sharpening cable cutters

[musher]

My cable cutters are no longer doing the job on snares. there's always a few strands left that will not cut.

Is there a proper way to sharpen the edge?

thanks.

[trappincoyotes39]

what brand of cutters you got?

[musher]

Felco?

[trappincoyotes39]

yes the c-7. You can use a flat file or a stone and just put the edge back straight on them. Meaning don't of course try to make it a sharp angle and get down close where they meet that is where the most wear comes from of course. Follow the edge they put on at the factory.

[RonMarsh]

Check the pivot nut for tightness.

[musher]

i was WAY off base. It's an ARM made in Japan.

I checked the nut already.

thanks.

[irnhdmike]

You can buy cheap ones at Princess Auto for $10.00 bucks. They work just fine and I have had no trouble with them getting dull. Look just like the Felco ones.

[trappincoyotes39]

well musher I'm sure the steel in what you have is not the same in the felco c-7's. If you buy a pair of felcos' they should last you along time. They are worth the money, I have used them to cut alot of cable and also have used felco pruners for many years great stuff.

[deereman]

I like my Knipex brand cutters.... they cost a bit more.. they are very similiar to the C-7s. however they are gauranteed for life.

[musher]

i visited ebay and ordered some Felcos c-7.

Thanks for the help.

[TrapperRon]

I have the Felco C-7. It is now about 25 years old and commercially made snares for many years, Still cuts like the day I bought them. I would also suggest that maybe the nut tension is out of whack.

Also used Felco pruners for many many years, great products and worth the extra $$$$.

[Rally Hess]

Musher,
The cutters you have are probably fine. More than likely you have been cutting soft trappers wire with them, which smears into the jaws and causes them to feel like they are dull. To solve this, take the cutter jaws apart and lay the flat side on a FLAT honing stone. Like a white Arkansas or Washita with some honing oil. While keeping it flat, work it in a circular motion. This will remove the soft metal smeared into the cutter jaw. Then put them back together, making sure they are relatively tight but not overtightened. Unless the cutting edge has been damaged they should work well.

[RonMarsh]

I had ARM cutters go bad and not cut cable cleanly and I never cut trap wire with them. I have six pair of them laying around. I will give the stone a try.

[musher]

I will try taking them apart. I cut anything and everything with them including #9 wire and 1/8 cable plus small sticks!

They still do the wire but they no longer cleanly cut the cable. There are always a few strands that are not cut so I end up twisting and swearing with no real effect on the strands.

[trappincoyotes39]

musher keep a pair of good side cutters/fencing pliers for anything other than cable. I have a great pair of fencing pliers (crescent brand) that cut 9ga wire/#2 welded link chain like nothing, but I sure wouldn't use my felcos on it OUCH LOL.

The fencer's do a great job on closing J hooks even the heavy duty ones with little effort.

[jim]

Cable cutters cut wire where you don't have enough slack to get ahold of them with pliers so I will continue to use them for wire.

Jim

[trappincoyotes39]

hey Jim each to there own but it will dull cable cutters faster and the cheaper the cutters the quicker they will dull. ALL about quaility steel.

[jim]

If they get where I am having trouble cutting cable I will get another one to use just on the cable.
Any guess how many snips of wire before they will give a person trouble?I have got 13 dozen coyote and beaver traps with cable on them but don't redo many of them anymore.

Jim

[trappincoyotes39]

NO clue on wire? I know I have had the same pair of felco's for cable for 12 years and still going strong. They have cut alot of cable though!

[musher]

I have a pair of fencing pliers that I use on the j-hooks and on wire. But they stay in the truck. The cable cutters come with me as I check sets.