what works? side cutters?

Just cables? Tin snips. For housing, you could use a big set of bullnose or a beefy wire cutter.

Why not use the right tool for the job? They can be had at Menards for $9.00. The savings is not worth the hassle.

A dremel works well - it's helpful to grind the ends flat after cutting whether you use it for the cut or not.

I agree, the dremel works great. After cutting cable housing, sometime I cut too fast which generates some heat that softens up the teflon. I just stick an old spoke inside and wiggle it around and problem solved. Using the cable cutters which bends/distorts the metal under the teflon and you still need to correct that by filing or grinding and some bending to get a smooth exit point. Using the dremel saves time and a lot of work and provides a cleaner cut. a dremel pays for it's self in no time.
my recommendation is a dremel

What work? Searching this forum works! The topic gets covered just about each week.

Side cutter, needle nose cutter all work fine. I've never had a problem with not being able to get a side cutter cut cable into a housing. Cutting der housing, however, definitely needs a special tool or dremel cut off wheel.

I use the ultimate all-in-one tool: fence pliers. It's a hammer, crimping tool, cable cutter, pliers, staple remover, etc.

An oxy-acetylene torch works well, and results in a nice tidy welded ball on the end of the cable which prevent fraying. Be careful to point the torch away from the paint/powdercoating, and to shield the frame and your face/body from the sparks.

My vote is for the giant frickin' laser.

Get the bicycle cable cutters. They're cheap and they're the right tool for the job. I finally bought some, and it made me feel kind of dumb that I hadn't bought them years sooner. I also bought two jars of those crimpable things that go over the ends of the cut cables - one for brakes and one for derailleurs. Those were cheap also, and now my cables are neat and have no frayed ends, and if I have to cut a cable because I messed up on something (and have to pull it back through the housing), I don't sweat, because I can just crimp another one of those thingies on, and I've got plenty.

If it's just the cable you want to cut, you can solder it at the arrea you want to cut. This will bind the steel wires tightly. Then either with a dremel cutting wheel or a small file you can make the final cut. Cable will not unravel.

I use a pair of linesman pliers. Set the cable between the blades, close down on it and while holding it tight give it a good hard whack with a hammer.

Nice clean cut.

Diagonal cutters in my experience tend to flatten the cable and fray the ends. I use a suntour cable cutter. I use a dremel-like tool (foredom) to cut casings with a cutoff wheel. That has worked for me for many moons.

Sheldon

I've been using a dremel for years but am going this way too. Anything but the right tool is just slower and more work.

www.felcostore.com/order1.jsp?code=F-C7

One Word: Felco

I just use my teeth. One good bite with my incisors.

Just kidding. Big and sharp diagonal cutter.

Sorry to revive this one... yet again. But has anyone used the Pedros cutter (https://www.speedgoat.com/product.asp...=330&brand=186). It looks like a knock-off Felco. I'm sure that Pedros skimped on the hardness/finishing of the cutting jaws, but on the surface they look the same. The $$$ difference would buy a new set of cables; Anyone care to compare and contrast?

vs.

I have and they are fine as well as the Park cutters.