# Best Cable Housing Cutting Practices?



## saddle tramp (Feb 22, 2006)

OK, time to do the cabling on the Project Bike. I have been using a pair of Parks Cutters over the years. Really not been that much of a problem. Inevitably the housing gets collapsed. I use an awl to respread the hole.

Should I cut the housing with a scrap chunk of cable in it?.

I've never been satisfied with the housing collapse. Suggestions?

Thanks


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## Retro Grouch (Apr 30, 2002)

A Dremel discs works pretty well.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

I usually cut my cable housing with a cable inside to help minimize collapse. Then I have a large file and a fine tip file to clean up the edges.


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## RHankey (Sep 7, 2007)

saddle tramp said:


> OK, time to do the cabling on the Project Bike. I have been using a pair of Parks Cutters over the years. Really not been that much of a problem. Inevitably the housing gets collapsed. I use an awl to respread the hole.
> 
> Should I cut the housing with a scrap chunk of cable in it?.
> 
> ...


II always insert a scrap of appropriately size cable in the housing where it is to be cut with a cable cutter. It will still collapse a bit, but nothing an awl or spoke can't open back up quickly and easily. I occasionally use a dremmel drill cutter, but I've noticed the plastic cable covering of more recent housing is quick to melt. As such I use proper cable cutters exclusively now.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

saddle tramp said:


> Should I cut the housing with a scrap chunk of cable in it?.
> I've never been satisfied with the housing collapse. Suggestions?
> Thanks


I always cut the housing with an old piece of cable inside it. Then I grind the end of the housing square on a small bench grinder and while the inner plastic lining is still soft from the grinding heat, I push the inner cable through to ream the liner. It's fast and does a perfect job.

The grinding heat messes up the plastic outer coating so then I trim off the last 1/8" of it with a pen knife.


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## savagemann (Dec 17, 2011)

When cutting brake housing, bend it over 180 degrees and make the cut right in the middle of the bend.
It spreads the inner coiling enough that it won't collapse.
Works great!
For shift housing, don't do this.
The end will be cut un even due to the linear wires inside and the shifting may suffer over time as the housing ages.


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

Mr. Grouch has it correct. A thin abrasive cutoff wheel will yield a nice flat and square end if used properly. Then just deburr the OD with a file and use a countersink to deburr the ID. Or as most people say. "just Dremel it"! When did dremel become a verb?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

it's interesting that so many people use a dremel to cut housing. i've been building bikes for a living for 20 yrs. i've worked for a bunch of pro teams. i have never once met a mechanic that uses a dremel to cut housing. i'm sure it does a great job, but i don't see the need. as long as you have control over your side cutters, and a good pick/awl to open up the liner, it's pretty damn easy to get clean cuts. 
i guess if you have one bike, and you replace the cables/housing once a year and that's your big project for the season...AND you have the dremel plugged in and ready...it just seem redundant to me. you need to open up the liner after cutting no matter what. the housing is going to compress and the ferrules will seat completely either way. i guess if you want to make a production out of cutting housing, that's fine.


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

CX, there's always quite a difference between the thinking and approach to a project or technique between a pro team mechanic and a weekend warrior. Personally I have the time to set up and use the cutoff wheel. I don't expect a pro do that multiple times every day. They simply don't have the time and using the commercial cable housing cutters givers adequate results. Both methods give good results and are appropriate for the person doing it. 

The same goes for my trade. I own a high precision CNC machine shop and we also do prototype development and manual machining. I would never use a file and a hacksaw to make a derailleur hanger, but most guys would because that's all they have. No problem. What ever meets the requirement and provides adequate results.


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

I agree with CX but also Special Eyes. I don't think there is any need to complicate a very simple task and IMHO a good quality pair of side cutters (Channel Lock, etc) work just great, as well as any of the specialty cutters and or a cut off wheel. However, if someone wants to use a cut off wheel to do the job I say go for it, but it certainly seems like overkill to me and all that is really needed is a good pair of side cutters.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

If you have the Dremel with the cutoff wheel handy, IME that's faster and simpler than using a side cutter, which always squashes the housing to some extent ansd requires some cleanup, while the Dremel leaves a clean. square cut with almost no additional work required.

Not any huge difference either way.


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## JChasse (Sep 16, 2005)

I've used a Dremel in the past, but I thought it was a bit of a PITA. I now just use really good cutters (Felcos) and try to have cable in the housing where I'm cutting. Faster, easier and works as well as the cutoff tool...


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

For me, cutting housing with dikes leaves an out of round condition (often difficult to get the ferules on), an angled end, and a more difficult deburring job, especially on the inside where you want a smooth edge so the cable won't fray.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Special Eyes said:


> CX, there's always quite a difference between the thinking and approach to a project or technique between a pro team mechanic and a weekend warrior. Personally I have the time to set up and use the cutoff wheel. I don't expect a pro do that multiple times every day. They simply don't have the time and using the commercial cable housing cutters givers adequate results. Both methods give good results and are appropriate for the person doing it.
> 
> The same goes for my trade. I own a high precision CNC machine shop and we also do prototype development and manual machining. I would never use a file and a hacksaw to make a derailleur hanger, but most guys would because that's all they have. No problem. What ever meets the requirement and provides adequate results.


you own a CNC shop? if you were any closer i'd be bugging you all the time! very cool:thumbsup:


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

CX, it's true. I do lots of very hitech medical, aerospace, and similar work. See it Here.


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

I cut my housing with a pair of lineman's plyers. Then spread the center as you described. I see absolutely no problem doing this. Buy the special tools if you want but IMO they are not at all necessary. I have never had any issues doing as I described.


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## Pitts Pilot (Dec 5, 2011)

I like the "bend it 180 tip." I'm trying that!


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

Every time I use the cable cutters, I wish I had used the Dremel.

Every time I use the dremel, I wish I had used the cutters.

OK, not every time, either way. 

The drawback of the Dremel method is a) it's slow and b) it melds the inner and outer. The melty bits are messy but not impossible to clean up.

The drawback to the cable cutter is that it leaves a 'fang' about half the time. Out-of-round shouldn't be a problem, since a good cutter has a section between the handles to crimp it back to round (actually meant for crimping ferrules, but it does double duty. And a good pair also has a round awl built right into the handle, so the inner is easily rounded.

I keep the dremel handy for knocking down the fang if needed. And I'm not quite sure yet, but I'm beginning to belive that not using a piece of scrap cable actually makes it cut cleaner, when using a proper pair of cutters (as compared to dikes or sidecutters.) Re-rounding is easy enough.

I've been through a couple of cutters, and all are not created equal, and it's not necessarily the beefiest looking ones that work the best. I've been happiest (among the ones I've tried, which admittedly excludes the really expensive ones) with the Jagwire. Appears same as the SRAM model, but less $.


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## Cut.Aussie (Mar 19, 2011)

I'm another who only uses a Dremel with a cutting disc these days to get a perfect finish.


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## savagemann (Dec 17, 2011)

Pitts Pilot said:


> I like the "bend it 180 tip." I'm trying that!


Pitts. I saw in another thread u mentioned you were going to install some yokozuna brake cables.
Those have linear support wires in them like derailleur housing does, so i would recommend against using the bend 180 and cut with those housings.
Only works good with traditional brake housing.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Cut with a lineman's pliers, tidy up with a milling tool.

I use it on a little lower rpm to avoid messing up the plastic on the outside.

It makes me miss the bench grinder at my old mechanic's shop. But, I can do it at home in about a minute. So, not too big a deal.


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## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

*Dremel vs cutter*



JCavilia said:


> If you have the Dremel with the cutoff wheel handy, IME that's faster and simpler than using a side cutter, which always squashes the housing to some extent ansd requires some cleanup, while the Dremel leaves a clean. square cut with almost no additional work required.
> 
> Not any huge difference either way.


I used to use the Dremel tool but as a prior poster said it has the downside of melting the rubber housing. I spent as much time cleaning that up as a did re-opening the hole when I used cutters. In the balance I think a cutter with a scrap piece of cable is the (slighly) better option


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## saddle tramp (Feb 22, 2006)

Thanks, great info. I'm going to get to the cables this weekend. The right length is key. Getting so they are silent, not rubbing-banging on each other over bumps is the challenge. As short as possible without yanking out of the cable stays is the right way?


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## savagemann (Dec 17, 2011)

Using a section of uncut housing, put it into the cable stop on the frame and hold the other end up to the shifter.
Turn the bars their full range and make sure it is just long enough to not become stressed when the bars are at the max positions.
You want smooth bends.
Getting both shift cable lengths equal is a nice touch and will be more pleasing to the eye.
I usually make mine a few mm longer than they need to be.
With the older style shifters, where the shift housing are not under the bar tape, i usually find the right length for the right shifter, then cut the left housing the exact same size.
Make sure the right housing goes between the frame and front brake housing, not over the outside of it.
If it goes over it, it can slightly kink the shift housing when the bars are turned to the max.
The housing rubbing against eachother will wear away the casing.
While you don't really need them that long for practical riding, its when the bike is being transported or moved around that the bars may turn to those positions.
Also in the event of a crash, you don't want the cables yanking the bosses out of the frame or doing other damage.


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## RC28 (May 9, 2002)

Felco C7 cable cutters..nuff said.


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## MattintheCrown (Jul 6, 2011)

Retro Grouch said:


> A Dremel discs works pretty well.


That's what I used. Works incredibly well, and if you have access to one, there's no need for a special housing-cutter tool.


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## Jim Dandy (Aug 22, 2011)

Any old cable cutters for electrical work just fine, and far easier than messing with a Dremel. Just stay away from diagonal wire cutters.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Jim Dandy said:


> Any old cable cutters for electrical work just fine, and far easier than messing with a Dremel. Just stay away from diagonal wire cutters.


what? why? you need 'scissor' type cutters for derailleur housing, like the Felco recommended above. and diagonal cutters are used in every bike shop in the country for brake housing. if the dikes are sharp, they'll cut cable ok, but most guys use the Felco type cutters for cable as well.


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## tigoat (Jun 6, 2006)

It does not matter how pretty and square the cut will be, once the cable and housing are installed and operated, it does not take long for the outer jacket to pull back, exposing the metal wire reinforcement bundle, rendering the pretty cut end ugly. With that said, it is not that hard to cut the housing reasonably squrare with a right cable cutter.


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## GirchyGirchy (Feb 12, 2004)

DaveG said:


> I used to use the Dremel tool but as a prior poster said it has the downside of melting the rubber housing. I spent as much time cleaning that up as a did re-opening the hole when I used cutters. In the balance I think a cutter with a scrap piece of cable is the (slighly) better option


Personally I like that it softens the plastic - it makes the inner lining easier to spread out with an awl. Then it cools and stays in place very well.

I used to use side cutters grew tired of cleaning the bent edges of brake housing and they didn't work well with shifter housing. I tried the Dremel and have used it ever since.

For all those recommending Felco cutters - for $50 I'd just buy another Dremel!


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

GirchyGirchy said:


> Personally I like that it softens the plastic - it makes the inner lining easier to spread out with an awl. Then it cools and stays in place very well.
> 
> I used to use side cutters grew tired of cleaning the bent edges of brake housing and they didn't work well with shifter housing. I tried the Dremel and have used it ever since.
> 
> For all those recommending Felco cutters - for $50 I'd just buy another Dremel!


you still have to cut cables, and a dremel doesn't work too well for that...Felco ftw. there's a reason every pro mechanic carries them(or something just like them) in their tool box.


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## PoorCyclist (Oct 14, 2010)

I have some time to spare.

The shifter housing I just cut with pedros cutter
the brake housing I cut it with the same cable cutter, and then grind it to the closest spiral end so it is even. Maybe a minute extra to do.

I used a sanding wheel before but I found it is better to stick the end to the side of one of these.


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## SubRider (Aug 19, 2012)

When all you have is a Dremel tool, all of your problems look like solutions.


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