Knipex Ribbon-Cable Cutter

The electronics geek in me got giddy when I saw this picture of Knipex’s ribbon-cable cutters. OK, so not everybody is going to get as excited about this tool, but next time you have to cut ribbon cable, you’ll remember this tool exists, and you’re going to be bummed that you don’t have one.

Knipex’s cutters cut ribbon cable up to 56mm — that’s 2.2″ for you metric-impaired readers — without crushing the conductors. The integrated fence in the base allows you to make perfectly rectangular cuts, and you can replace the blade with a conventional, trapezoidal, utility-knife blade.

Knipex makes the handle and blade mount of these 8-1/2″-long cutters from high-strength steel. A spring returns the handles to the open position when they’re released, and a locking lever keeps them closed for storage.

Look to pay anywhere between $60 and $100. If you don’t have that kind of money burning a hole in your pocket, or if your employer can pinch a penny so hard that Lincoln cries, UltraShear makes a cheaper alternative — albeit without the fence — the Superknife.

Cutter For Ribbon Cables [Knipex]
Street Pricing [Google Products]