4 ms·
> A wirecutter Yes, but buy several. Maybe it's only because I buy cheap crap ones in the first place, but I treat them as consumables.
by Retr0id 1mo ago
> A wirecutter
Yes, but buy several. Maybe it's only because I buy cheap crap ones in the first place, but I treat them as consumables.
- boothby 1mo agoWhat are you using them for that consumes them?
- Retr0id 1mo agoCutting wires, mostly.
- probablybayesed 1mo agoInteresting, I want to hear the full story.
- analog31 1mo agoI use the cheap cutters such as Hakko 170's. They're sharp and convenient but essentially consumable. They're made from a relatively soft steel, and wear out, usually because you cut things that aren't copper. Some components have tinned steel leads. If you dig through someone's old tool box, you'll find a pair of wire cutters with a half-moon nick in each blade from trying to cut something hard. Naturally my use of wire cutters is declining, due to surface mount, but some of my boards still have larger through-hole parts, and I make custom cables for this and that during prototyping.
- rzzzt 1mo agoIf the sharp end chips, you can't get close enough to the things you want to clip.
- ansgri 1mo agoGet two: typical electronics flush cutters, and mini side cutters from hardware store. Use the latter in most cases, the former only where precision is really needed.