Customer Reviews

Xcelite 170M General Purpose Shearcutter, Diagonal, Flush Jaw, 5" Length, 3/4" Jaw length, Red Grip

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Highly useful little tool when cutting small wires. Makes neat cuts. The company web site indicates that "Greatly reduced mechanical shock delivered to the work" is an advantage, not sure if that's really an issue with this size wire. Seems durable so far, and matches the quality of my other Xcelite tools, some of which are approaching 20 years of use.

The handles are very comfortable, better than I can say for a lot of other tools!

The only drawback I would note is that the unit stays open, with no provision to lock closed. This exposes the short blades to nicks and eventual dulling from other tools in the tool box or bag. My advice is to either keep it in the blister pack, which will eventually crack, or pack it in a side pocket to avoid damage. A rubber band or conical tip cover might also work - something like a large wire nut, but flexible.

Made in the USA.

Probably not the right tool to cut Romex, but otherwise a recommended tool and handy for its intended use.

Super sharp. I use them to cut tie raps. Works as expected. Many of this type on the market. Don't cut heavy metal though...you will tear them up!

I've used Xcelite products in the past, and have generally had a high opinion of build quality. I ordered 5 of these for our lab, and consider them almost unusable.

Issues:

* When lightly closed, both cutting edges are not completely parallel (you can see a sliver of light through the teeth on one side). This means that when you cut something, you have to push down harder to get a complete cut.

* When you squeeze them with any amount of force (2 fingers + thumb), it goes cross-jawed. This is because the rivet is not tight, has slop in it. Since it's a rivet, you can't tighten it.


So, in conclusion, if you want to do precision work, stay away from these. I'm not sure if it's just this product / batch, or whether this is a sign of poor QC at Xcelite. I'm going to reconsider buying other tools from them in the future though.

I bought these to trim component leads when doing through-hole solder work, and they work like a charm, giving consistently clean, flat cuts. I've also found them useful when trimming back the braid on coaxial cable.

Provided you don't try to cut battery hookup wire, or cat 5 cable, or anything else that these cutters simply aren't designed for, they should give you plenty of years of service.

A nice unit, easy to cut and cuts flush. Its like using scissors to cut soft metal.

Pros

Flush cut, that is cut off as close to flat near the top of the cut item is one thing, and shear cut is another: this cutter cuts like a scissor or shear. If you've used pliers to cut or standard wire cutters, there is a similarity at first glance, but most cutters are pinch cutters, than squeeze the parts together until it cuts off like you would cut dough with a wood spatula. Shear cutters require less force to cut and make a nice end, whereas pinch cutters leave a sharpish edge to the cut surface. Shear cutter thus feel easier to use repeatedly.

Cons

Shear cutters should not be used on wire gauges or material above its rating. This would be like using scissors to cut paper clips. With pinch cutters, you'll know the cutter won't work because too much pressure is needed and nothing happens; with shear cutters the blade may yield and deform or break without much force.

For general purposes, pinch cutters are cheaper and easier to find. But if you do it a lot, shear cutters make it easier, a rebate coupon made me get these for less than $1 each.

It has been a while since I have had a nice set of flush cutters. These are great for trimming component leads after soldering through hole PCBs, cutting zip ties with no snags or sharp points. Do not use these for cutting steel, as pliers, or any other way not designed and they will provide you with years of great service!

These cutters are professional grade, sharp, lightweight, and durable snips. I use these to make flush cuts on wire ties and snip 18g wiring. A very nicely constructed "must have" tool for an electromechanic who cuts wire, tie wraps, and cable shielding. This tool has a perfectly flush bottom and small "v" shaped sharpened tip for micro cutting. Shipping was quick however Amazon shipping status was never updated.

I use these handy cutters mostly for tie wraps and carry it w/me most everywhere as I'm always using them like on bicycle cables etc. Also great for fishing line. Way better than nail clippers. I carry them with the Xcelite mini-pliers for flyfishing for there small lightness but great efficiency. They leave a clean smooth cut as a finish. They're to soft for metal except maybe in a pinch and you can't beat the price. I would've given 5 stars if they cut metal but whadyaspect.

I purchased these cutters for soldering work. The previous reviews were mixed, so I figured it was worth a shot, considering the price.

I have not been impressed with the specific cutter I received. The overall construction seems solid, but the quality assurance is obviously not great at Xcelite, based on other reviewers' similar issues. Flaws with the cutting end seem to be common. As others have mentioned, the cutting edges do not vertically line up precisely, but this would not necessarily be a problem for most uses.

That being said, the more problematic issue with my pair is that the two cutting edges only make contact close to the hinge pin. Further out, toward the tips, they do not make contact, no matter the force applied. When cutting thin material, this means that the piece be pushed further into the jaws in order to be cut. I find this frustrating, especially when working in tight spaces. It can be damaging to the workpiece to shove the cutters in deeper to achieve a clean and complete cut.

I have since ordered a similar cutter from another "X" brand, and I have not encountered these, or any other, issues. I have relegated this Xcelite pair for general, non-precision duty.

These flush-cut snips work very well.... until they break. Which is what happened to both pair I bought while cutting through a normal CAT5 network patch cable. After the first pair broke within 1 months use, I figured it was just a bad pair so I ordered another. Then those broke under the exact same circumstances. I will now look for something a little more heavy-duty for all my light-duty work.