In both jewelry and electronics, there is a call for clean and smooth finishing of cut metal wire that a pair of regular cutters such as dikes will not make. The preferred tool makes a clean cut that needs no additional finishing to make it smooth. Small and compact with angled jaws, flush cutters also known as nippers, are also perfect for cutting soft materials such as plastic. The key to making the clean cut is a cutting blade with both a flat and a beveled edge. The straight edge allows the blade to rest flat against the finishing surface while the bevel is what makes the jaws sharp.
In an automotive application, there is one place a pair of flush cutters are really irreplaceable, cutting the excess off of a plastic zip tie.
Anyone who has worked on an offroad vehicle that had improperly cut zip ties will explain the horror and pain that a sharp-edged zip tie can inflict upon the forearm of an unsuspecting mechanic. Like little razor blades attached to hidden surfaces within the chassis, each time an arm is reached into the depths of a 4x4 engine bay or the roll cage of a UTV, there is the danger of receiving cuts, not unlike a bobcat or grizzly bear might inflict.
A necessary evil in offroading, a zip tie or cable tie, is used to secure wiring to roll cages, bundle cables, route hoses and make temporary repairs. Thomas and Betts brand with a metal clip in the head are the best, get them here. There are endless uses for them and we are constantly reaching for one to complete some sort of vehicle prep task. After "zipping" the zip tie and pulling it tight we are left with the excess piece of tie that needs to be cut off and this where the flush cut is used. The difference between a properly cut tie (flush) and a sloppy cut, is a sharp piece of plastic that will tear clothing or flesh like a blade. We always keep a pair of flush cuts nearby when working on our vehicles and it's preferable to have more than one pair handy. After a time the blades can become dull and less effective and it is this reason I recently ordered a selection of flush cut pliers from Amazon to see which gave the best performance and value.
Heavy Duty - Irwin Vise-Grip
The sturdiest of the tools we tested, these have a heavy chromium steel cutting head unlike the others which are made of flat carbon steel. For anything heavier than a zip tie, like cutting a finishing nail or welding wire these would be the obvious choice. They cut through our zip tie test with ease making a solid snip with it's large jaws. The fat robust grip feels secure but perhaps a bit too short for larger hands. The most expensive of those tested we would put these in the category of almost a pair of small dikes with a flush cutting capability.
Get them here: Irwin Vise Grip flush cut pliers on Amazon $19.98
Solid Construction - Linkomm
Thicker jaws on these pliers make solid cuts. The spring and mechanism is snappy but the hard plastic handle leaves much to be desired. The bright yellow color makes them easy to spot when you set them down and they are amongst the most reasonably priced of the group.
Get them here: Linkomm flush cuts on Amazon $6.99
5 Pack - Kahioe
Never be without flush cuts with this economical way to put a pair in every toolbox. Sold in a set of five identical pliers, these make sharp clean cuts. The smooth grip is comfortable but could be slippery with greasy hands. Having a weak return spring and a mediocre quality hinge isn't so critical when you have another four pairs laying around. Less than $3 a pair makes these our best value flush cuts tested.
Get them here: Kahioe flush cut pliers on Amazon $12.99
Value - Kaisi
One of the best values we found coming in at right around $7 are these flush cut pliers from Kaisi. They make satisfying buttery cuts despite the decidedly poorly constructed hinge mechanism. Similar to the Linkomm they have a hard plastic handle that is sturdy but not the most comfortable on the palm.
** UPDATE No longer available :(
Precision Cutting - Klein Tools
Nice flat, clean flush finished cuts from this pair of pliers. We liked the ergonomic grip but were surprised to find the mechanism having a sticky return spring unexpected in one of the more expensive tested.
Get them here: Klein Tools flush cut pliers on Amazon $9.97
Quality and Value - Hakko
The winner in our flush-cut plier showdown is these guys for several reasons. A quality hinge and center pivot combined with a well-designed grip. The Hakko's just felt the best when picked up. They make a gratifying snip with the excess plastic being shot across the garage, we loved using them too. The value comes in the form of a three-pack making them just under $6.50 each, we plan to keep these in several areas of the garage.
Get them here: 3 -pack of Hakko flush cut pliers on Amazon $20.49
While accurate as of writing, we cannot guarantee the price or availability of products linked here.
