# Lead catching cutters!?!?!?  Take my money



## Stickman393 (Aug 1, 2021)

Just got me a pair of these.

Cutting resistor leads on the bottom of your board?  Treat safety glasses poorly and thus don't use them because scratches occluding your vision?

You, like myself, may be a good candidate for spending 30ish bucks on a pair of exquisitely crafted cutters from Germany that really only excel at this task, and cutting zip ties.

Whatever.  I just like tools and like sharing cool tools.


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## Harry Klippton (Aug 1, 2021)

Link please 🔗🔗🔗


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## Stickman393 (Aug 1, 2021)

Imma gonna resist posting a link to Amazon, chadstoolbox is a great independent shop.

These are the non-inox non-stainless tool steel version.  Personally, I prefer this variety, but I admit I got an Amazon warehouse pair for like 22 bucks.



			https://chadstoolbox.com/78-91-125-knipex--super-knips-comfort-grip/


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## Nostradoomus (Aug 1, 2021)

I got a set of Klein (I think) cutters like that on DigiKey, I just want a longer pair now…


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## finebyfine (Aug 1, 2021)

Stickman393 said:


> Imma gonna resist posting a link to Amazon, chadstoolbox is a great independent shop.
> 
> These are the non-inox non-stainless tool steel version.  Personally, I prefer this variety, but I admit I got an Amazon warehouse pair for like 22 bucks.
> 
> ...



link 404s for me. does the lead catcher really work that well? i can't wrap my head around how it works

edit: nvm! I get it now. buying a pair instantly


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## Stickman393 (Aug 1, 2021)

It works best with one lead at a time, but yeah, it just pinches the lead at a diagonal from the cutting edge.

If you type in 78-91-125 it'll come right up.  Knipex has a strange model naming convention: the first number denotes the design, second denotes feature set, third denotes length (typically in MM, but on their forged AWG model of wire strippers it's in inches)


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## finebyfine (Aug 1, 2021)

Stickman393 said:


> It works best with one lead at a time, but yeah, it just pinches the lead at a diagonal from the cutting edge.
> 
> If you type in 78-91-125 it'll come right up.  Knipex has a strange model naming convention: the first number denotes the design, second denotes feature set, third denotes length (typically in MM, but on their forged AWG model of wire strippers it's in inches)



I usually hold the lead I'm cutting with a finger while cutting it to avoid it flying across the room but I'll admit I'm too lazy to do it every time and this looks soooo much better than doing that


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## Stickman393 (Aug 2, 2021)

Lemmie tell you something: if this kind of stuff gets ya all hot and bothered like it does for me...

Well...have you ever heard of the Pliers  _Wrench_?

It's an adjustable wrench with zero backlash...except, that's not exactly the right way to say it.  No...it's an adjustable wrench that wraps a faster with POSITIVE gripping force while the user applies torque.

Here I am with mine.


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## fig (Aug 2, 2021)

You can't go wrong with Knipex or Fujiya. 

I also like the Xuron and use them a good bit. I'll post this link, but I am not responsible for how much you spend.






						90 Degree Bent Nose Plier
					

Work precisely with micro pliers and mini cutters from Micro-Mark. We carry a high quality selection of nippers, locking pliers and more for your modeling and hobby projects.




					www.micromark.com


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## Stickman393 (Aug 2, 2021)

Friggin micro mark.  One day I will own their lathe.

Or the one from LMS.

Oohh...that tapping station looks Neat-O.

Wire bending pliers, backordered.  Nooooo!  Take my money!!


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## fig (Aug 2, 2021)

I have the Xuron wire-formers.....sweet!
Now I am off to buy an O-Silly-Scope. Think Channels, bandwidth, resolution, accuracy,  sample rate, capture rate, memory depth, triggering, input depth, connectivity, and oh heck...what's on sale today?


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## Stickman393 (Aug 2, 2021)

Why buy an O-silly-scope when you can buy....

A smashet?


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## Bricksnbeatles (Aug 2, 2021)

Guess I know what I’m asking for this Christmas now! I haven’t soldered in my bedroom in 6 years  (i was able to take over an area of the boiler room in the basement a while back), and I still frequently find resistor leads on my floor somehow


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## Dan M (Aug 2, 2021)

My cutters are not great.  
So I read this thread.  
I didn’t realize a nice set of cutters cost $2,000.  But they come with a lathe, an adjustable pliers, an oscilloscope, and some sort of weird hammer device.  Seems like a pretty good bargain.


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## Stickman393 (Aug 2, 2021)

@Dan M 

Lemmie see if I can find a unique dishwasher...


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## Feral Feline (Aug 2, 2021)

I have a friend who's uncle would misplace a tool, and just go buy another two (one as backup).

The house was chockablock with tools in every nook-and-cranny. My friend and I were visiting and we made numerous trips with Uncle to specialty tool shops, mostly for electronics but also mechanical, plumbing and others I have no ken nor memory of.

When the uncle passed, I helped clear out stuff from the house, the garage and a full-size sea-can in the back yard. I was given a few cool tools for my efforts. Uncle was a freq'n genius who helped build the particle-accelerator around Stanford, and that sort of thing. I still have some of those tools, still trying to figure out how to use some of them.


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## finebyfine (Aug 3, 2021)

my knipex ones came today and boy howdy are these things sweet


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## Barry (Aug 3, 2021)

finebyfine said:


> my knipex ones came today and boy howdy are these things sweet


Got mine today also, very nice and so simple


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## sixstringsandwich (Aug 24, 2021)

And here I am using a cuticle trimmer over here like some kind of savage.


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## BuddytheReow (Aug 24, 2021)

sixstringsandwich said:


> And here I am using a cuticle trimmer over here like some kind of savage.


Gotta walk before you can run! I've done this too


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## Barry (Aug 24, 2021)

sixstringsandwich said:


> And here I am using a cuticle trimmer over here like some kind of savage.


I do the reverse


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## Stickman393 (Aug 24, 2021)

Barry said:


> I do the reverse


Same, actually...


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## andare (Aug 29, 2021)

These cutters look intriguing because I have tiny pieces of components legs everywhere in my room 

From the picture it doesn't look like they can get really close to the PCB in cramped nooks and crannies because they are not angled.

Still, I love buying tools.

Thanks for the heads up!


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## yeeeargh (Aug 29, 2021)

they are angled, and I love them


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## peccary (Dec 24, 2021)

My wife just got me a pair of these for Xmas, I'm stoked to give them a shot later on.


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## Barry (Dec 24, 2021)

They work great


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## danfrank (Dec 25, 2021)

Stickman393 said:


> Why buy an O-silly-scope when you can buy....
> 
> A smashet?
> 
> View attachment 14426


I don't know what to the guy in the pic is doing, but I love to
SMASH!


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## Stickman393 (Dec 25, 2021)

danfrank said:


> I don't know what to the guy in the pic is doing, but I love to
> SMASH!


He's setting a concrete anchor.  Good use of a smachet.


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## ch4mpi (Feb 8, 2022)

I use one of these knipex for long years now. I broke it last year after cutting so many things that wasn't supposed to be cutted with. I bought inox version this time. I think those knipex tools are the best we can found around the world. You can also try French brand named FACOM, it works really fine too, but knipex = Deutsche Qualität


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## finebyfine (Yesterday at 1:37 PM)

ch4mpi said:


> I use one of these knipex for long years now. I broke it last year after cutting so many things that wasn't supposed to be cutted with. I bought inox version this time. I think those knipex tools are the best we can found around the world. You can also try French brand named FACOM, it works really fine too, but knipex = Deutsche Qualität



Do you have a link to the FACOM one? I wrecked my Knipex ones recently the way I wreck every cutter - by cutting stuff it shouldn't cut. I just today placed an order for these: https://vetco.net/products/side-wire-cutter-w-lead-catcher-4/xy-ax106 and am curious if they're anywhere near as good as the Knipex ones.


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## peccary (Yesterday at 1:59 PM)

finebyfine said:


> Do you have a link to the FACOM one? I wrecked my Knipex ones recently the way I wreck every cutter - by cutting stuff it shouldn't cut. I just today placed an order for these: https://vetco.net/products/side-wire-cutter-w-lead-catcher-4/xy-ax106 and am curious if they're anywhere near as good as the Knipex ones.



I keep two flush cutters: my Knipex and whatever pair happens to be on Amazon for $12. I only use the Knipex for cutting leads.


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## Laundryroom David (Yesterday at 7:25 PM)

fig said:


> You can't go wrong with Knipex or Fujiya.
> 
> I also like the Xuron and use them a good bit. I'll post this link, but I am not responsible for how much you spend.
> 
> ...


You are a bad man


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## Laundryroom David (Yesterday at 9:05 PM)

I could spend an unsettling amount of money on those tools.  i just spent an unsettling amount of time looking at all of them in that old link @fig shared. Sudden urge to form metal is strong lol.


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## jhaneyzz (Yesterday at 9:40 PM)

Absolutely best $8.00 I've ever spent:





			Amazon.com


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## Barry (Yesterday at 11:52 PM)

jhaneyzz said:


> Absolutely best $8.00 I've ever spent:
> View attachment 40050
> 
> 
> Amazon.com


Can't help but love a good stripper!


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## jhaneyzz (Today at 12:15 AM)

Barry said:


> Can't help but love a good stripper!


I see what you did there...


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## eh là bas ma (Today at 12:22 AM)

I am glad you mentioned Knipex, from 1882, germany.

Proud to present a collector piece, passed through generations in my mother's family.

It's strangely heavy, and you can feel the big hands of the ancestors on your shoulder when you use it.

I wonder if it was expensive when it was brand new. The orange thing feels more like rubber than plastic, not sure how old this is.

Still sharp after decades without any maintenance. I wouldn't use any other cutting pliers. It wouldn't feel right....

It reads :  "Knipex Vanadin 14 . 40" Vanadin sounds french, probably a collaboration (no joke intended).


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