A Guide to Cutting Tools

Which hand tools cut what? This chart tells you which pliers, cutters, nippers and other tools will cut which gauges of wire, beading cable and metal sheet.

Use These to Cut Cable-Style Beading Wire (Example: Accu-Flex® and Tigertail™)
Tool	Wire Size	Tool Size and Cutting Area	Did you know?
Lindstrom® 80 Series Tapered and Relieved Flush-Cutter	0.019 inches and smaller	4 1/4 inches overall, 10mm cutting area	Lindstrom tools are world renowned for quality and a long life of use.
Lindstrom® RX Series Tapered and Relieved Flush-Cutter	0.019 inches and smaller	5 1/4 inches, 10.5mm cutting area	These cutters have Micro-Touch handles which increase your grip and reduce slipping.
Tronex® Small 50 degree Angulated Cutter	0.024 inches and smaller	6 inches overall, 5.6mm cutting area	Every Tronex cutter is individually inspected and checked for proper performance.
Tronex® Razor Taper Relief Flush-Cutter	0.024 inches and smaller	5 1/2 inches overall	The relief feature of the cutter head is only 3.4mm at the thickest point--making it easier to squeeze into small spaces.
Tronex® Flush Taper Relief Cutter	0.024 inches and smaller	5 1/2 inches overall, 8.4mm cutting area	The 16-degree angle on these cutters makes it easy to get into tight spots, without losing cutting strength.
Xuron® Flush-Cutters	0.031 inches and smaller	5 inches overall, 9.75mm cutting area	All Xuron tools are made in Saco, Maine.
Xuron® Maxi-Shear™ Flush-Cutter	0.031 inches and smaller	6 inches overall, 13mm cutting area	Micro Shear blade technology (such as on these cutters) is specially designed so the jaws barely pass each other--keeping your cutters sharper longer.

Use These to Cut Soft Wire-Wrapping Wire (Example: copper, dead-soft and half-hard precious metal wires)
Tool	Wire Size	Tool Size and Cutting Area	Did you know?
Economy End-Cutter	15 gauge and smaller	4 inches overall, 16mm cutting area	End cutters are helpful when you need to shorten an earring post.
Economy Side-Cutter	13 gauge and smaller	4 1/2 inches overall, 15mm cutting area	The polished heads help to prevent marks on the end of your wire cuts.
End-Cutters	15 gauge and smaller	5 inches overall, 12.5mm cutting area	Satin nickel finish fights corrosion and resists fingerprints, marking and dust accumulation
End-Cutters	recommended for precious and soft craft wires, 14 gauge or smaller	4-3/4 inches overall, 8mm cutting area	Smooth jaw pliers with a polished finish
Lindstrom® 80 Series Tapered and Relieved Flush-Cutter	18 gauge and smaller	4 1/4 inches overall, 10mm cutting area	The slightly rounded handles on these flush-cutters reduce fatigue during repetitive use.
Lindstrom® Edge Flush-Cutter	18 gauge and smaller	5-1/4 inches overall, 14mm cutting area	These pointy-edge pliers provide clean micro-edge cuts with minimal pinch.
Lindstrom® Edge Tapered Flush-Cutter	16 gauge and smaller	5-1/4 inches overall, 14mm cutting area	The matte finish reduces glare, improving your visibility during delicate tasks, while the addition of a return spring and opening limiter reduces fatigue during long hours of work.
Lindstrom® Edge Tapered Micro-Tip Flush-Cutter	16 gauge and smaller	5-1/4 inches overall, 14mm cutting area	With its tapered head, it excels in navigating tight spaces, ensuring your work is precise and accurate.
Lindstrom® RX Series Flush-Cutter	16 gauge and smaller	5 1/4 inches, 10.5mm cutting area	The BioSpring® on these cutters can be easily replaced.
Lindstrom® Shears	16 gauge and smaller	5 3/4 inches overall, 21mm cutting area	The handles of these shears are cushioned for comfort.
Lindstrom® Supreme Flush-Cutter	16 gauge and smaller	4-1/4 inches overall, 9mm cutting area	Smooth joint movement allows for accurate control, even at the tips.
Lindstrom® Supreme Micro Bevel-Cutter	16 gauge and smaller	4-1/4 inches overall, 9mm cutting area	Supreme series pliers offer exceptional jaw alignment for precise work.
Lindstrom® Supreme Oblique End-Cutter	16 gauge and smaller	4-1/4 inches overall, 8mm cutting area	Featuring double-leaf springs and cushioned grips, these end cutters are designed for comfort and long-lasting use.
Lindstrom® RX Series Tapered and Relieved Flush-Cutter	18 gauge and smaller	5 1/4 inches overall, 10.5mm cutting area	The angled and tapered head means you don’t sacrifice cutting power when squeezing into small spaces.
Nippers	22 gauge and smaller	5 1/8 inches overall, 12.5mm cutting area	Holding the wire you plan to keep on the flush side of the jaws ensures that you have a nice smooth end.
Shears	18 gauge and smaller	6 inches overall, 1 13/16 inch cutting area	These shears can be used to cut both soft wires and sheet metal.
Side-Cutters	14 gauge and smaller	5 inches overall, 18mm cutting area	These side-cutters have fatigue-reducing ergonomic grips.
Side-Cutters	recommended for precious and soft craft wires, 14 gauge or smaller	5 inches overall, 12mm cutting area	These cutters have fatigue-reducing comfort handles.
Teborg® Flush-Cutter	0.1-1mm soft wire; 0.1-0.8mm medium wire	5 inches overall, 10mm cutting area	Teborg jewelry-making pliers are considered some of the highest quality available.
Tronex® Small 50 degree Angulated Cutter	38 to 20 gauge	6 inches overall, 5.6mm cutting area	The 50 degree angle on the jaw allows for greater visibility in crowded spots.
Tronex® Razor Flush® Taper Relief Cutter	38 to 19 gauge	5 1/2 inches overall, 8.4mm cutting area	The Razor Flush gives the smoothest cut surface of all Tronex cutters. It’s virtually impossible to notice where the edges came together.
Tronex® Flush Taper Relief Cutter	38 to 18 gauge	5 1/2 inches overall, 8.4mm cutting area	Tronex has a warranty against any defects for the life of the tool.
Wire Cutters	8 gauge and smaller	8 1/2 inches overall, 52mm cutting area	These heavy duty cutters have a safety lock to prevent movement when not in use.
Xuron® Flush-Cutters	14 gauge and smaller	5 inches overall, 9.75mm cutting area	The tapered head of these flush-cutters gives you easier access to tight spaces.
Xuron® Maxi-Shear Flush-Cutter	14 gauge and smaller	6 inches overall, 13mm cutting area	Xuron is the inventor and patent holder of the Micro-Shear technology, the feature that keeps these blades from becoming dull.
Xuron® Flush-Cutter	14-30 gauge wire	5 inches overall, 14mm cutting area	The retaining clip holds the cut-off pieces of wire.
Xuron® Non-Serrated Flush-Cutter	12 gauge and smaller	5 3/4 inches overall, 19mm cutting area	The return spring brings the tool back open after each use, letting your hand do less work.
Xuron® Serrated Flush-Cutter	12 gauge and smaller	5 3/4 inches overall, 19mm cutting area	The serrated jaw helps keep your material from slipping during cutting.

Use These to Cut Hard Wire-Wrapping Wire (Example: stainless steel or half-hard to full-hard precious metal)
Tool	Wire Size	Tool Size and Cutting Area	Did you know?
Lindstrom® 80 Series Tapered and Relieved Flush-Cutter	24 gauge and smaller	4 1/4 inches overall, 10mm cutting area	The precision screw joint minimizes friction, maximizes alignment and is adjustable.
Lindstrom® RX Series Tapered and Relieved Flush-Cutter	24 gauge and smaller	5 1/4 inches, 10.5mm cutting area	Manufacturing cutters and pliers since 1856 makes Lindstrom® the oldest continuous producer of hand tools currently in existence.
Tronex® Razor Flush® Taper Relief Cutter	25 gauge and smaller	5 1/2 inches overall, 8.4mm cutting area	All Tronex cutting tools and pliers are manufactured in the USA.
Tronex Flush Taper Relief Cutter	24 gauge and smaller	5 1/2 inches overall, 8.4mm cutting area	The long handles of these cutters spreads the force needed throughout the entire hand, preventing fatigue and cramping.
Wire Cutters	8 gauge and smaller	8 1/2 inches overall, 52mm cutting area	Using a heavy-duty cutter, such as these, on thicker and harder metals will save the edges of your other wire cutters.
Xuron® Flush-Cutters	20 gauge and smaller	5 inches overall, 9.75mm cutting area	The black finish of these cutters is intentional, so eye-tiring glare is eliminated.
Xuron® Maxi-Shear Flush-Cutter	20 gauge and smaller	6 inches overall, 13mm cutting area	Xuron Corp. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of hand tools in a variety of industries; jewelry-making, aerospace, electronics and more.
Xuron® Micro-Shear© Hard Wire Cutter	12 gauge and smaller	5-1/2 inches overall, 4mm cutting area	These hard-wire cutters are ideal for chainmaille and other projects involving jump rings.

Use These to Cut Sheet Metal
Tool	Metal Size	Tool Size and Cutting Area	Did you know?
Lindstrom® Shears	Soft metal, 20 gauge and thinner	5 inches overall, 21mm cutting area	Lightweight and strong, like these Lindstrom shears, is a great combination for cutting sheet metal.
Metal Sheet Cutter Shear	Soft metals 18 gauge and thinner	7 inches overall	Long handles provide more leverage while cutting, which translates to less fatigue for you.
Metal Sheet Cutter Shear	Smaller than 18 gauge, dead-soft and half-hard	6 inches overall	These, and the larger version above, can be used on brass, tin, copper, silver and gold.

Use These to Cut Memory Wire
Tool	Wire Size	Tool Size and Cutting Area	Did you know?
Beadalon® Bypass flush-Cutter	Memory wire 0.7mm and smaller	5 inches overall, 9mm cutting area	These bypass flush cutters include a super fine flat cutting edge that also holds the wire in place during the cutting process.
Beadalon® Semi-flush Cutter	All sizes of memory wire	5-3/4 inches overall, 11mm cutting area	These semi-flush tungsten-carbide jaw pliers can handle softer wires as well as memory wire.
Memory Wire Cutter	18 gauge and smaller	5 1/2 inches overall	Memory wire cutters can also be used on hard-wire findings, like head pins.
Xuron® Memory Wire Cutter	18 gauge and smaller	5 1/4 inches overall, 5mm cutting area	Xuron’s full bypass searing action means minimal effort is needed to cut your memory wire.

Specialty Pliers
Tool	Wire Size	Tool Size and Cutting Area	Did you know?
EUROTOOL® Coil-Cutting Pliers	4.5-9mm wire coils	7 inches overall	EUROTOOL has been making quality jewelry-making tools since 1979.
EUROTOOL® Tube-Cutting Pliers	2-10mm diameter rods and tubing	7 inches overall, 31.5mm cutting area	These pliers have a slot for jeweler's saw blades for straight cutting.

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