Advantages Of Bolt Cutters

Quick and to the point. Have you ever had trouble cutting through a rusty or heavy lock? A lock cutter can cut through almost any kind of lock, regardless of how long it’s been hanging on a gate, door, storage container, or other objects. You can swiftly and easily cut through locks, operating fast and effectively with minimal trouble or resistance. They can snap a lock-off in seconds by increasing the strain on it.

It’s very safe to use. Power tools that claim to be able to break locks may put you at grave risk. Although they seem to be strong and quick-working alternatives to bolt cutters, they may be more difficult to manage and less effective. They also have the potential to send components flying or cause errors. Bolt cutters, on the other hand, only cut what they can fit within their jaws. There is no recoil or bounce back and no components that might cut you or injure you in any way.

Removes the need for effort. To use a bolt cutter, you don’t require a lot of physical strength or individual effort. You can break even the toughest locks with only a little arm power and a smooth, quick stroke. The strength of a bolt cutter enables you to achieve more with less effort, making the difficult task of lock cutting simpler and less taxing. Mechanical power and pressure will be on your side.

It does not require any cleaning. If you’ve ever tried to cut a lock with a hand or power tool, you know how dirty the procedure can be. Before the work is officially done, these tools leave behind shavings and a plethora of little bits and pieces to clean up. Bolt cutters, on the other hand, leave no trace. They just break a lock at a certain point, leaving you with nothing but the lock to deal with.

Kinds Of Bolt Cutters

Traditional

Traditional bolt cutters have all of the design features you’d expect to see. They don’t have any design features that they don’t require, yet they nevertheless get the job done. This category takes up the majority of our list. Even tiny or compact versions fit into this category since they have the same design but are smaller.

Foldable

Bolt cutters may be difficult to store. Therefore, some versions come with folding handles. To reduce their total length, the handles fold upward onto the jaws. Although they are broader, as a result, they are still small enough to fit in most toolboxes and backpacks. Because the handles are mainly solid materials, the integrity is only minimally compromised. The only exception is a space between them that enables them to fold. Folding bolt cutters are great if you need this functionality.

Extendable

Bolt cutters with extended handles are available, but none are on our list. For usage in confined areas, the handles may be left at their smallest length since they are considerably simpler to manage in this form. The handles, on the other hand, maybe lengthened to improve the mechanical advantage. The main issue with this design is that they may lack structural strength since the handles are hollow.

Characteristics Of Bolt Cutters

Highly Durable & High-Strength

If you want to purchase the best bolt cutters, make sure you choose a device that is high-strength and designed to last. Bolt cutters depend on force to function properly and efficiently, so if yours can’t take a lot of force or fail when confronted with powerful locks, they won’t be able to fulfill your requirements. From the cutting jaws to the grips, look for a bolt cutter that is constructed of sturdy materials.

Weight And Size

Bolt cutters are available in a variety of sizes and weights. And these two characteristics may make one bolt cutter more suitable for your requirements than others. When it comes to size, the handle length is important to consider. Longer handles (or arms) equal greater leverage. Thus, a bolt cutter with a 24-inch handle will provide more force than one with an 18-inch handle. Bolt cutters with longer handles can cut through tougher materials and metals. The larger and more difficult the locks you’ll be dealing with, the larger your bolt cutter will need to be.

A bolt cutter’s weight also affects its mobility and may affect its force. Bolt cutters that are lightweight are simpler to use and carry with you at all times. For extra-tough locks, however, stronger bolt cutters are the best option. Bolt cutters may weigh as little as two pounds or as much as eight pounds or more.

Opening Of The Jaw

This is a characteristic that you must not overlook. The bolt cutter’s jaw opening has a direct impact on how and what it may be used for. It can only operate on thinner locks if the opening is narrow or tiny. You’ll have greater flexibility if the opening is fairly large. Bolt cutters have a 5/16-inch jaw opening as standard. Anything smaller will work better for cutting wire or thin metal sheets. However, if you’re dealing with extra-tough locks, you may need a bigger opening.

Other Things to Think About

Grips that are easy to hold. The design of the grip is critical to the operation. Because you’ll be applying a lot of force, you’ll want something that’s both comfortable in your palm and easy to grasp onto. While it shouldn’t be the primary consideration when choosing a bolt cutter, it is something to keep in mind.

Design that can be folded. If you must carry bolt cutters in a tool bag, you should get a set made specifically for that purpose. This is particularly true if you anticipate the need for longer handles to gain a mechanical advantage. Because this isn’t a common design element, you’ll have to look for sets that include it explicitly.

Blade that can be adjusted. The blade of most bolt cutters may be adjusted. You may fine-tune performance by setting the appropriate cutting depth with this adjustment. This modification may be done in a variety of ways, so pay attention to how it’s done. You want to make sure the process is both simple to use and produces consistent outcomes.

Angle or Cutting Style. If you believe that all bolt cutters cut the same way, it’s time to take a closer look at the ones you’re considering purchasing. Various cut styles, or angles, are used by bolt cutters, resulting in different end outcomes. Bolt cutters come in angled, shear, clipper, and center cut styles. Each of these cuts has an impact on how your bolt cutter is positioned, how much pressure is given to one spot, and how the jaws open.

Hydraulic or hand-powered options are available. The majority of bolt cutters are driven only by the force exerted by the user via the handles. You may, however, use a hydraulic bolt cutter if you want. A hydraulic piston drives the cutting blades of these tools, which are powered by a motor. The blades are moved with greater force by the piston, which is more than hand- and handle-operated bolt cutters can provide. If you’re attempting to cut through thicker locks, hydraulic bolt cutters come in handy.