Plastic Cutter Plier (6")

That is deliberate differential hardening and it solves a genuine conflict. A cutting edge wants to be hard — hard enough to slice cleanly without denting or rolling over, because a dented edge crushes rather than cuts. But hardness brings brittleness, and a tool hardened all the way through to 60 would be a tool that snaps when the handles are squeezed hard or the plier is dropped. So the edge is taken up to 56-62, where it holds a keen edge indefinitely, while the body is left at 43-48 — hard enough to resist bending, soft enough to absorb load and shock without cracking. Hard skin over a tough core is the same principle used on good chisels and knives, and seeing both figures printed is a sign the manufacturer knows what it is doing.

The tool itself is for cutting plastic: sprues and gates off mouldings, cable ties, plastic trim and beading, tubing, model and hobby components, packaging strapping, and the flash left on injection-moulded parts. The jaws are ground so they cut flush against a surface, which is what you want when trimming a moulding — a stub left proud has to be filed off, and a clean flush cut does not.

It is made from high carbon steel. Six inches is the general bench size.

The buyers are plastics and moulding workshops, model makers and hobbyists, electronics and assembly technicians, sign and display makers, packing departments, and hardware dealers supplying benches.

The important limit follows from what it is designed for. This is a plastic cutter, and using it on wire — even soft copper — will damage a fine edge intended for a much softer material. Steel wire, nails and hardened material will ruin it in one cut. Keep a diagonal cutter for metal and keep this for plastic, and the edge will stay keen for years.

Cut with the work well back in the jaws where leverage is greatest, and keep the pivot lightly oiled. Ask us on WhatsApp for a price, or with a set of diagonal cutters for the metal side of the bench.