[kestrel242]

Good afternoon,

I'm looking to see if anyone has any insight into a tool for cutting zip ties while out on the trail.

Here are my requirements:

1. Must be as light and compact as possible - this will be a permanent part of my riding gear, so adding as little dead weight as possible is important


2. Must be able to work in very tight quarters - some tools have a cutting edge behind a set of mini pliers. I need something with a cutting edge that can be maneuvered in very confined spaces, so a cutting edge near the tip of the tool is important.

3. Must not present a safety hazard in my pack in the event of a crash - self-explanatory I think. There are plenty of flush cutters out there with pointed tips. I need something that either doesn't present a pointed tip, has a durable sheath, or has a concealable/retractable tip.


I currently have a Leatherman PS with integrated wire cutters but the cutting edge is recessed behind the pliers, which makes it very difficult to work with.

The Leatherman CS mini-tool seems like a possibility, although I'm not sure the scissors have the leverage and durability to be the solution.

I'm open to hearing about alternatives. Thanks!

 

[slapheadmofo]

Finger/toenail clipper?

 

[Forest Rider]

Finger/toenail clipper?

Vote #2 -was gonna answer same.

Leatherman seems like it would be a good choice since you already have it. What is so important about a trail side fix where ziptie needs to be so precise?

Gauge the amount of length required, cut short, click it up and ride on.

 

[NYrr496]

Finger/toenail clipper?

That's as good as it gets.

 

[kestrel242]

Finger/toenail clipper?

Brilliant in its simplicity, checks all the boxes - Thanks!

 

[kestrel242]

Vote #2 -was gonna answer same.

Leatherman seems like it would be a good choice since you already have it. What is so important about a trail side fix where ziptie needs to be so precise?

Gauge the amount of length required, cut short, click it up and ride on.

It's a weird use case, so I felt it wasn't worth explaining. For the hell of it, here goes - I finagled a custom mount for an Xshifter wireless mini-pod remote by drilling a hole in a WolfTooth Remount 22, wrapping it with a bit of grip tape, and using a zip tie. Because the Xshifter app is not well developed, someday the remote will die for want of a fresh battery without warning, so it could easily be a trailside event. I don't think I can change the battery without cutting the zip tie, so I want to make sure I'm prepared if/when that happens.

It is super tight quarters between the exposed part of the zip tie, the edge of the mini-pod and where the zip tie dives back into the body of the Remount 22. I couldn't maneuver my PS wire cutter into position, but a nail clipper with a wide jaw should work fine.

 

[Lone Rager]

I have a vague memory of a suggestion of using a small rare earth magnet attached to a short stick to pull the batteries out of one of those rather than detaching it from the stay and using gravity.

 

[teamdicky]

I use fingernail cutters normally. It's easier to cut the tie flush with them IMHOMO.

 

[Lone Rager]

In the shop I use "flush cutters", which are use in trimming leads on circuit boards. These leave no burr. They're pretty small but for carrying on the bike a finger nail clipper is less than half the size. Snap-On make a pair specifically for trimming cable ties, though they're bulkier and less convenient to use than these.

 

[distortion10]

Finger/toenail clipper?

+1 for nail clippers. I also use them to trim the exposed end of tubeless plugs and to remove cactus needles from my skin.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[watermonkey]

I carry one single razor blade, in its cardboard sleeve, in my patch/small items kits. Cuts zip ties flush, in tight places, and trims bacon strips down. All the benefits of a blade without the weight/bulk of knife or multitool.

At home, I use flush cutters, like listed below, but get them for $2 at harbor freight. Probably the most used tool on my workbench aside from my 4/5/6 tri hex key wrench.