I was replacing cables and housing today and discovered that when i cut the housing using a park tool cable cutter, it tended to mash the ends.

does anyone have any experience in how to cut the housing so it doesn't mash up? or other tricks to make it so i am not worried about my cable rubbing against a rough opening?

thanks.

I use a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel in it for gear and brake housings, that gets a really nice flat cut.

I have noticed that the Park cutters tend to dull quickly. I use a FELCO cable cutter; 40 years and still going strong with clean cuts.

It may be helpful to put a scrap piece of inner wire into the housing when you cut but even then I find I need to ream out the housing liner with an awl after cutting to make a nice clean entry for the wire.

This.

--J

I always open up the hole with an awl after cutting the housing.

This too for me

+1 for Dremel tool. I use a conical reamer tip that fits the Dremel to open the hole if need be.

+1 and it leaves an end with a burned liner if so constructed, but to my experience there is only superficial damage to the liner and the cable is fully functional with a very nice square cut.

I save scraps of cable. I slide a short length of cable into the housing before using a cable cutter to prevent the housing from being crushed. No awl required.

I find on brake housing I always have to clean up the housing with a Dremel afterwards. I'll have to try using the scrap piece of inner cable and see if it helps. With the spiral wound reinforcement I would think the only way to get a square face is with the Dremel.

"I would think the only way to get a square face is with the Dremel."

Whether using cable cutters (even FELCO), diagonal cutters or a Dremel the ends will need to be cleaned up for best results.

I clean up the end with a file so that it is flat and square with no flyaway strands. When you are done it should look like the photos in this link, which has tons of other useful information: Cables

For coiled housing like brake cable housing, bend the housing to spread the coils and use a diagonal cutter to cut the housing between the coils. A couple swipes with a file or a bench grinder will square off the end. For compressionless shift cable housing, a diamond-end cable cutter or Dremel-mounted cut-off wheel works best.

thanks everyone. it sounds like from the posts and additional reading that i've done the grinder or a dremel is really the only way to go to get consistent results. i tried the old cable inside the housing approach a couple of times, and i got mixed results... with a few of the times the inner cable just got stuck b/c they all got mashed together it wasn't consistently good.

I cut the housing with a regular cable cutter, then grind the end square on a bench grinder, very gently on a fine grain stone, finally open up the liner with an awl. Sounds like a lot of work but actually takes only a short time.

Been using my Dremel with a cutting wheel for housing and cable cuts, but always wanted to get around to buying a proper cutter for this stuff. After reading this thread, I don't think I'll bother and just keep on pulling out the Dremel tool for this task.

Shimano's own cable housing cutter closes with a U shaped pair of cutters so your SIS required low compression Housing ends, stay round.

Yes, and awl's well that ends well too.

And then there is me. I use a GOOD pair of diagonal cutters with a quick snip then ends come out fairly well. A little poke with an awl just like you guys do and I'm set to go.

But this took years of practice with motorcycle cables housings. It is much easier with a cable tool like the one offered by Park.

-SP

Cut with the Park tool or ****s, then whiz the end off square on a bench disk sander or 1" bench belt sander with a fine grit. Do it quickly enough and the plastic housing or liner does not melt.

Do you have a Mill and a Lathe also...

^ In fact I have only a few power tools, recently got a Dremel and found it useful for bike work.

ay yuh. Brake cable housing is a little tougher than shifter cable housing to get right.

With the Park cable cutter, I've found that getting the nippers square to the housing, then cutting with an authoritative, quick and strong cut minimizes subsequent cleanup with a grinder or awl . . . often eliminating that step entirely.

Been using these for years. They do a good job. Helps to trim back the external covering to get between the coils like JohnDT suggested. Recently used a set of medium duty end cutters (more leverage than side cutters/dikes) which cut through the housing like it wasn't there!

bench grinder is a fairly common tool... especially for anyone with welding equipment laying around.

We all wish that we had a mill and lathe laying around.

I'm good... could you imagine how many "friends" you'd have hovering like a dog during dinner?

Oh, +1 for the Felco cutters and an awl. They cut well, and after 8 years still cut both brake and shifter housing just fine, and the awl is a ground down old screw driver.