Pound for pound, bolt cutters are among the most powerful tools in any tool chest. By combining long handles with hinges that transfer power to the jaws and cutting blade, they can generate incredible amounts of cutting force. Whether used on a construction site, during a fire and rescue event, or in an industrial situation, bolt cutters come in handy in any number of scenarios.
There are three primary types of bolt cutters, each of them designed to cut through specific types of material.
- Center-cut bolt cutters have the most straightforward design and are ideal for many different types of jobs. The blade edges can cut through everything from metal pipes to thick carbon cables.
- Angle-cut bolt cutters have a head mounted at a 25° to 30° angle and are used to position cutters in hard-to-reach places.
- Clipper-cut bolt cutters are made specifically to cut against a flat surface, which makes them the best choice when you need to cut something perfectly flush.
Choosing the Right Bolt Cutter
It goes without saying, bolt cutters are for use on heavy-duty jobs. Most commonly, they are associated with cutting through metal materials such as bolts and screws, as well as padlocks, chain link fences, sheet metal, and more.
When choosing the right type of bolt cutter, you need to first assess the task at hand. For example, when cutting rusted bolts, an angle-cut set will likely work best because it allows for solid leverage even if the bolt is not easily accessible. If you need to remove an old padlock, chances are a traditional center-cut bolt cutter will do the trick.
How to Use a Bolt Cutter
When using a bolt cutter, it’s important that you position the jaws of the bolt cutter as deep as possible against the metal, wire, or whatever you are cutting into. Positioning the material to be cut as far along the jaws toward the neck of the tool will provide you with maximum cutting power.
Once the bolt cutters are in proper position, press the handles together and be sure to apply a good amount of force. In most cases, the tool will cut through the metal or cable fairly easily. If you’re working with material that is particularly thick or dense, you might have to squeeze the handles a few times.
Sizes
Proper bolt cutter size is directly related to the hardness of any given metal. The measurement used to gauge that hardness is called the Brinell and Rockwell Scale. To help you choose the right bolt cutters, recommendations based on this scale are typically found on the packaging.
Here is a guide of the most common bolt cutter sizes and the metals and other materials they can safely handle:
- 12" to 14": Use these cutters for thin metal rods and lightweight chains and chain-link.
- 18" to 24": This size is used for materials of larger diameters that can’t be cut with smaller bolt cutters. (The need for additional leverage means these tools will have noticeably longer arms compared with smaller models.)
- 30" to 48": These are your best bet if you have to slice through ultra-heavy material such as heavy steel rods and copper cable.
Adjusting the Neck and Jaw
There are two means of moving the position of a bolt cutter’s blades: You can adjust using the jaw bolts, which are on the plate closest to the two jaws, or the neck bolts, which can be found on one or both sides of the metal piece that connects the blade to the handle.
Turn the bolt clockwise to move the cutting edges closer together, and counter-clockwise to move them further apart.
If you need to adjust the gap of your bolt cutters to allow it to cut through a piece of metal that is a certain dimension, you’ll need to tighten the neck bolts. This is most easily done by placing the bolt cutter in a vise, with the adjustment bolt pointed upwards. If a vise isn’t available, you can place the tool between your knees and then adjust the bolt. Don’t be surprised if you have to go through this step a few times until you reach the proper sizing.
Jaw bolts aren’t used as frequently as neck bolts. However, one common situation where an adjustment is needed is after the bolt cutter’s blades have been sharpened. (The blades are typically sharpened with an angle grinder or a mill file.) Sometimes, sharpening can wear away enough metal from the blades that they need to be pushed closer together to compensate for that loss. Jaw bolts are also used as a fallback if the neck bolt adjustments aren’t able to get the jaw blades close enough together to slice through the material at hand.
By factoring in the strength and thickness of whatever you need to cut, the leverage needed from the handles, and the specific location of the bolt, cable, or other piece of metal, it should be relatively easy to pinpoint the best bolt cutters needed for your job.
Product Compliance and Suitability
The product statements contained in this guide are intended for general informational purposes only. Such product statements do not constitute a product recommendation or representation as to the appropriateness, accuracy, completeness, correctness or currentness of the information provided. Information provided in this guide does not replace the use by you of any manufacturer instructions, technical product manual, or other professional resource or adviser available to you. Always read, understand and follow all manufacturer instructions.