Know Your Cutting Pliers
Western says: “Know Your Cutting Pliers!”
Protect your investment in quality tools by observing their tolerance. A tool that is properly maintained should last you through many years of use.
Check the cutting edge. Nicks, chips or scratches indicate that your cutter is being used to cut something harder than it is supposed to cut.
Check the handles using no pressure. If the distance between the handles has decreased with use, too much force is being applied to the cutter. The material being cut is either harder or of a larger gauge than the cutter can handle.
Beveled cutter blades are more durable and produce more cuts over the life of the tool than a flush cutter. However, a bevel cut is not as close as a flush cut and leaves a more pronounced edge, or spike, on the cut screw ends.
Flush cutter blades provide a minimized edge, or spike, on the cut end of the screw. Flush cutters require less pressure to make a cut than a bevel cutter. The life of a flush cutter is shorter than that of a beveled cutting plier.