Cable cutter for small hands
 

Hi all!
My partner and I run a small bike shop. He’s been doing this 15 years and I am apprenticing as a mechanic. The problem I’m having is not being able to use the Park Tool cable cutter properly because my hands are too small. I’ve tried to find ways to adapt grip, but I cannot get a clean cut, especially on the housing. My partner has to clean up the ends for me and I’d rather do the whole job myself. Does anyone have a recommendation of a wire cutter that has smaller grips? Is the Icetoolz cable cutter grip smaller? Any leads would be much appreciated!
-Liz

Felco C7 if you need to cut housing, Felco C3 if you only need to cut cables. Then handles are a little smaller than the Park, and they cut much cleaner.

+1 You will never regret investing in Felco tools.

Dremel with a thin fiber cut off disk. A totally different approach. I have a couple, one on loan to work and the other in my home shop. But I use standard Park, Shimano, SunTour cutters and don't suffer from small hands or weak ones either. Andy

+2. A little pricey but well worth it especially for a pro mechanic. Should last decades. Just don't loan them out too much as they tend to get "lost".

+3 for Felco...

https://www.felco.com/us_en/our-prod.../felco-c7.html

I used an angle grinder with a thin cut off wheel to cut my housings to size for my Paramount. I was a little worried that grit and other crap would get up in the housings and cause issues later. However It hasn't so far, three years after the fact.

Itslizzielou,
These are what I have been using lately. They are not inexpensive (but all good tools cost a bit more), they cost around $45-$50 at my local Menards, but likely can be bought through the web also. The spring load is not strong so nothing to overcome when cutting, and the handles are pretty ergonomic. Smiles, MH
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ccfc5dabf4.jpg

+4 on Felco, though I suspect that Knipex could be good too. As to Dremel it yields excess effort per outcome and those outcomes are not consistent.

While I agree that a cut of disk (Dremel or other rotary tool) isn't as simple as a cutter it is just another tool and how one handles it is the devil in that detail. Andy

I have some Knipex pliers and they are very nice. I don't have any Knipex cable cutters so I can't say how well they cut housing. I might grab one and try it, they are a little less expensive than the Felco. I just noticed today my C7 has a nicked blade - looks like someone tried it to cut a bolt with it. Sometimes I hate working in a busy shop....:notamused:

I have the Knipex and they are a wonderful bicycle tool - if you look, there are two crimping dies in addition to the cutters. One is for cable end caps and the other crimps a hex onto 5mm chrome brake housing ferrules. I have the Knipex and the Felco. Although the Knipex require less cutting force, the handles are a little bit wider than the Felcos at the point where you have to apply force.