11-12-2010, 12:57 AM
In my opinion, the best way to cut steel wire is to use a cut-off disc. It's also useful, but not always necessary, when cutting the stainless steel wire. Smaller sizes of stainless steel wire and most sizes of soft brass wire are easily and neatly cut using the heel of an X-Acto #11 blade, working on a hard surface, such as a sheet of glass. I use an old blade, as the wire, especially the stainless, will nick the cutting edge. For small diameters, hold the wire under the blade and press down - make sure to hold the piece being cut off, too, or it will launch itself, never to be seen again. For larger diameters, hold the wire under the heel of the blade, and while pressing down, roll the wire back and forth with the blade. The wire should be either cut through or will be easy to snap-off cleanly at the break. These methods usually require little or no clean-up of the cut ends.
Wayne
Wayne