why does this happen? When I cut some types of wire, especially stranded cable, with the Vic Spirit wire cutters the pliers gets stuck in the closed position and I need to pry them open to release the frayed cable in the cutter. My SOG doesnt do this with the same piece of wire/cable so I know that it isnt the wire.
Victorinox Spirit wire cutters get stuck
- Thread starter jscalia
- Start date
Dunc5, is probably right. In most multi tools, if not all, the wire cutters are offset. This allows the possibility of the wire turning 90 degrees and sandwiching between the cutting jaws instead of being cut, if the jaws are not perfectly flush with each other. This "perfection" is not possible, otherwise the jaws would not move, but the tighter it is the better it will cut, rather than just turn it and jam. This is really only a problem with stranded wire, because the individual wires are small.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2007
- Messages
- 50
out of curiousity how are the swisstool's wire cutters.. I have every leatherman and i cant find my vic i really never got to use the W>C's
I also had the opportunity to cut srtanded wire with both my LM Charge and Swisstool X, and both did the job but the cut was not always 100% clean, especially for fine stranded electronics/electrical wire. I sometimes had to use the scissors on both tools to get the job done completely. My only gripe with the Vic wire cutters is they are short. =)
Depending on the wire really , but I found the Swisstool peforms the best on hard wire .The Charge cant be faulted either and I never had any trouble with cutting wire when I had mine .
Dunc
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2005
- Messages
- 2,792
Recently I did a wire cutting test with the several multi-tools I have on hand. All were able to cut solid wire well enough, but results varied on braided wire.
On braided steel picture hanging wire, the most consistent clean cut was with a Swiss Tech Micro Tech 8 in 1 and a Leatherman Core, using the notch below the plier head. While not 100% clean every time, the better performers did well most of the time. They were, in descending order, Swisstool (original), Super Tool 200, Spirit, Squirt P4, PST, Juice CS4 and Swisschamp.
All of them, actually, will do the job, if needed. I can and have been in situations where what I had on me was my only option. Years back, I had to frame and hang a gallery exhibition (I'm a photographer) with my Swisschamp, and six weeks ago did the same with a Core. In the main, I prefer dedicated tools to any multi-tool, but sometimes, rather than go elsewhere to retrieve the proper tool, I find it easier to reach into my pocket.
There is no real significance to these test results because some of the multi tools had been used more or less than others, so it wasn't really scientific, just demonstrated differences in my particular collection. The main thing I learned from all this is that I have too much time on my hands.
On braided steel picture hanging wire, the most consistent clean cut was with a Swiss Tech Micro Tech 8 in 1 and a Leatherman Core, using the notch below the plier head. While not 100% clean every time, the better performers did well most of the time. They were, in descending order, Swisstool (original), Super Tool 200, Spirit, Squirt P4, PST, Juice CS4 and Swisschamp.
All of them, actually, will do the job, if needed. I can and have been in situations where what I had on me was my only option. Years back, I had to frame and hang a gallery exhibition (I'm a photographer) with my Swisschamp, and six weeks ago did the same with a Core. In the main, I prefer dedicated tools to any multi-tool, but sometimes, rather than go elsewhere to retrieve the proper tool, I find it easier to reach into my pocket.
There is no real significance to these test results because some of the multi tools had been used more or less than others, so it wasn't really scientific, just demonstrated differences in my particular collection. The main thing I learned from all this is that I have too much time on my hands.