Side cutters (nippers) with carbide tips (manufactured in Yoshkar-Ola)

If you are a non-professional electrician, radio technician, do not make crafts from wire and do not assemble electronic circuit boards, then you can quite cope with cutting nails and other simple metal products, after you get the usual side cutter pliers.

But if you periodically do such operations, then it is best to acquire tools specially designed for this.

After all, even the name of the tool already almost completely indicates to us the principle of operation - “side cutters”, cut off by the side face of sharp sponges. The nipper tool has a similar name and principle of operation. For nippers, the jaw blades are perpendicular to the handles and the distance from the object to the hinge is constant, so the force at the cutting point depends on the grip of the hand.

With side cutters, you can adjust the cutting force by moving the object to be cut further or closer to the hinge. The handles are made large, but the sponges themselves are not. Because of this, they have a very large moment of force in a small area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe jaws due to the compression of the handles. It's like in physics: if we lose in distance, we win in strength. If we need to cut a narrow copper wire, we will do it with the very tips of sharp edges. Cut a thick nail, put it next to the hinge and squeeze the handles.

How to choose side cutters?

For ease of use, side cutters are selected by hand. There are mini side cutters. Even a lady can work with this. They have narrow cutting edges that allow you to bite through thin wires even when making chains.

It should be noted that they must have a self-unclamping mechanism. This tool is easy to use even with one hand. You may not even need electrically insulating material for the handles. Good electrical protection on tool handles, for electricians, for example, is prerequisite. Due to the frequent work in mittens or rubber gloves, the size of the side cutters should be chosen larger. Self-expansion is desirable, but not entirely required.

What are side cutters

There are several types of side cutters. Since this tool is used for cutting metals of different structure and properties, it is necessary to take into account their characteristics when choosing.

Standard side cutters. The most common type, you can buy these at every hardware store. They can bite through wires that do not exceed 2.5 mm in diameter.

Reinforced side cutters. They are used by specialists when carrying out any installation or plumbing work. The working surface of such a tool is made of carbon steel. They are made only from hardened metal, which gives them increased strength.

High voltage cutters. Made specifically for electricians. They are used when working with live wiring. These side cutters up to 1000V isolate voltage, these side cutters are insulated thanks to heat treated surfaces and plastic handles.

Mini side cutters. A popular tool for programmers and computer scientists. They are used by computer network installers, system administrators and PBX service technicians. Very compact and highly functional.

standard reinforced high voltage mini

Side cutters can be any length and any size. They differ in the shape of the sponges and the type of their adjoining. The performance of the tool primarily depends on these ordinary parameters.

If the jaws of the side cutter are long and thin, such a device is ideal for cutting through the thinnest wires. Such properties are indispensable, for example, in radio electronics. They can also be very useful if the wire is in a very narrow and hard to reach place. Some side cutters are equipped with a special recess on the jaws. Such a tool easily removes the coating from the wires and removes the insulation.

Thematic video: PLIERS AND SIDE CUTTER BISON

I think every home has simple wire cutters that are very useful when working with wire, wires and even nails. So, the correct name for this tool is side cutters.

We all know very well how they work and how much benefit they can bring. But few people know that they are different types, and even when choosing such a seemingly simple tool, there are some peculiarities.

Appointment of side cutters

First, let's talk about the scope of this tool. A person's productivity is affected not only by his skills, but also by the quality of the tools he uses. There is a price to pay for versatility. This statement is also true for simple side cutters.

If you need a tool that can work under voltage, then you will need to pay extra. Cheaper options are only suitable for simple assembly and plumbing tasks.

Simple side cutters can be used almost everywhere, but you can’t work with wires that are under high, and not very, voltage. For this, it is worth using wire cutters made of materials that are not conductors of electricity.

Simple side cutters are also good, just not safe in certain conditions. They also cut thin metal well, help with wires and cables that do not carry current, and easily deal with plastic. The size of the tool itself determines the thickness of the material it can cut.

If the side cutters are dielectric, they can be manipulated under voltage, but it is still recommended to use, in addition, special dielectric gloves. Such a tool can work with networks up to one thousand volts.

At the same time, the temperature of the environment in which you have to work should not be lower than minus twenty degrees Celsius, and should not exceed 70 degrees. The level of humidity in such a room, or on the street, should not be higher than 80 percent, in relation to 25 degrees of air temperature in Celsius.

Classification

Side cutters are divided into several groups, depending on the size, shape and purpose. More massive models, which are designed to work with materials of greater thickness, are called bolt cutters. They are able to work with thicker metal sheets, wires and fasteners. larger diameter, and are large in size.

Almost all models of modern side cutters have a dielectric coating on the handle. So which side cutters are better - those with insulation on the handles, or is it not required?

Of course, it is not necessary, but it is much more convenient to buy such a tool once and not think that you do not have equipment for working under voltage. Moreover, we do not buy wire cutters every month, and, I think, not even every year. This is an item that can be useful for many years, with right choice and operation.

Side cutters that have an additional coating are also good for ease of use. They do not slip in the hand so much, and therefore it is much more pleasant to work with this option. In addition, they do not absorb moisture and are not damaged when dropped, like cheap plastic pens.

Most often there are cutters of three sizes. The first are side cutters 15 centimeters long. These are mainly used for small wiring, work with small electronics and appliances.

Side cutters 18 centimeters long are less common. These are more often used when working with large and thick wires and sheets of metal of higher thickness.

Working with side cutters

The purpose of side cutters depends more on the person who uses them. But in any case, when buying, you should carefully examine the wire cutters. Handles should not have any defects - this applies to both the coating and the general shape of the handles.

Slightly curved handles can be very uncomfortable when working, and damage to the dielectric coating, under certain conditions, becomes a threat to life. Therefore, do not neglect trite simple tips.

Side cutters are good not only for cutting thin metal and cutting wires. To do this, it is enough to place a wire, or a piece of a sheet of metal, between the jaws, and apply force to the handle.

If you do not want to cut the wire, but simply strip the insulation from it, you can use the screw to adjust the wire cutters. Having slightly unscrewed it, it will be possible to apply force to the side cutters without fear for the cable core. If there is no such screw, then you will need to rely only on own forces and accuracy.

It is best to take side cutters that have a reinforced design and a dielectric coating on the handles. Also, such a model must have an adjusting screw.

Such a tool is well suited for all household tasks, whether it is working with a wire, or cutting metal, the thickness of which, for example, is 3 millimeters.

Also look at the base material of the wire cutters. It is better if it is hardened steel, on the lips of which there will be special titanium inserts. This strengthens the tool and makes it more reliable.

Photo side cutters

N.B.
Since the review was written by a person who is far from metal science and the daily use of this tool, a lot of remarks and clarifications arose during the discussion. I strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself not only with the text of the review, but also with the content of the comments to it.
Brief summary of comments.
1. On the websites of firms selling these products and in some reviews of tool users, there is an erroneous point of view on the material from which solderings are made. You should be guided by the manufacturer's data. Pobedit is not used in the production of these side cutters. Solders are not carbide. The working edges are made of high-speed tool steel P6M5 (may readers forgive my bone-tonguing, I have nothing to do with the field of metallurgy, by the nature of my activity). The side cutters themselves are made of St45 steel.
2. Side cutters should be used for their intended purpose and do not try to bite with them that are not biteable. Their destiny is copper, aluminum and other soft metals. Not nails or springs, not hardened steel products. The working edges are quite sharp, but at the same time fragile and by no means eternal. If you don’t want to quickly see the dents on them or broken tips, use the tool, taking into account its features.
3. The design of the instrument lags behind the requirements of the time, remaining at the level of the middle of the last century.
4. The price is significantly higher than that of other products of this group of goods, you should clearly understand the benefits for yourself, calculate the possibility of self-sufficiency of this tool when using it.
5. There are several modifications of this tool on sale (straight-oblique jaws, the presence or absence of a fixing screw, springs).
6. When ordering online, there is some probability, a fraction of the risk, to get a tool with a reduction in working edges that is far from ideal.
7. The problematic structural elements include the central rivet, which after a while can become loose, which in turn will lead to a slight side play and uneven convergence of the working edges.
As a result, at the exit we have the same as at the entrance - the feasibility of buying is very debatable, if not controversial, in each case it must be determined by the potential buyer individually. Subject to the rules of operation - for home needs, the capabilities of the tool are enough for the eyes.
I express my sincere gratitude to the people who took part in the discussion of the subject of the review.

annotation
+
1. It is easier (2 times) to use, in relation to analogues. Less effort should be applied to the tool. Apparently, because of the sharp and durable working edges.
2. Higher personal self-esteem of the owner, based on possession, I will not say that it is an exclusive, but rather rare and original instrument. Obtained with labor, not in a neighboring hozmage. Not a brass comb, but still……
3. The money is spent within the country, and not invested in the economy of the eastern neighbor.
-
1. The price, I will do without comment here, everyone has different incomes and opportunities to amuse themselves and satisfy their needs and desires.
2. "Naked" handles. It is simply inconvenient to use without additional gestures (“collective farm” of heat shrinkage).
3. Draft view of the product, they look “out of the box” rather unsightly, not aesthetically pleasing, especially in comparison with modern foreign instruments. Not to mention the abundant initial lubrication.
4. The need to comply with a rather wide list of certain conditions and rules when applying it (see below).
5. Awareness of the fact that in case of damage to the instrument it will be difficult to replace it, hence the desire for rare, prudent, prudent, economical use.

The reasons for writing this review were the following:
1. Reviews of various side cutters from China appear on the resource with enviable regularity, and the subject from the current review is also mentioned in the comments. Therefore, I wanted, being its owner, to express my point of view as a person whose activities are not associated with the frequent use of this tool.
2. Since one of my previous reviews was favorably received, quite highly appreciated by the community of users of the resource, and I even broke my own record for “pluses” on this site the other day, I wanted to tell you about some more successful and more -less popular, useful purchase made via the Internet.

Introduction
Many admirers of the resource have a certain craving, weakness, addiction to a certain category of goods: flashlights, knives, other intricate objects of a phantasmagoric appearance and incomprehensible purpose. This is understandable, especially if we recall the final phrase from the movie “Only Girls in Jazz” or the lesser-known saying Aliena vitia in oculis habemus, but tergo nostra sunt. I also have such an “Achilles heel” - a passion for cutting objects, especially those with carbide tips. I already wrote about some of them (for quite objective reasons, the review was rejected by the mysku administration, I had to post it)
Today, looking at all the good that was bought and delivered for Lately from China, I clearly realized that there is nothing worthy of attention among him, and what is of at least some interest is still on the way. The situation is typical, very well described in the 5th chapter of the book "Lost in the Taiga" by Leonid Repin. I think that you are familiar and not by hearsay.
And then I remembered these side cutters. I had some doubts about the possibility of writing a review, due to the fact that this domestic product was purchased remotely, but through a domestic store. Having asked permission for the possibility of writing and publishing it, having received approval from the site administration, I wrote this text.

Purchase and delivery process
Ordering through the store's website does not cause difficulties, you need to fill out the appropriate form, select the delivery method (in my case, Russian Post) and pay for the purchase. After about 2 weeks, I was able to pick up a small box at the post office, in which there were side cutters wrapped in packaging material (in abundant lubrication) and accompanying documents - waybills. The total amount was formed from the price of the goods and the cost of delivery by Russian post (448 + 178 = 626 rubles)

A story of love and lust
I first learned about the existence of these side cutters in nature from the materials of the same resource. I immediately wanted to become their owner, and neither the price of the product, nor the dubious need for them for me, a sybarite, a refined city dweller, an intellectual, cooled this desire. home master, and even then, one might say, with a stretch. In short - I wanted to and that's it, even crack.
Before the purchase, an analytical search was carried out (based on Internet materials in the context in the search line "IN-0004").
The Internet provides us with some information about the product. They are, however, quite enough to decide on the purchase. From them we learn that:
1. Solders are made of Pobedit and cannot be used to cut hard materials (for example, nichrome) - otherwise holes in the edges are guaranteed.
2. Do not cut with the tips of solders, they are fragile and break off.
3. On sale can be found in stores selling jewelry tools.
4. The cutting edges of the tool are fragile, do not drop it, throw it, take objects for a break.
Well, this information is also on the network:
Side cutters are designed for cutting wire. Made of carbon steel in accordance with GOST 28037-89. They are used for cutting wires and thin wire when performing work in electronics and precision mechanics. Made of steel St45 (GOST 1050-80). Cutting edges (plates) are made of R6M5 steel (GOST 19265-73). The plates are soldered with L-68 solder (GOST 28037-89). Length - 125 mm. Weight - 76 g. Hardness of cutting edges: 52-60 HRC. Chemical composition soldering: C (0.82-0.90) / Cr (3.8-4.4) / W (5.5-6.5) / Mo (4.8-5.3) / V (1.7-2.1) / Co (<0.50). Выдерживают испытание на прочность режущих кромок трехкратным перекусыванием стальной углеродистой пружинной проволоки диаметром 1,25 мм (методика испытаний по ГОСТ 28037-89).
There are side cutters and a review on YouTube:


In stores, in the markets of the city, I have not seen side cutters for sale. An acquaintance, while passing through Yoshkar-Ola, also did not see the goods on free sale.
Side cutters, they are wire cutters
Let's examine the goods

Traditionally, we will evaluate the composition of the alloy used in the manufacture of side cutters.
Lever


Working edges

Since the tool is operated at home, the operating condition has predictably not changed over the 15 times it has been used. But really, a little scary, I even bungled a reminder and attached it to the instrument. The fact that the side cutters are able to bite the rail should not be clearly counted on.


Professionals, I think, have their own opinion and their own assessment of this tool and its merits, for amateur craftsmen, information about side cutters may be of some interest, although perhaps more abstract than practical.
I was satisfied with the purchase. If there is a desire to purchase a product, I advise you - do not rush. Let your thoughts settle. Think for a couple of days: do you really want to become its owner - so as not to reproach yourself later for money wasted aimlessly.
factum est factam. Experientia est optima magistra.
Specially for GN - "Judge not, lest you be judged..."
PS
In pursuit, as a bonus to the review of side cutters, I want to recommend a cool electrical tape, made in Japan.


I bought it at a local online store, because the price on eBay goes beyond all reasonable limits.

If you meet somewhere at an affordable price - buy it, the thing is worth it.
Therefore, let me take my leave, with best wishes for success in everyday life, work and leisure, sincerely yours, the user of the resource from HH.


Photo from personal archive.