Best cable cutter

I am planning on buying a cable cutter for making snares and installing stainless cable rails. Any advice on the best one that produces a clean cut with no fraying? Thank you.

The Snare Shop.

felco c-7 swiss made-hands down but not cheap.

X2

X3

https://felcopruner.net/felco-c7-industrial-cable-cutter.html

Felco.

By-golly, I do own a felco.

I'll put "HIT" brand up against they any day

X4

HIT, since 1984

I have two of the HITS, they work well.

These I’ve been using the same pair for 40 years they still cut cable but might need replacing soon, made in the USA great tool for the price on my line every year.

IMHO Knipex is the best but expensive. Runner up would be Felco and the Felco is cheaper

I have Knipex (German) and a Felco (Swiss). Out of those two, I'd take Knipex too. Cutting head and handle are one piece.

If your making 100s of cuts go cheap if you making thousands of cuts get fancy then. The cheaper US ones fit in a sheath I’m never without mine If I lose them I’m out $25 but I keep a spare on hand to break it in for when I need them.

I have the C-7 Felco as well. Had them for going on 20 years, still cut perfect every time. Great cutters. I keep them in the shop for snare and cable stake manufacturing.

I also have these... https://www.funketraptags.com/product-page/cable-cutters - they are by far the best choice for use on the line. Never fail to cut cleanly and are perfect for getting into the hide to cut off snares. Easily carried in your pocket too.



If I could only keep one the C7's would be gone.

Hand held these:

My table top swagger has an excellent cable cutter built in:

On top of the swagger head.

Tailhunter,

Will the swagger cut the cable cleanly enough for cable rail cuts?

Mine won't. It never made clean cuts, so I demoted it to cutting #9 support wires and short pieces of small rod to build stakalizer type conibear supports. The 8" bolt cutters Harbor Freight sells actually cut cable very well, but not practical on the snare line. They would work for cutting cable to length though, they make clean cuts.

Felco c-9 is awesome.

Sorry to hear that. My particular one cuts it clean.

My table top cuts cable clean like that too.

Felco C 7. I've had the same pair for 20 plus years.They still work and cut cable just as great as the day I got them brand new. They cut cable about like a hot knife through butter - very quick clean and very easy ! Not the cheapest but have been well worth the money to me.

I asked this same question two years ago and went with an HIT. It works amazing.

Here’s some advice. You can get c-7 sharpened when they get dull. About $5. I have used every brand from cheap $9.99 to felcos and kinpex. And for the money I would go with HT brand. Felcos and HT brand get dull at about the same amount of cuts. All cable cutters get dull but still cut, just not as slick as when they are new.

Where do you get yours sharpened?

I just use my ARM table top swager to cut cable, need to get a pair of handhelds for the line