# any mini cable cutters for trail repair?



## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

I have been wondering if there are any small cable cutters capable of cutting housing and derailleur cable while on the trail. 

I have a heavy cable cutter at home (in the van) for replacement, but have wanted to take a miniature one on the trail. I don't mind an extra long cable sticking out on a derailleur to get home in the case a cable breaks, but cutting one would be handy in the event of a cable actuated seat post like a LEV experiencing a broken cable.

Thoughts?


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## Slash5 (Nov 27, 2011)

Some of the Leatherman type tools have cable cutters. Wouldn't work for housing and would probably mash the cable as it cuts but it would shorten the cable.
I'm prepared for repairs on the trail but who carries housing and cable?


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

I have a Leatherman Wave that would cut cable housing, it's a beast. It also cuts inner cleanly, as well as a proper cable-cutter.

Note though that the newer Wave tools I've seen don't have the notch in the base of the blades. That's what holds the cable and gives the clean cut. Get one with the notch and you're sorted.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

They're fine for cables but I've never seen a side cutter (leatherman) that could do a decent job with shift housing. Much better than pounding it with a sharp rock though, and more than adequate for a trailside hack.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

The Wave is just too awesome for words. I've never cut cable housing but I've cut stuff a lot heavier, including fencing wire and a steel tent peg! I can't think of anything that small you could carry that might do a better job, plus offer all of the other tools too. Even save your life it might: LINKBullet-Stopping Wave Saves Soldier?s Life - Leatherman Blog


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## Stuart B (Mar 21, 2005)

Years ago I tried my gerber legend using the carbide bit and it worked, blunted it, but it worked. Not cheap or that light though, but smaller than a dedicated cutter.


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## Jack Burton (May 9, 2007)

a light small enough housing cutter would be most excellent, for now i carry a cut to length cable and hope for the best with housing


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## Procter (Feb 3, 2012)

I just tie off the remaining cable into a few loops and a knot on the end keeping the loop tied together. Then, I clip it off when I get home.


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## guggas (Jan 31, 2011)

Have any of you actually had a cable break on a ride? I can't really imagine that happening unless your cables are way old.

Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk


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## Procter (Feb 3, 2012)

Yes, twice. Cables weren't old. I think what happened was, on my firebird (long travel all mountain) the housing can creep up and work it's way into a taught position. If I don't check it every couple of rides, it'll get to the point suspension compression plus a taught housing causes a slight rub. Can't prove it but it hasn't happened since I started paying attention to housing taughtness.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

baby vice grips

all vice grips have a cutter face inside the jaws
the small ones will cut cable and also do bolt/nipple/spoke cutting/presta valve work

4wr sized

Irwin 10EL5 4WR 4" Curved Jaw Vise Grip


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

^^ Can't. My minis are attached to my headlight switch on my truck.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)




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## acer66 (Oct 13, 2010)

Procter said:


> I just tie off the remaining cable into a few loops and a knot on the end keeping the loop tied together. Then, I clip it off when I get home.


This.


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## guggas (Jan 31, 2011)

I'll be honest, when i first read this thread, i thought the idea of carrying anything heavy enough to cut a cable was ridiculous. After my ride this past weekend my thoughts have changed. I was trying out a new trail system, and once I had got about 3 miles in i got to a bottom that was way too wet to ride. Being unfamiliar with the trails I just kept following the trail markers. My tires, chain and derailleur got so gummed up with mud the bike wouldn't roll. If i tried to stop to clear the mud I was attacked by the worst swarm of mosquitoes I've ever encountered in my life. My derailleur hanger eventually broke due to my chain being gummed with mud. The derailleur got so mangled in my spokes and chain i couldn't easily free it. The mosquitoes were not helping my state of mind either. If i would have had some mini vise grips I could have gotten my derailleur out. But instead I wound up pushing my bike like a sled for 3 miles to get out. Carrying something ridiculous like mini vise grips may cross my mind the next time i try an unfamiliar trail.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

A good multi-tool with pliers, a knife, saw and cable cutters covers a lot of bases. I've cut fence wire to free a stuck sheep with mine.


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

guggas said:


> Have any of you actually had a cable break on a ride? I can't really imagine that happening unless your cables are way old.
> 
> Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk


I'm surprised by the number of people who have questioned the legitimacy of a cable cutter as a necessity. This isn't some editorial opinion piece. Not every ride is the same for everyone, simple as that. Some days I ride with just what I've got in my jersey pockets, other days might involve panniers and a bob trailer. Imagine. Just imagine. Instead of going on a tangent about why a cable cutter is handy on tours, long distance rides, guiding, riding in poor weather conditions, riding with beginners who you seriously can't expect to have everything dialed, etc - I asked about a lightweight cable cutter. While I appreciate some of the alternatives, like dealing with some of it when you get home, it simply isn't an option in a number of instances. 1: Remember LEV posts are cable actuated and need a specific length cut and yes I've seen these cables break. 2: Home can also be days away.

I think Mr. Pig recommended the Wave Leathermen. I remember I had one tucked in a drawer for a long while and so far it seems like a great contender. Still wishing there were other smaller and lightweight options as I don't need the majority of what's on the Wave most of the time, but it's a fine compromise for when it is what I want. It certainly is more burly than the Leathermen Skeletool I found years back.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

The problem with smaller tools is that they limit the amount of leverage you can apply. Take the tent-peg for instance. The Wave was strong and sharp enough to bite through it but I still had to exert a lot of force on the tool. Even if a smaller tool had been strong enough, which it probably wouldn't have been, there is no way I would have been able to make that cut without the longer handles/levers on the Wave.


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

I get that longer arms would give greater leverage. I think a small cable cutter would be possible if the cutting blades where about the size of a mini-bic lighter with folding arms sort of like a butterfly knife. Two arms would fold away to uncover the cutting blades with two longer portions of the arms then able to extend further. 

I know I have plenty of days where a tool just like that is all I would pair with one of the multi tools I have that are designed specifically for bike use.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

I guess it depends on what you want to cut. I'm sure a small cutter would do brake cable but I carry a tool to handle the things I haven't thought of. I was not expecting to want to cut a tent-peg that day and a smaller tool could not have done it.


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

Good point. For many scenarios, mechanical or medical, the Wave is worth the weight. Maybe not for short track races.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

I've had my Wave for years now and it really is a quality tool. I'm always surprised the abuse it takes in its stride. American engineering at its best.


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## carthief (Aug 11, 2014)

What do you folks think about this bad boy?
https://www.leatherman.com/crunch-1.html
Any of you care to weigh in on it?


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

elmar said:


> What do you folks think about this bad boy? Any of you care to weigh in on it?


I couldn't say much it, I've never seen it. All I know is that all the leatherman tools I've seen have been excelant quality. I reckon it's just a case of looking for the features you want.


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## huang (Aug 21, 2015)

The SKELETOOL CX is a smaller version of the Wave, that might work for you. It even has the obligatory bottle opener.


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## guggas (Jan 31, 2011)

I have a skeletool in the mail. Should be here tommorrow. I'll try it out on some housing and see how it does.

Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk


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## guggas (Jan 31, 2011)

Skeletool will cut shifter cable and housing in an emergency situation but not elegant at all. 

Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

elmar said:


> What do you folks think about this bad boy?
> https://www.leatherman.com/crunch-1.html
> Any of you care to weigh in on it?


I have a crunch and it's great, but too big IMHO. had it for 8 years

it is an awesome tool, and wow that fuggin blade is sharp. cuts you just looking at it

minivice grips and alien multitool is all anyone needs

for a cable repair on trail ?

I have had a stick hook a der cable and rip it out of it's stop

It didn't have enough meat to reattach, it was all twisted and gnarly-fied. so I used minivice grip to shorten the housing 1/2 inch and that gave me just enough extra cable to attach back to der, and it was like nothing ever happened

but yeah it's rare to need a cutter. I did that once in 40,000+ miles and several years, so there...


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