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What are Bolt Cutters and How to Use Them

Sep. 14, 2022

What are bolt cutters

Bolt cutters are heavy-duty cutting tools designed to cut through very thick materials. Materials cut include thick steel wire, thick metal bolts, padlocks, nails, screws, small trees and branches. Bolt cutters come in many shapes and sizes and are designed for different purposes. Bolt cutters usually have a short blade and a long handle.

bolt cutter

How bolt cutters work

Instead of cutting the material like scissors, bolt cutters focus their force on a small contact area of the blade to crush the material. A standard long handle and a compound hinge (a joint that provides additional strength to the jaws) work together to provide the bolt cutter with incredible cutting power.

Their cutting force is obtained through the "leverage" principle. This means that the force applied over a long distance (in this case the length of the handle) is converted into a larger force over a short distance (in this case the jaws).

How to use the bolt cutter

Hold the Wire Cutters Correctly:

Hold the handle of the wire cutters with one hand to ensure a firm grip.

For thicker wires, use both hands to increase the force.

Place the Wire:

Place the wire to be cut in the jaws as close to the hinge point (i.e. the root of the jaws) as possible to obtain greater shearing force.

Make sure the wire is placed smoothly to prevent it from sliding.

Apply Force:

Slowly and firmly squeeze the handles to close the upper and lower jaws.

If the wire is thick, you can cut it in multiple times to avoid damaging the tool by applying too much force at one time.

Complete the Cut:

When the jaws are fully closed, the wire will be cut.

Check whether the cut is smooth and trim it with a file if necessary.

Tips for using the bolt cutter

In general, the heavier the material being cut, the longer the handle of the breaker should be.

Although the blades are very strong, you may sometimes find it difficult to cut heavy materials. This can help if you turn the blade handle back and forth while cutting.

If you find it very hard to cut, you can replace the pliers with larger ones.

Wear gloves when using the bolt cutter to prevent slippage and to provide grip.

Wear goggles. Tiny pieces of metal can fly into the air and land in your eyes, causing serious injury.


Bolt Cutter is a reliable, efficient cutting tool that provides great convenience for a variety of professional and everyday applications.

Welcome to contact probuilt, if you want to know more about bolt cutters or other hand tools, probuilt can provide you with the most suitable tool solution for you.