Need suggestions cutting brake housings
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02-18-24, 09:05 PM
#27
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I've used a dremel to cut and now have a Pedro's cutter. Ususally it's OK with just reaming out the center with an awl, but sometimes I give it a little touch on the bench grinder, then the awl.
But there's a lot of helpful hints on youtube;
But there's a lot of helpful hints on youtube;
02-18-24, 09:34 PM
#28
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They were probably made long before anyone thought of threading a cable through dual control levers, frame tubes, handlebars and stems, and steerers. Or maybe they weren't. Or, actually, if you cut them close enough to the end you're going to toss, there might be enough solder between the strands to keep the end from fraying as you try to push it through a little hole.
02-19-24, 01:24 AM
#29
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They were probably made long before anyone thought of threading a cable through dual control levers, frame tubes, handlebars and stems, and steerers. Or maybe they weren't. Or, actually, if you cut them close enough to the end you're going to toss, there might be enough solder between the strands to keep the end from fraying as you try to push it through a little hole.
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02-19-24, 08:58 AM
#30
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Logically, the major concern is getting a quick and easy cut that the cable moves freely through. The little end caps almost certainly exist to compensate for a certain level of unevenness.
02-19-24, 09:59 AM
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While maybe it "shouldn't be necessary" to cut the housing with a piece of scrap cable inside, it really does make for a cleaner cut and less work to dress the end of the casing once the cut has been made. I've been doing it this way for decades.
02-19-24, 10:10 AM
#32
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Cool. I've never done it for decades with no problems whatsoever.
02-19-24, 10:36 AM
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That this hasn't been mentioned once in this thread blows me away. With the tool, you only need to grind to a nice square end to fit the stop. No additional grinding to get to a good clean hole.
02-19-24, 10:48 AM
#34
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02-19-24, 11:45 AM
#35
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+1 for using a Dremmel and a cutting wheel, I've tried cable cutters but they always squish it a bit and leave jaggies.
I don't use that modern shift cable outer (pre 84 bikes) so I like my Bowden outers cut nicely.
I don't use that modern shift cable outer (pre 84 bikes) so I like my Bowden outers cut nicely.
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02-19-24, 03:39 PM
#36
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Suggestions, please. Noobie question.
Last night, I changed out the cables and housings on my 8-year-old daughter's bike, mostly to make them pink, but there were some issues as well.
I'd successfully changed, if I recall correctly, 5 other bike cables in the past year. I use a new Park cable cutter, so I don't figure that is my problem.
Anyhow, the shift cables cut just fine, but I had problems not crushing the thicker short sections of brake housing. I ended up throwing one fresh-cut section away because it had crappy cuts on both ends. I've learned that a bad cut can cause a lot of drag on the cable.
Putting a section of cable into the housing before cutting the housing and cutting both helps substantially. Is that the best practice? How do you make the short sections of housing and then extract the bit of cable left inside if you go that route?
Last night, I changed out the cables and housings on my 8-year-old daughter's bike, mostly to make them pink, but there were some issues as well.
I'd successfully changed, if I recall correctly, 5 other bike cables in the past year. I use a new Park cable cutter, so I don't figure that is my problem.
Anyhow, the shift cables cut just fine, but I had problems not crushing the thicker short sections of brake housing. I ended up throwing one fresh-cut section away because it had crappy cuts on both ends. I've learned that a bad cut can cause a lot of drag on the cable.
Putting a section of cable into the housing before cutting the housing and cutting both helps substantially. Is that the best practice? How do you make the short sections of housing and then extract the bit of cable left inside if you go that route?
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02-19-24, 05:07 PM
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Anyhow, the shift cables cut just fine, but I had problems not crushing the thicker short sections of brake housing. I ended up throwing one fresh-cut section away because it had crappy cuts on both ends. I've learned that a bad cut can cause a lot of drag on the cable.
02-19-24, 05:54 PM
#38
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Quality electrical combination pliers cut housing like butter, leaving straight cut.
02-19-24, 06:09 PM
#39
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Suggestions, please. Noobie question.
Last night, I changed out the cables and housings on my 8-year-old daughter's bike, mostly to make them pink, but there were some issues as well.
I'd successfully changed, if I recall correctly, 5 other bike cables in the past year. I use a new Park cable cutter, so I don't figure that is my problem.
Anyhow, the shift cables cut just fine, but I had problems not crushing the thicker short sections of brake housing. I ended up throwing one fresh-cut section away because it had crappy cuts on both ends. I've learned that a bad cut can cause a lot of drag on the cable.
Putting a section of cable into the housing before cutting the housing and cutting both helps substantially. Is that the best practice? How do you make the short sections of housing and then extract the bit of cable left inside if you go that route?
Last night, I changed out the cables and housings on my 8-year-old daughter's bike, mostly to make them pink, but there were some issues as well.
I'd successfully changed, if I recall correctly, 5 other bike cables in the past year. I use a new Park cable cutter, so I don't figure that is my problem.
Anyhow, the shift cables cut just fine, but I had problems not crushing the thicker short sections of brake housing. I ended up throwing one fresh-cut section away because it had crappy cuts on both ends. I've learned that a bad cut can cause a lot of drag on the cable.
Putting a section of cable into the housing before cutting the housing and cutting both helps substantially. Is that the best practice? How do you make the short sections of housing and then extract the bit of cable left inside if you go that route?
It’s best to tilt cutters to line up with the spirals of the brake housing so that you split one of the spirals and only have to cut through a small amount of the steel part. You can practice this method by stripping a bit of plastic away from the metal to learn how to split that spiral.
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
02-19-24, 06:19 PM
#40
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Sharpen the threaded end and use the J end for fishing cable ends out of frame tubes. It's perfect for that.
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02-19-24, 07:17 PM
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I'm impressed. So many different approaches to a job that I originally thought was as simple as a skillful "snip".
02-19-24, 07:48 PM
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02-21-24, 05:47 AM
#43
Lucille
I finally finished putting the hand brake on my cruiser. Cutting the brake housing did turn out to be a simple snip. I used the tine of a fork as a pokey. This is a great thread to learn from.
