Originally Posted by
Kimmo
A fine cut-off wheel is definitely the nicest way to cut housing.
But a $5 pair of sidecutters is just fine for cables (hold them up to the light before putting your money down). Works for brake housing too, but then you have to grind the end flat anyway...
Any set of side cutters ($5 to $500) will squash the end of the cable flat in order to cut it. The Shimano cable cutter jaws are designed to leave it round. The side cutters use an anvil cut versus the guillotine (or scissor) cut of the Shimano cutters. Sure, the side cutters will hack the cable in two, but the end is left much nicer with the Shimano cutters.
Cutting any brake or derailleur housing with an anvil-cut side cutters is asking for sticky brakes and poor shifting. Of course it can be done, but there are better tools for the job.