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What tool to use for cutting cable housings?

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What tool to use for cutting cable housings?

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Old 01-09-22, 12:40 PM
  #51  
BikePower
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Originally Posted by tkamd73
You can actually get a kit of precut cables for a 72 Schwinn Continental? Impressive!
Tim
If there arent there should be. I understand these Schwinns were made in the millions and still quite popular. I ordered a jagwire kit last night. I will have to use my new cutter to custom fit the cables. I still need the 4 mm metal housing caps though. They are like $40 for a lifetime supply. I think I need only 4 or 5. Alternately I read on another board that microwashers can be used to keep the linear wire strands from being forced into the hole where the cable goes. Another way is to use the cables from the kit but use 5mm coil type brake cable instead as I have some scraps from a department store parts bike. It does fit in the stays, shifters and derailers.

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Old 01-09-22, 06:46 PM
  #52  
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There aren’t, it was sarcasm. Sorry!
Tim
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Old 01-09-22, 07:14 PM
  #53  
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Originally Posted by tkamd73
There aren’t, it was sarcasm. Sorry!
Tim
But there are for certain old Raleighs. The original brake & shift cables were double ended. You had to get the proper length one for your frame

​​​​​​https://www.ebay.com/itm/31258001019...cAAMXQ3kNTi13b

​​​​​​https://www.ebay.com/itm/31254258581...oAAMXQDnpTXWr2
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Old 01-09-22, 08:18 PM
  #54  
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@dedhead, you are correct sir, but there are none for a 72 Schwinn Continental, in spite of the number they produced.
Tim
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Old 01-09-22, 09:39 PM
  #55  
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Originally Posted by BikePower
that thought occurred to me also, its nice to know that will work. On the park description of the tool it says it makes perfect cuts with no collapsing. I will test it and report back to this thread my findings. Then I will decide to keep it or send it back.
No. It does NOT make perfect cuts, but it is still better than any Home Depot cutter I have ever used. The cable-through-the-housing trick always works for me, though.
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Old 01-09-22, 10:04 PM
  #56  
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Originally Posted by Papa Tom
No. It does NOT make perfect cuts, but it is still better than any Home Depot cutter I have ever used. The cable-through-the-housing trick always works for me, though.
I got my park cutter and tried it out. It cuts ok without a cable in it but if I put a scrap cable in there its darn near perfect. Im going to try putting a solid copper wire in there next time I cut as suggested to me in this forum. I think that would be ideal.
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Old 01-10-22, 06:41 AM
  #57  
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Originally Posted by BikePower
I got my park cutter and tried it out. It cuts ok without a cable in it but if I put a scrap cable in there its darn near perfect. Im going to try putting a solid copper wire in there next time I cut as suggested to me in this forum. I think that would be ideal.
Cool! I'm glad you found a solution.
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Old 01-13-22, 08:27 AM
  #58  
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For years I used a pair of side cutters to cut cable and housing. I finally bought a Park cn 10 and now wonder why I didn't do it years ago. When cutting spiral housing I poke a scratch awl into the end to make sure it is open, Often the spiral wrap wire obstructs the end of the cable after cutting. Not a problem with straight wrap brake cable.
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Old 01-13-22, 11:04 AM
  #59  
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Originally Posted by capnjonny
For years I used a pair of side cutters to cut cable and housing. I finally bought a Park cn 10 and now wonder why I didn't do it years ago. When cutting spiral housing I poke a scratch awl into the end to make sure it is open, Often the spiral wrap wire obstructs the end of the cable after cutting. Not a problem with straight wrap brake cable.
What? Brake housing IS spiral wrapped...what is this 'straight wrap brake cable' you are talking about?
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Old 01-13-22, 03:41 PM
  #60  
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Originally Posted by Jeff Neese
A Dremel isn't overkill if you already own one. It saves having to buy a CN-10 or something similar.
Agree. I use an angle grinder with cut off disc. It's always handy, ready to go, and does a great job so why not?

For cable ends I don't like crimps. It's permanent and you can only cut it once or maybe twice before it's too short unless you leave a lot of excess to begin with. I use heat shrink. The best is with hot glue layer already in but a dab off a hotglue stick and regular heatshrink is fine too. Looks cleaner than crimps IMO and is easily removable.
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Old 01-14-22, 06:29 PM
  #61  
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I can’t really imagine why anyone that does any kind of home workshop tinkering (including bike stuff) wouldn’t have a Dremel-type rotary tool🤔. The original Dremel tool is the “gold standard” but there are lots of knock offs out there. Harbor Freight, Menards, Home Depot to name a few. Mine is actually a Craftsman but looks to me to be an exact Dremel copy (perhaps even made by Dremel). The knock offs prolly even cost less than the brand name manual cutters. Using a rotary tool with a cut off wheel, IMHO, makes a perfect cut especially on the spiral wound brake cable housings (but also on the linear shifter cable housings!)
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