I am seeking a medium sized bolt cutter. It’s most convenient for me to order on line, but I have no idea what brands are good quality. It will probably see moderate use, but I don’t want some cheap piece of trash that will fail when I need it.

Recommendations?

Here's a 18" Knipex:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EXO8L0/ref=emc_b_5_i

Knipex also makes smaller 8-10" versions.

Ridged are good quality.

What are you looking to cut?

quote:

Originally posted by comet24:
What are you looking to cut?

A bolt?

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by comet24:
What are you looking to cut?

A bolt?

. We knew that was coming, didn't we?

That said, I'm really liking that Knipex tool posted by lkdr1989... and I don't even need a bolt cutter!

For what it's worth, the Knipex tools I have at work are good stuff, and their customer service is great.

seriously sigfreund what do you intend to cut? size and material. These days bolt cutters are really not something I would pick to cut anything. Normally I use a cutoff wheel on a die grinder for stuff I might have cut in the past with bolt cutters. Way faster, better, easier, and cuts things no bolt cutter would ever try.

quote:

Originally posted by hrcjon:
seriously sigfreund what do you intend to cut? size and material. These days bolt cutters are really not something I would pick to cut anything. Normally I use a cutoff wheel on a die grinder for stuff I might have cut in the past with bolt cutters. Way faster, better, easier, and cuts things no bolt cutter would ever try.

+1. I’ve broken jaws on (cheap) bolt cutters, but I’ve never had a problem with a cutoff wheel or a “firewrench” (oxyacetylene cutting torch) depending on what I am cutting.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by comet24:
What are you looking to cut?

A bolt?

. We knew that was coming, didn't we?

The devil made me do it.

Echoing and expanding on comments above, a battery-powered 4.5 inch grinder with a good cutoff wheel is WAY more versatile and will cut damn near anything.

Easier on the arms too...

Bolt cutters are brute force tools. Anything from HD, Lowes, etc.. will last for most guys life times. I have a 30" pair that I've had for 10 years and it's a home depot tool.

However if you have something specific you want to cut then get a specific tool.

I have fairly expensive Rigid ones at work and no name $20 Home Depot ones and they work pretty much the same.

H.K.Porter 24 in compound leverage, about $50.00 from Home Depot. IIRC it takes about a 24 in long one to cut a max of 1/4 to 5/16 hard rod or bolt.

quote:

Originally posted by lkdr1989:
Here's a 18" Knipex:

That looks like it will serve my purposes. Thanks.

I appreciate all the comments, and I know that cutoff wheels and other tools will cut things that bolt cutters won’t because I currently have some of those capabilities. But I also want/need to be able to deal with certain things and situations when those tools aren’t available or are not usable under the circumstances for various reasons.

Great Neck bolt cutters (BC30) are rated the best of 10 by Amazon. $30. 30” pair, a bit larger than you are seeking. Price seems good. Avoid hardened steel chains, as they can actually be harder than the steel jaws of the bolt cutter (experience speaks here).

Porter is American made (last I checked). I have a pair, will likely never wear them out. Don’t know sizes available.

I bought some cheap Lowe’s stuff years ago, it’s blue I think it’s kobalt brand...I put them in the trunk of my police car for that one time...surprisingly I used them all the time...I still have them and used them two weeks ago to cut some threaded rod.

I don’t know sizing but the handles are about two feet long...

FYI, if you are planning to cut padlocks buy a big SOB because they are very tough and you will need all the leverage you can get. Used to have to cut them off trailers that were secured in our shipping yard and "too big" is just right. Rigid makes good ones.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
But I also want/need to be able to deal with certain things and situations when those tools aren’t available or are not usable under the circumstances for various reasons.

In other words... "I don't want anyone to hear me."

I second the notion of a grinder. I have used my grinder a lot to cut bolts and the cut is smoother and cleaner than anything with bolt cutters.

My wife has used bolt cutters to cut the shelves in our closets and the cuts are jagged and nasty, but she's afraid of the grinder and so that's how it goes.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
But I also want/need to be able to deal with certain things and situations when those tools aren’t available or are not usable under the circumstances for various reasons.

In other words... "I don't want anyone to hear me."

OR ... "I don't want to throw sparks all over the place."