundreds of jumper wires. But the insulation is so "loose" on the wire I'm using that it isn't much of a chore to use a stripper like the one in your first post.unless you are stripping a LOT of wires
Those Klein wire strippers are so sharp they take no force to strip and they cut the full circumference of insulation with one squeeze.They make 2 models of the wire strippers I use. One is for 20-30AWG and the other for 22-10AWG. I keep the 20-30AWG ones in the carousel on my bench and the others in the toolbox for when needed.
I would disagree - I much prefer semi flush. Flush cutters tend To dig into the solder joint and sometimes cut some of it away.Semi flush don’t.Cutting leads is best done with flush cutters.
While it's true that flush cutters can be used in such a way that they overcoat the lead, properly used they leave as much or as little of the lead as you need. I prefer the option of being able to trim things flat where needed.I would disagree - I much prefer semi flush. Flush cutters tend To dig into the solder joint and sometimes cut some of it away.Semi flush don’t.
in the past I would have recommended Lindström, but they are nowhere near as good as they used to be.
When mine failed after only a couple of years, I bought some from Tsunoda an so far I’ve been very pleased with them.
by Aaron Carman
by Jake Hertz
by Aaron Carman