cutting gear cable outers

m3trackboy

Hi

What’s the best way to cut cable outer to length?
I had a go on some old shimano outer and couldn't get the cut as neat as the original end, can this lead to premature wear and binding on the inner?

Any help appreciated

nicklouse

with some proper cable cutters.

supersonic

Yep, has to be decent cutters.

m3trackboy

Thanks, looking at the park tools CN 10 got crimpers built in for the ferules

antbjanne

Angle grinder with a thin cutting disc,sounds drastic but makes a tidy job.

biff55

antbjanne wrote:

Angle grinder with a thin cutting disc,sounds drastic but makes a tidy job.

power tools ! hurrah !

The Big Cheese

I use a set if Draper cable cutters (cost be about £12) and they have been fine, I have an old dart in my toolbox (not my good ones!!!) that I open the end up with after cutting, jobs a goodun

LDNTrailRider

Insert an old inner cable before cutting. This stops the outer collapsing.

The Big Cheese

LDNTrailRider wrote:

Insert an old inner cable before cutting. This stops the outer collapsing.

Ooh I like that idea, I have some old inner somewhere - sometimes the most simple ideas provide the best solution

Barrie_G

I use a dremmel with a cutting disc.

Northwind

Dremel works, the bigger the disc, the better. But that's a faff so I use cable cutters with standard hoses.

mmacavity

Northwind wrote:

Dremel works, the bigger the disc, the better. But that's a faff so I use cable cutters with standard hoses.

Sounds good.

The Record WC6 wire cutters are good
"Mild steel strand up to 6.5mm.
Unarmoured electrical cable, soft steel
wire and spring steel wire up to 2.5mm.
Length. 7.1/2in."

biff55

was lookin at those dremmel drill kits in B&Q other day...
god they're expensive , £80-100 , and spare cutting disks the size of a 10p piece - £20
:shock: no thanks

RichMTB

Proper cable cutters have a little awl that you can use to get the outer back to its original shape.

Do like the idea of using a piece of inner mind

Northwind

biff55 wrote:

was lookin at those dremmel drill kits in B&Q other day...
god they're expensive , £80-100 , and spare cutting disks the size of a 10p piece - £20
:shock: no thanks

Mine was half that, and I get the discs off ebay, the official ones are silly. But it's a really handy thing to own.

biff55

Northwind wrote:

biff55 wrote:

was lookin at those dremmel drill kits in B&Q other day...
god they're expensive , £80-100 , and spare cutting disks the size of a 10p piece - £20
:shock: no thanks

Mine was half that, and I get the discs off ebay, the official ones are silly. But it's a really handy thing to own.

i know , they look great for bike fettling , wouldnt mind a kit
i stick with my full size power-tools for now though

konadawg

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0503425610

I got these short while ago (so can't comment on longevity) but they cut very well and are solidly made, I also have a Park pair in hand at the moment and these don't give that much away.

I'd bet my b*lls these are the same thing as the more pricey Pedros.

Definitely home mechanic worthy, maybe even more, and can buy three for the price of one Park but more to the point not worth messing around with angle grinders and the like.

nicklouse

konadawg
look very similar to my 10 year old Knippex cutters.

will do you well.

konadawg

nicklouse wrote:

konadawg
look very similar to my 10 year old Knippex cutters.

will do you well.

Cool, thanks for the endorsement!