The lowly string cutter, AKA your least favorite piece of gear.
- Thread starter NullPointer
- Start date
Butcher of Strats
Most Honored Senior Member
Been using Channelock since the 1960s and also buy Klein tools, favored by electricians.
Basics of tools is that cheap tools cost far more than expensive tools because on average they fail in use, work less effectively, and fail more frequently. Have had some cheap tools that were good but overall tools cost so little if they last for decades that I see no advantage in sourcing cheap tools.
Unrelated:
I would never buy tools I have not seen and tried, online, certainly not from Amazon.
Butcher of Strats
Most Honored Senior Member
Home Depot 25 years ago sold tools they would replace for free forever if you broke them.
I knew carpenters who routinely returned chalklines when they broke, which the Irwin plasic ones with a transmission did indeed wear out. Guys who did roofing or siding wore them out regularly and got a new one free every year or so.
Home Depot is no luxy supplier but they tend to sell legit tools that work and hold up.
The cheapest tools are pretty bad, the cheapest tools at Home Depot are often pretty good.
I really like this combo tool:
StratUp
Dr. Stratster
I use a "on the small side" pair of diagonal cutters that were my grandfathers. Probably from the 40's or 50's but still very sharp. He used them as a professional electrician so they've gone some miles. I'll have to check the name on them for curiosity.
I also have a mini-pair, maybe 3" that I bought at Lafayette Electronics back in the late 70's for working on small stuff. They get use when the other pair isn't at hand. Still gong strong.
I also have a mini-pair, maybe 3" that I bought at Lafayette Electronics back in the late 70's for working on small stuff. They get use when the other pair isn't at hand. Still gong strong.
Yup.
Any old pair of decent hardware store side cutters will cut strings and a LOT more.
Buying a "string cutter" is like buying a grilled cheese maker when you could buy a frying pan.
StratUp
Dr. Stratster
Exactly. I’ve kept the same nippers since high school.
Butcher of Strats
Most Honored Senior Member
And what century might that have been???
rolandson
Dr. Stratster
Mine is rather precious to me...
It is an orthodontic wire cutter. A surgical instrument for all intents and purposes.
It was my fathers. He was an orthodontist. He died suddenly at a young age.
I had long standing instructions from him that should ...that...I was to retrieve a notebook from his office and follow the instructions inside.
Thus I had a key to his office.
As I was leaving, rather hurriedly because I had to catch a plane...dad, having the temerity to drop dead 2000 miles away at a conference, had left my mother stranded more or less...
I picked up something of his from his office.
A pair of these...
They have served me for almost 40 years.
It is an orthodontic wire cutter. A surgical instrument for all intents and purposes.
It was my fathers. He was an orthodontist. He died suddenly at a young age.
I had long standing instructions from him that should ...that...I was to retrieve a notebook from his office and follow the instructions inside.
Thus I had a key to his office.
As I was leaving, rather hurriedly because I had to catch a plane...dad, having the temerity to drop dead 2000 miles away at a conference, had left my mother stranded more or less...
I picked up something of his from his office.
A pair of these...
They have served me for almost 40 years.
The last one. Just past.
Boyd L
Strat-O-Master
I probably have 10 import quality side cutters, diagonal cutters, and end nippers. I also have 3 sets of Channel Lock end nippers that I've used primarily to build or repair fence 170 acres for the past 30 plus years. Cutting 14 gauge steel barbed wire is demanding on my cutters. Ernie Ball 10s? Not so much. Never damaged or wore out those inexpensive cutters from guitar use and typical "around the house" use.
These
