What Are Diagonal Cutting Pliers And What Are They Used For?

How do you cut wire, over and over, without getting tired?

The answer you’re looking for is diagonal cutting pliers.

But why are these different to other pliers? Why are they so easy to use? And how do you know which ones you need for your job?

In this guide, we explain what diagonal cutting pliers are, what they are used for, the main types, how to use them safely and how to choose the right pair.

What are Diagonal Cutting Pliers?

Diagonal cutting pliers are pliers made for cutting wire, with hardened cutting edges in place of the gripping jaws of normal pliers. They cut wire by indenting and wedging a cable apart (as opposed to shearing like scissors). The name comes from how the cutting edges of the jaws are set at an angle to the joint rivet (hence the name “diagonal”).

They are also known as side cutters, side cutting pliers, wire cutters, diagonal cutting nippers, diagonal cutters, diagonal pliers, nippers and snips. Side cutters and diagonal cutters are the same tool, as we explain in our guide to side cutters vs diagonal cutters.

Not every pair cuts as well as the next. For hard wire, such as piano wire, spring steel wire and hardened fencing wire, the best diagonal cutting pliers are high-leverage pliers with hardened cutting edges, because the extra leverage means each cut takes less grip, and hardened edges stay sharp for longer. For a flush cut on soft wire, such as copper or precious metal, a flush cutter is the better choice.

Maun’s diagonal cutting pliers, made in Nottinghamshire, England, are high-leverage pliers with cutting edges induction-hardened to HRC 64. Maun’s compound-lever action multiplies your hand force 18 times on the 140 mm pliers and 22 times on the 160 mm pliers, so each cut takes far less effort, whether you cut wire all day at work or now and then at home. They cut copper, aluminium and steel wire, soft or hard, as well as small electrical cable and component leads, and they will even cut through piano wire, one of the strongest wires out there.

Browse all Maun diagonal cutting pliers here.

What are diagonal cutting pliers used for?

Diagonal cutting pliers are primarily used to cut wire and electronic cables, and are particularly useful at this because the cutting edge creates a clean cut, which improves electronic connections and safety. They cut copper conductors and small cable, cable ties, garden and fencing wire, hard and spring steel wire, piano wire and component leads.

Here is what they are used for:

• Electrical work: cutting copper conductors, small diameter cable, cable ties and steel tie wire on isolated circuits, from first fix to control panel wiring. For live work, use 1000V insulated pliers.
• Electronics: trimming component leads before soldering.
• Engineering, maintenance and fabrication: cutting hard wire, spring wire, stainless wire, MIG welding wire, tie wire and mesh, including old, work-hardened wire during repairs.
• Pianos and guitars: cutting piano (music) wire and guitar strings.
• Spring and mattress making: cutting spring steel wire.
• Jewellery, crafts and model making: cutting jewellery wire and craft wire, and piano wire and point-motor pins for model railways.
• Dental laboratories: trimming stainless archwire (the main wire of a brace), clasp wire and spring wire for orthodontic and removable work.
• Utilities, rail and telecoms: cutting meter sealing wire, security seals on cabinets, and signal and drop wire on site.
• Garden, fencing and DIY: cutting garden wire, chicken wire, fencing wire, cable ties, staples and small nails.

Verified Feefo buyers use Maun’s pliers to cut chicken wire and fencing wire, as well as plastic-covered stainless clothes line and hardened antenna strands.

How are Diagonal Cutting Pliers Different from Normal Pliers?

Diagonal cutting pliers are different from normal pliers because they are made only to cut wire, while normal pliers are made to grip, bend and twist it. Here is what sets them apart:

• Their jaws end in cutting edges instead of gripping faces, so they can’t grip, bend or twist wire.
• The jaws have an angled edge. Because it does not need to be as thin as a scissor blade, it applies more direct cutting force, so you can cut harder wire with the same effort.
• The jaws and cutting edges are hardened to increase the life of the cutter.
• If you work on or near live electrical circuits, choose insulated side cutters that are certified for live work.

What are the types of diagonal cutting pliers?

The main types of diagonal cutting pliers are standard diagonal cutters, semi-flush cutters and flush cutters, which range from the most cutting force to the closest cut, plus high-leverage and insulated versions.

Standard diagonal cutting pliers

Standard diagonal cutting pliers have bevelled cutting edges that meet and wedge the wire apart, which gives the most cutting force of the three edge types. That makes them the right choice for hard wire such as piano wire, and for repeated cuts where extra effort would tire your hand.

Maun’s diagonal cutting pliers all have standard bevelled cutting edges, induction-hardened to HRC 64 for cutting hard wire.

Semi-flush cutters

Semi-flush cutters have part of the bevel ground flatter, so they cut closer to a surface and balance cutting force with a neater finish. They suit electrical work where you need a clean cut but a small protrusion won’t get in the way, such as preparing wires for terminal connections.

Maun’s semi-flush cutters are the Smooth Jaws Semi-Flush Cut Side Cutter Parallel Plier for Soft Wire 125 mm (4980-125) and the Smooth Jaws Semi-Flush Cut Side Cutter Parallel Plier for Soft Wire 140 mm (4980-140), which combine a semi-flush cut with parallel gripping jaws. You will find them in our small side cutters range.

Flush cutters

Flush cutters have a flat cutting face, so they leave a flush end against the workpiece instead of the slight protrusion a bevelled edge leaves. The flat edge gives less cutting force and wears faster on hard wire, so flush cutters are made for soft wire such as copper, aluminium and precious metal in electronics and jewellery work. That is why flush cutters are not another name for diagonal cutters, even though they look alike.

High-leverage diagonal cutting pliers

High-leverage diagonal cutting pliers use a compound-lever action, with two pivots instead of one, to multiply your hand force, so you can cut hard wire with less effort than with standard pliers of the same size.

All Maun diagonal cutting pliers are high-leverage pliers: Maun’s compound-lever action multiplies your hand force 18 times on the 140 mm pliers and 22 times on the 160 mm pliers.

Insulated diagonal cutting pliers

Insulated diagonal cutting pliers have insulated handles for work on or near live electrical conductors.

Maun’s 1000V insulated diagonal cutting pliers are certified to IEC 60900:2018 for use on or near live conductors up to 1000V AC and 1500V DC. They come in two lengths, the 1000V Insulated Diagonal Cutting Plier for Hard Wire 140 mm (7100-140) and the 1000V Insulated Diagonal Cutting Plier for Hard Wire 160 mm (7100-160), with polymer-encased handles and hand-stops, and they cut the same wire as the standard pliers of the same length.

How do Maun diagonal cutters differ from standard diagonal cutters?

Maun diagonal cutting pliers cut hard wire with less effort than conventional diagonal cutters of the same size, whether you cut wire every day or only now and then. This is due to Maun’s compound-lever action (with two pivot points), which multiplies your hand force by 18 on the 140 mm pliers and by 22 on the 160 mm pliers, so you get the leverage you need in a compact tool.

Maun’s jaws are induction-hardened to HRC 64, so unlike lower quality or unhardened pliers, they keep their edge on hard wire such as piano wire. But they’re just as good at cutting soft wire, such as precious metal wire in jewellery making.

A return spring opens the jaws after every cut, and you can choose zinc-plated handles with detailing for grip or soft plastic comfort grips.

Every Maun diagonal cutting plier is made in England and meets BS 3087-7:1996 and ISO 5747:1995, the British and international standards for the dimensions and test values of lever-assisted side cutting pliers and diagonal cutting nippers. Maun has held ISO 9001 for 30 years, and every pair comes with a 12-month warranty, extended to 2 years when you register your tool.

Ten or more Feefo buyers have bought a new Maun pair to replace one they had used for 20 to 60 years, because they had lost the old pair, not worn it out.

How do you use diagonal cutting pliers?

To use diagonal cutting pliers (snips), open the jaws, place the wire between the cutting edges and squeeze the handles until the wire is cut, with hard wire deep in the jaws near the pivot and soft wire nearer the tip.

Here is a step-by-step guide:

1. Clear the area: prepare the area you’re working in, removing anything that’s in the way of the material you are cutting.
2. Protect yourself: put on gloves, safety glasses and long sleeves, as the cut end of hard wire can fly off.
3. Make sure the cable is not live: isolate the circuit before you cut electrical cable, and only use 1000V insulated pliers where live work cannot be avoided.
4. Open the jaws: pull the handles apart to open the jaws. On Maun’s pliers, the return spring opens them for you.
5. Position the wire: for hard wire, place the wire as far down the blades as possible, close to the pivot, for the best leverage. For soft wire, place it near the tip.
6. Cut: squeeze the handles until you have a clean cut. If the wire is close to the pliers’ maximum capacity, use both hands.

Pro Tip: never cut wire thicker or harder than your pliers are rated for, as oversized wire can chip the cutting edge.

Watch our Diagonal Cutting Pliers in action:

Staying Safe When Cutting

Diagonal cutters can be dangerous in the wrong hands, so it is important to stay safe when cutting. Wear safety goggles or glasses, gloves and long sleeves, as the cut end of hard wire can fly off and hurt you.

Make sure any electrical cable is not live before you cut it, by isolating the circuit and proving it dead. Maun’s standard and comfort-grip diagonal cutting pliers carry no insulation rating and must never be used on live wire, so where live work cannot be avoided, use 1000V insulated pliers certified to IEC 60900:2018.

When should you not use diagonal cutting pliers?

Diagonal cutting pliers are made for cutting solid wire, so use a different tool for these jobs:

• Multi-strand cable: use a cable cutter, which shears the cable, as a wedge cut pushes the strands apart.
• Wire above the pliers’ capacity: for hard wire over 2.5 mm or piano wire over 2.0 mm, use the Maun Side Cutter Parallel Plier for Hard Wire 200 mm (4950-200), which cuts hard wire up to 3.0 mm and piano wire up to 2.5 mm.
• Wire you also need to hold: they cut but cannot grip, bend or straighten wire, so use side cutter parallel pliers, which grip with parallel jaws and cut.
• Sterilised dental instruments: the standard finish is not rated for autoclave sterilisation, so use the Maun Side Cutter Parallel Plier Autoclave Safe 140 mm (4956-140).
• Thin sheet, film or fabric: the cutting edges are ground for wire, not razor-sharp, so use shears or a knife.
• Static-sensitive electronics: use an ESD-safe (anti-static) tool.

Choosing the right diagonal pliers for the job

Maun makes diagonal cutting pliers in two lengths to suit different wire types: the 140 mm pliers for lighter wire and close work, and the 160 mm pliers for thicker and harder wire. Maun publishes the cutting capacity of each plier by wire type, so you can check that a pair will cut your wire before you buy.

Option one: 140 mm Diagonal Cutting Pliers from Maun

The Maun Diagonal Cutting Plier for Hard Wire 140 mm (2990-140) is ideal for jewellers, hobbyists and craft workers, dental laboratories, piano technicians and electricians cutting small diameter cable.

• 140 mm length.
• 8 mm jaw opening, 16 mm blade length and 8 mm jaw width.
• Maun’s compound-lever action multiplies hand force by 18.
• Cutting edges induction-hardened to HRC 64.
• Cutting capacity: piano wire 1.6 mm diameter, hard wire 2.0 mm diameter, soft wire 3.0 mm diameter.

The Maun Diagonal Cutting Plier for Hard Wire Comfort Grips 140 mm (2999-140) is made for long sessions of jewellery, craft or dental laboratory work, with soft plastic grips that stay comfortable over long periods.

The Maun Diagonal Cutting Plier for Sealing Wire 140 mm (2999-140-B) is made for utility meter installers. It cuts the multi-stranded wire crimped by Maun’s meter sealing ferrules: 7-strand sealing wire of 0.914 to 0.990 mm and 12-strand sealing wire of 0.990 to 1.066 mm.

Option two: 160 mm Diagonal Cutting Pliers from Maun

The Maun Diagonal Cutting Plier for Hard Wire 160 mm (2990-160) suits engineers and mechanics cutting hard wire (such as welding wire), manufacturers of sprung bed mattresses, piano technicians and electricians.

• 160 mm length.
• 8 mm jaw opening, 16 mm blade length and 8 mm jaw width.
• Maun’s compound-lever action multiplies hand force by 22.
• Cutting edges induction-hardened to HRC 64.
• Cutting capacity: piano wire 2.0 mm diameter, hard wire 2.5 mm diameter, soft wire 4.0 mm diameter.

The Maun Diagonal Cutting Plier for Hard Wire Comfort Grips 160 mm (2999-160) is built for a full day of heavy cutting, such as fencing, spring and mattress making or workshop fabrication, with soft plastic grips that stay comfortable over long periods.

How do I buy diagonal cutting pliers online?

You can buy Maun diagonal cutting pliers online from Maun’s official website, www.maunindustries.com, with free UK delivery by Royal Mail Tracked 48. Orders placed before 14:00 UK time, Monday to Friday, are normally shipped the same working day, and Maun delivers to over 200 countries.

If you think Maun’s diagonal cutting pliers are right for you, shop for a pair online here.

Every pair comes with a 12-month warranty, extended to 2 years when you register your tool.

How do you look after diagonal cutting pliers?

To look after diagonal cutting pliers, keep them clean, dry and lightly oiled, and they will last far longer and cut better. Before and after use, wipe off any debris, and store them in a cool, dry place to prevent moisture damage. If you have not used your pliers for over a month, put a little light oil on the joints so they open and close smoothly.

Maun’s pliers have a rust-resistant finish, so a wipe, dry storage and a drop of oil keep them working for years.

FAQs

What do electricians call diagonal cutting pliers?

In the UK, electricians usually call diagonal cutting pliers side cutters or nippers, and in the US electrical trade they are often called dikes or diags.

Can diagonal cutters cut nails?

Yes, hardened, high-leverage diagonal cutters cut small nails and staples. We recommend the Maun Diagonal Cutting Plier for Hard Wire 160 mm (2990-160) for nails, as its 22x leverage cuts them with less effort. To cut a nail flush with the surface of the wood, use end cutting pliers, which cut closer to the surface.

Can diagonal cutting pliers cut guitar strings?

Yes. Guitar strings have a steel core made from music wire, the same wire as piano wire, and the Maun Diagonal Cutting Plier for Hard Wire 140 mm (2990-140) cuts piano wire up to 1.6 mm in diameter. Feefo buyers use Maun’s pliers to cut guitar strings.

Can diagonal cutting pliers cut welding wire?

Yes, diagonal cutting pliers cut MIG welding wire cleanly, so you can trim the end of the wire before you weld. We recommend the Maun Diagonal Cutting Plier for Hard Wire 160 mm (2990-160) for welding wire, as it cuts hard wire up to 2.5 mm in diameter, and Feefo buyers use Maun’s pliers to cut welding wire.

Can you use diagonal cutting pliers for model railways?

Yes. Model railway builders use diagonal cutters to cut point-motor pins and the piano wire used in miniature mechanisms. The Maun Diagonal Cutting Plier for Hard Wire 140 mm (2990-140) is small enough for close work and cuts piano wire up to 1.6 mm in diameter.

Is a diagonal cutter suitable for aviation lockwire?

Yes, a diagonal cutter is suitable for cutting aviation lockwire (safety wire), which is thin stainless steel wire, well within the 2.0 mm hard wire capacity of the Maun Diagonal Cutting Plier for Hard Wire 140 mm (2990-140). One Feefo buyer kept a Maun 140 mm pair in their aircraft tool kit for 39 years.

History of Diagonal Cutting Pliers

Pliers go back to ancient times, but the rise of metalwork allowed more durable tools to be made, including diagonal cutting pliers. Their angled cutting edges made them popular in a wide range of trades, as they cut through wire so well. They then developed into a range of sub-types, including flush cutters and compound-action (high-leverage) wire cutters, and insulated versions were developed for electrical work.

Maun has been making tools since 1944, and today makes its pliers in Nottinghamshire, England.

That’s everything you need to know about diagonal cutting pliers.

If you have any feedback or improvements you’d recommend for this post, we’d love to hear from you.

This post was brought to you by Maun, experts in tools since 1944.

Scroll back up to re-read any key points, browse our related pages below, or contact us with any questions.

More on cutting pliers:

• What are side cutter parallel pliers?
• What are fencing pliers?
• Best side cutters
• Best wire cutters

How-to guides:

• How to cut wire with pliers
• How to cut hard wire
• How to cut up mattress springs
• How to use pliers