Tsunoda, KBN-150, Cable Tie Cutter, Diagonal Cutter for Zip Tie (6-Inch)

The cutting edges are very sharp; however, these are light duty pliers. I would use them only with plastic wire ties and soft copper wires. These pliers are delicate and likely to suffer damage if used with iron or steel wires. When the jaws are closed and cutting edges parallel there are no gaps - in a darkened room I placed the closed pliers between a light source and my eyes and observed no light between the cutting edges. The handles are covered in bright blue plastic that is uniform in color and consistency, and without cracks or flaws. The handles are textured which makes them easy to grasp, but more difficult to clean if covered in grease, oil, or other fluids. Running my finger nail along the surface of pliers I detected absolutely no deviations in the surface where the handles meet and at the fulcrum. However, the friction between rubbing metal surfaces of the Tsunoda pliers was much greater than that of my Knipex pliers and required significantly more force to open and close the jaws.The cutters are comfortable and solid in the hand, have no slop, and feel neither heavy nor bulky. The handles moved easily with one hand. However, when holding the pliers horizontally and releasing the bottom handle and the jaws did not open fully. Instead the jaws opened about 10% of maximum. I applied Liquid Wrench light machine oil to these surfaces. I did not use penetrating oil because there was no corrosion present. I worked the handles for about 10 minutes, but the jaws would not open completely when the pliers were held horizontally and the lower handle was released to gravity. Subsequently, I combined small amounts of WD-40 and 100,000 grit (0.25 micron) diamond paste in oil in a shallow empty glass container. I used a tooth pick to stir these ingredients (about 10 minutes) until a homogenous slurry was made. I added a brief spray of WD-40 to achieve a consistency that was "right" - no lumps, not too thick, not too thin. I applied the slurry to the fulcrum and rubbing surfaces using a Q-Tip and set the tool aside for about 10 minutes to allow the slurry to penetrate spaces between the surfaces. I then worked the handles for an additional 70 minutes after which the jaws would finally open completely once the lower handle was released to gravity. (I performed the same process with my Knipex pliers but it required 10 minutes time to achieve the same results.) I then sprayed the fulcrum and rubbing surfaces with WD-40 to flush the slurry from the tool. I wiped the tool with a rag, applied more WD-40 to the fulcrum and rubbing surfaces, worked the handles again for about 30 seconds, and cleaned the surfaces with a rag. I allowed the WD-40 to evaporate (about 15 minutes), removed any remaining surface residue with a rag, reapplied light machine oil to the metal surfaces, and set the pliers aside. After 30 minutes I wiped excess oil from the pliers and placed them in my tool box.

Another perfect tool from Japan. An absolute necessity for tightening and cutting zip ties.

Tsunoda KBN-150 - 6”https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0756YR7XX/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_ZVS2YSNTYP3Q79QEVG3M?linkCode=ml2&tag=subjeccyclis-20- Cable tie puller provides excellent grip for tightening- Jaw opens very wide- Exceptional sharpness- No spring for assisted opening- Point end is slightly flat, not a sharp pointTsunoda PN-175 - 7”https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009FT3QA8/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_7DANNFNVJSR5N3JZTWVN?linkCode=ml2&tag=subjeccyclis-20- Jaws open wide- Exceptional sharpness- Spring tension is modest- Sharp pointed end- Nice balance of size with large cutter headTsunoda PN-200 8”https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009FT3Q44/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_BBXD03GPEDGY6KW8DGZ1?linkCode=ml2&tag=subjeccyclis-20- Jaws open wide- Exceptional sharpness- Sharp pointed end- Spring tension is mostest- Bolt-stop helps protect cutter edge from damage under high leverage- Larger size provides extra leverage for effortless cutsKNIPEX 78 03 140 - 5 ½”https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MZF6SPZ/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_VTGWQ2FSVK5SC255KH67?linkCode=ml2&tag=subjeccyclis-20- Jaw opening is very narrow- Hinge action is velvety smooth- Spring tension is excellent- Exceptional sharpness- Sharp pointed end- Best corrosion resistanceSelection/ComparisonFor your particular application, one of these tools may be preferred over the other. All cutters offer exceptional sharpness and solid construction.The 6” tie cutter model lacks a spring to assist opening. However the jaw opening is unparalleled and the grip section is terrific for tightening zip ties. It’s flat ground tip was likely chosen to protect the surface beneath a zip tie while cutting. This limits some precision use but makes sense given its intended application. Its head is also angled to allow easy access for flush cuts against walls or in tight spaces.While the KNIPEX offers exceptional quality, the narrow opening jaws severely limit its versatility. However, for the right application the KNIPEX would be great for delicate work in a compact form factor. The grip, spring and precision tip are terrific. The hinge action is unrivaled. For a tradesman tool, the lack of a tip protector or spring lock is a mistake. However, none of these tools offer a lock for transport.Both the 7” and 8” Tsunoda cutters offer the same quality and features with the 8” adding a bolt-stop which can be used to promote blade protection or to execute partial depth cuts. The 8” also offers a slightly larger/longer cutter which could be beneficial for cutting large plastic crate-ties.

It's the small things in life that you should enjoy. This is perfect if you have to install a lot of wire ties. And the cutter is flush so you won't leave a punji stick bootytrap for the next guy that brushes his hands near it!

I love these, there's nothing else like them.I work in assembly which means I'm cutting dozens to hundreds of cable ties daily and using an assortment of hand tools. I always have flush cutters in a dedicated belt pouch on me.I've been using no-name 6" flush cutters that work fine, as long as the blade is sharp. I sprung for these Tsunodas, partially because of the pliers feature and partially just because they look cool and unique.Sometimes I would run into a small fastener that just needs to be broken loose. Even though it's bad for the blade, if all I had on me were the cable cutters I'd sometimes try to use them (I know). With these there are more ways to grip things without damaging the blades. They have a nice finish and cut very well. Only downside is, they do not feature a spring to open the pliers. That's not really a problem once you get used to using them. Very nice, would recommend

Sharp blade, flush cut, angled blades.Much better than using regular flush cut pliers.There is a pliers section that can be used to tighten the tie but I don't use it often.I bought a second pair to keep with my nylon ties so I don't always have to go find it in the tool cabinet.It is relatively expensive but is definitely worth buying (two in my case).