Hydraulic Wire Cutters?

[CapnK]

Anyone have any experience with using these:



I'm interested in 2 things in particular:

• How fine/good of a cut will they make (ie; not deforming the wire)?
• How fast do they make a cut?

The first part because I'm wondering if they will be a useful tool to have in my riggers toolkit, as opposed to long-handled manual cutters.

The second is curiosity - will they really work fast in an emergency situation, or does it take a while to pump the jaws closed...

[maxiSwede]

I stumbled over these at a british forum yesterday. They climed them to probably be jammed by corrosion when (finally, yhough hopefully not) called upon. There was a discussion about angle grinders too (!!!!). Electrocusion strongly speaking against them  ;D :-X

Jigsaw -bullet proof but darn slow.... so what's left?  I need to get something myself. Not for work as a rigger, but for that dreaded emergency.

I want a tool that is easy to use, quick in action, strong enough aaand deadly simple in construction and not toooo exensive either . *sighing*

any suggestions? What do you guys use.

As for the hydraulic ones CpnK. except for the corrosion part I guess they would get my vote.

[CapnK]

I know that there is one model out there which is intended solely for emergency use that uses a cartridge (from a pistol, IIRC) to push the blade thru the wire.

As far as the corrosion - sounds like someone wasn't keeping their emergency gear in very good shape!  :o

I'm really interested in how they'll work as a tool. I've some SSB insulators to install on a backstay, and would be able to put them to use on that right away, if I can verify that they are not just an 'emergency use only' type of gadget...

[maxiSwede]

As far as the corrosion - sounds like someone wasn't keeping their emergency gear in very good shape!  :o

I'm really interested in how they'll work as a tool. I've some SSB insulators to install on a backstay, and would be able to put them to use on that right away, if I can verify that they are not just an 'emergency use only' type of gadget...

The stuff yu don't use often and tuck away at the bottom af the lazarette or something. I guess it is a good practice to spray all tools with WD40 or use kerosene on a rag before stowing those 'seldom use for' items.

I would be very interseted to hear of how it' going when you hack that back stay to pieces though.  ;D What do you use presently? Just some pliers? cutting plyer -is that what it's called in english?   ???

[ScotiaSailor]

I use those type of cable cutters here in the elevator trade. they are very slick. A brand new set will cut very clean (maybe one or two of the last strands deformed at the end, very minor.)

the time it takes to cut is very minimal.. first your gonna pump a dozen or so times to get the blade to come up to the cable (zero resistance).. once it starts cutting it is only a matter off a few more pumps to do it..

In an emergancy? not sure if there is one way that is faster then the other.
hydo-cutters are just more convient in our trade, smaller, easier to handle, especially when you hanging in a elevator hoistway..

We use it to cut mostly 3/8, 1/2  and up to 5/8 with no problems..

Other options then that are to use a grinder with a cut-off disk.. but it is a rougher job..

One thing to remember (depends on what type of cable you use, Preformed or non-Preformed) is to wrap the area to be cut with some tape (we use electrical tape or fibertape) then cut in the middle of the tapped area,  some types of cable will unwrap themselves if not taped..

keep some lube to them and they last forever..

seems like a pricy tool to have for a once in a blue moon use!

oh and if you do want to buy a set... obviously dont shop from a Boat supply shop.. these tools were not invented for the boating industry, you can find them cheaper commercial at alot of tool dealers!!

[Fortis]

If you were going to store that as an "for emergency use" tool then you would vacuum seal it in a bag using one of those food saver things. They are usefull anyway, but I find I use them more for storing tools and various chemical compounds liek varnish and sealents  (just bag over the can/cartridge). It provides a layer of security against spillage and also keeps the stuff fresh for ages.

I always think people attack the wrong things in these situations. I really do not see the point in cutting away rigging wire, for the most part there will only be a tiny amount of it on board that is still attached to anything, and it will be flexing like a dying snake as you try to work it, while not going overboard on a boat that suddenly has a higely uncomfortable motion as it pendulums side to side with the keel weight/momentum uncontested by the rig.
Me? I would take a good strong hacksaw (not the thin commercial versions, you can get "rescue saws" from industrial supply specilists. It is a hacksaw with a bloade that is better then 1mm thick and very aggressive teeth (some cut in both directions, whihc may not be useful for keeping you balance, pothers have little starter teeth on the tip of the blades that get the groove happening quickly to let you use the full length of thre blade faster. These I like). anyway, your turnbuckles are possibly made of chrome plated BRONZE and are much easier to cut (cut where you don't think you'll hit a bolt!. Even if they are stainless prper, the turnbuckle is supported like it is in a vice by being held to the chainplete, so cutting it is still much easier and faster then trying to go after the actual cable.

I used to think that going after the tiny little cotter pin and then whacking out the pin was best.... An experience with a quite small dinghy convinced me this was a great way to get beheaded...The saw lets you be an arm's length away, which is a plus when things go twang! The cutters, and even standard bolt cutters would aften have you directly over what you are trying to cut...

Alex

[AdriftAtSea]

The problem I see with those cutters is that you can't get them over a cable that is attached at both ends.  If you have to cut the rigging in an emergency, you'd probably want something that can cut a cable connected at both ends.  A good pair of bolt cutters may be a better idea.

IIRC, Practical Sailor did a review of rigging cutters in an issue last year.

[Captain Smollett]

A good pair of bolt cutters may be a better idea.

I was under the impression that trying to cut wire rope with regular (straight blade) bolt cutters was problematic.

Is this a myth?

[CapnK]

Dan - The jaws open, so that you can place the cutter around such a cable.

And though bolt cutters will cut 1x19, they'll leave you with mangled and deformed wire ends, pretty much unsuitable for use with compression fittings.

AFA using them at sea, in an emergency - I think that, if at all possible, you'd want to save as much of your rig as possible for jury-rigging (hopefully), but you might need to cut some wire to get the mast away from the boat if it were trying to poke holes in the hull (I've read a few accounts where just that happened). That's where these would come in handy.

So far everyone who has responded that has actually used them, like ScotiaSailor here, says they work great. One person stated that it took a 100lb woman 5-10 seconds to cut through rigging wire using them. That's pretty darn quick.

You can bet that for those last few squeezes, I would be sure to be holding the things at arms length.  ;D

Besides the possibility of having them for emergency use, I see them as being a nice portable tool to use for doing rigging work both on my own boat, and on others cruisers boats once I get out there, to help feed the kitty. Note that these also work for cutting bar stock and bolts. Carry a coil of wire, this tool, and have compression fittings on your rig, and you can make up your own rigging as needed, wherever you happen to be. Handy, that. :) What would be really neat would be if it came with a swaging head, too. ;)

[maxiSwede]

If you were going to store that as an "for emergency use" tool then you would vacuum seal it in a bag using one of those food saver things. They are usefull anyway, but I find I use them more for storing tools and various chemical compounds liek varnish and sealents  (just bag over the can/cartridge). It provides a layer of security against spillage and also keeps the stuff fresh for ages.

I always think people attack the wrong things in these situations. I really do not see the point in cutting away rigging wire, for the most part there will only be a tiny amount of it on board that is still attached to anything, and it will be flexing like a dying snake as you try to work it, while not going overboard on a boat that suddenly has a higely uncomfortable motion as it pendulums side to side with the keel weight/momentum uncontested by the rig.
Me? I would take a good strong hacksaw (not the thin commercial versions, you can get "rescue saws" from industrial supply specilists. It is a hacksaw with a bloade that is better then 1mm thick and very aggressive teeth (some cut in both directions, whihc may not be useful for keeping you balance, pothers have little starter teeth on the tip of the blades that get the groove happening quickly to let you use the full length of thre blade faster. These I like). anyway, your turnbuckles are possibly made of chrome plated BRONZE and are much easier to cut (cut where you don't think you'll hit a bolt!. Even if they are stainless prper, the turnbuckle is supported like it is in a vice by being held to the chainplete, so cutting it is still much easier and faster then trying to go after the actual cable.

I used to think that going after the tiny little cotter pin and then whacking out the pin was best.... An experience with a quite small dinghy convinced me this was a great way to get beheaded...The saw lets you be an arm's length away, which is a plus when things go twang! The cutters, and even standard bolt cutters would aften have you directly over what you are trying to cut...

Alex

Interesting post and a point well taken Alex. It makes a lot of sense to me...
disclaimer: I have not yet actually used any of those tools discussed in this thread to actually cut cable or wire. So I am only contemplating this theoretically. Guess I'd better get some discarded piece of cable/wire and do some trials. Makes one sleep better at night... It's like going through the routine of securing everything in the interior that could come loose and become a danger at a 360 roll. When you've done those preparations you are obvioulsy never going to be rolled anyway  ;D 8) ;D

[AdriftAtSea]

Vacuum sealers are wonderful tools... many long-distance sailors I know use them for storing all sorts of otherwise somewhat perishable goods like: Oil/fuel filters, engine parts, emergency tools, toilet paper, etc. :)

[CharlieJ]

Vacuum sealers- spare spark plugs, extra batteries, dry clean sheets and pillow cases - top , bottom and two cases WILL fit in a large bag, but don't throw it at anyone.

Just anything you want kept safe and dry. I'm gonna be sure ours is aboard when we take off for longer trips

[Captain Smollett]

Vacuum sealers- spare spark plugs, extra batteries, dry clean sheets and pillow cases - top , bottom and two cases WILL fit in a large bag, but don't throw it at anyone.

Just anything you want kept safe and dry. I'm gonna be sure ours is aboard when we take off for longer trips

We finally DID get a vacuum sealer, and Becky was a sealing nut for the first few days.   ;D

She also bought some of those bags with the one-way valves that you simply squeeze the air out of.  They work great (so far).  We used them on a trip recently and packed all clothes (and some other stuff) for the four of us into one suitcase.  Not a true substitute for all applications, but we like these for the boat since we will be able to reuse them aboard without 110 V AC for the vacuum. 

[AdriftAtSea]

Another good thing to keep in the space-saver bags is your cold weather clothing, since water, dirt, moths, and such can't get to them when they're stored in those bags, and they take up a lot less space.  :)

When you're sailing in the tropics, not much need for long johns, sweaters, or polar fleece. :)

[Auspicious]

For tools and spares in vacuum bags (and in fact in all my working tool bags and boxes) I keep an industrial desiccant packet (like these http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11146&filter=moisture ) in with the items. I've been very happy with the lack of corrosion.

[CapnK]

Scotia -

Do you know if the cutting surfaces/blades are replaceable, or is the thing useless once they get worn? (Seems they'd be replaceable, or removable for sharpening...)

[CapnK]

Never mind - found out myself - they do. :)

[Mr. Fixit]

I am looking for cutters for an emergency situation. An intresting discussion with an Electrician has me thinking. I was questioning him as to the ratchet hand cutters (one hand operation) and I asked him if they would cut stainless cable (1/4"). He told me that good quality "linesman" are guaranteed to cut 1/4" rod. Any Electricians out there that have any opinions. Would cable be harder to cut than rod??. He gave me a brand name but I forgot, will ask him next week.

[Fortis]

It honestly depends on the lay of the cable (the type of weave).

The standard standing rigging type used for shoruds and such would be about the same (though you would need more cranks of the ratchet to deal with pre-sheer deformation), some of the springier cable lays as found in boats with funkier kinds of adjustable backstays will tend to yeild and flatten without cutting much more.

Once again, in an emergency, you are better off attacking the terminals and cotter pins than the cables themselves. People love the idea of cutting cables, but that does not make it the best option.


Alex.

[CharlieJ]

Agree totally on the clevises, having been on a boat when the mast came down. We just pulled cotter pins, shoved clevises out and wrapped up wires. AFTER we got the sails off the boat.

Laura, another friend and I just looked at one another, shrugged, and went to work.

Biggest battle we had was sitting on the owner, who wanted to IMMEDIATELY start the motor and head to a marina- with all the poop ( I didn't type poop ;D) dangling in the water!!!