Instant Cable Fraying
 

I changed out a FD cable today because the old cable was frayed. I put the nice new stainless cable on, and when I cut it with this type of cable cutter

http://76.my/Malaysia/coax-datacom-c...onngu77@11.jpg

then "sproing" it frayed. I was able to gather up the strands and get a crimp tip on there, but how do I prevent this in the future?

Thanks,

Al

I have never had that happen, but:
You could avoid it by figuring out where you want to cut the cable, clean the area with some mineral spirits or alcohol, and then rub some gel superglue into that part and let it dry. When you cut it, it won't fray, you won't have to put a crimp on it, you won't have to cut it if you want to take it out, and you will be able to put it back in.
I have been doing this for the last few years and it works well.

Usually wire rope cutters like this one won't fray cables but it does happen, especially if the cutter is dull, or if you used one with a wide curvature. I gather you did use the smaller notch.

As you saw, the cable can usually be rewound win your fingers and a crimp slipped on.

When cutting the wrong head off a new double ended wire, be sure to cut right at the head. Often some zinc will down in to the cable for a few millimeters, so cutting roght at the head may prevent fraying.

Other tricks that you can try if fraying is a constant bother is apply a drop of super glue where you plan to cut and let it cure before cutting, wrap the wire with with a short piece of adhesive tape prior to cutting, and cut through the tape. Also if you're truly OCD, you can slip a length of heat shrink tubing down the wire down to where you want to cut, shrink it to a ight fit, then cut and leave there as a crimp.

The shrink tubing method does a beautiful job but don't expect pros to do it. The reason metal crimps are used is that they take no time at all.

+1 on the heat shrink tubing. I started using it recently and it's awesome! :thumb:

You could solder before you cut. If you spent less than $15 on the tool, that's likely your problem. I find the cheap ones don't cut the hard steel cable cleanly if at all. Get electricians grade linesman's pliers or diagonal cutters or buy the $45 Park Tools cable cutter. Take a cable scrap sample with you to the store to test it out.

I used to solder cable ends, but it seems that the new cables are stainless steel (at least the good ones...) and won't solder properly, no matter how hard I try. I like FBinNY's recommendation to cut the cable right at the non-used side.

I use a Shimano cable cutter that does a perfect job and the cables don't fray at all.

Try spinning the cable cutter in the direction of the cable twist as you're cutting it. Should help some.

Great suggestions, thanks.

Go to your local hardware store and by a tin of acid flux in the plumbing department. It's used to prepare copper tubing for sweating. It will dissolve some of the surface steel of the cable and provide a rough surface for the solder to stick to.Dip the end of the cable in the flux, heat with a torch, and apply the solder. Be careful not to over heat the cable as well.

cutters closing in a sharp V may be better.. I think those are for fences or Cu wire.

I'm in the pre-solder, where the cut will be, camp... but stainless cables are harder to do than Zn treated steel.


I have found a low temperature silver solder from welding supply shops ..


Given you rode to the nearest, Marina , and stainless steel is a common Marine use choice ,

check with the shops for the Boats.

All this is a lot of work over nothing. Unless you want to solder to avoid using a crimp, simply cutting and crimping is fine 99% of the time. Thousands of cables are cut every day is bike shops throughout the USA and cutting and crimping works fine.

The only time I worry about cables fraying before I can crimp them is when cutting off the unused head of double ended cables, which is why I avoid them when possible. But even with those I've never had a problem when cutting up against the head.

Yes, you can do a "better" job, but if you're going to use a crimp anyway it isn't really any better.

I am currently without a cable cutter (but I'm thinking of getting a Pedro's, heard it's better than Park, and it's also cheaper), so I am forced to cut and trim cable and housing with my Dremel, using a cutting wheel. It takes a few seconds, it gets red-hot and throws sparks in the meantime, and in order to avoid instant sproing, I hold the cable with needlenose pliers and cut right next to the pliers (like 5mm away), and the pliers seem to hold everything in place.

I have had good luck with end cutters for cutting cables without fraying. I think the parallel cutting jaws make the difference.

i cut all my cable housing using a Dremel tool and cutoff wheel. Zero distortion and it's very easy to make clean, square cuts. I'd use proper housing cutting pliers if I was doing it all day long though. The Dremel is a little slow in comparison.

Using a dremel with cutoff wheel leaves a surprisingly clean cut.

I, Just, take more Time on my bike, than the Shop repairs..



Zn treated cable , soldered, greased, re installed, and then cut, was the last job,( The Brompton)

NO, NO, NO. Dikes don't work, don't know about linesman's pliers.

Despite the nay sayers, I have cut cabels for years with diagonal cutters, but they have to be a quality pair made for HARD wire. But as the OP found out cheap or dull cutters cannot cut without fraying, period. Once in a while I get a few "strays," but they wind back into the cable easily. I will admit though, that the RIGHT tool is always easiest.

Stainless cannot be soldered with soft solder. You CAN solder it with silver solder. Superglue is MUCH cheaper and easier though.

-SP

Here's some evidence that it's not related to the quality or type of cutters. I just now went into the garage and made 15 cuts of the leftover old and new cables. I used the big and small diameter cutters (see photo). There was no fraying at all.

What about this: I cut pretty close to the clamping bolt. Perhaps the pressure on the cable caused it to fray. Maybe I should cut when it's not clamped.

Here are the actual cutters, which cost about $14, IIRC.

http://i.imgur.com/ZSIsYHz.jpg

I've found that when I cut the cable after securing it tight with the anchor bolt it tends to fray a bit. If I loosen the bolt, cut the cable, and then retighten the bolt it tends not to fray.

Frays because of the clamping? Might be a bit short of a cut. ..less than an inch?


since I have a 4th hand tool*, for brake adjustments, I leave the length it needs.

*http://www.cambriabike.com/Hozan-Cable-Puller.asp

Felco bike cable cutters are the best, Swiss Mfg. http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=40932
though there are copies, quite adequate .. http://www.cambriabike.com/Icetoolz-...le-Cutters.asp
Shimano .. http://www.cambriabike.com/Shimano-T...le-Cutters.asp
Park http://www.cambriabike.com/Park-Tool...ing-Cutter.asp

Solder doesn't need a rough surface to stick to, it needs a compatible metal to form a chemical bond. Flux removes surface oxidation and protects the solder and metal from oxidation during heating.

Stainless is much like aluminium in that it has an exterior oxide layer. Removing it requires a powerful flux which should be cleaned off after soldering or it will corrode the cable.

Yes, exactly. I was trying to be extra neat by cutting it closer than usual.