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Sharp zip ties and the hands that contact them.

J

Jjackh10

Active Member
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Hello all, long time lurker, haven't built anything yet but hoping to start an RV in the near future.

I noticed on another form a reference to the delights of reaching into a wire loom with diagonal plier cut zip ties. As a young electrical apprentice I was taught to grip the tail of a zip tie with pliers against the box end and twist till the tail breaks off. For some reason the resulting end is not sharp. and it's quicker as your likely already there with the pliers to tighten the zip tie.

Just thought this might let y'all save a few cuss words for more worthy items like fiberglass fairings and fuel tank sealant haha.
 
I have a pair of Xuron flush cutters that is reserved only for cutting zip ties. They cut truly flush, so can be used to trim the tail from a zip tie with no sharp edge remaining. They're also useful for removing zip ties from a bundle without damaging the underlying wires. And at only $14 this is probably the best deal going on a USA-made tool.

As per the tradition of this website, someone will be along shortly to declare that they never use zip ties, only wire lacing...
 
My IA gave me a new wire cutter that is flat on the back side and cuts zipties flush to where you can't feel it and I always only used it for that purpose, until someone borrowed it without my permission and broke one side's tip off of it.

Still works only for zipties now because I removed it from my tool box and is on the shelf where the zipties are so nobody else will damage it any more than they did already.
 
Long reach cutter

Bob Nuckolls preached about trimming zip tie tails in a weekend workshop I attended with him (decades ago). I was fortunate to have a small mom & pop electronics store near my home and picked up my now favorite wire cutters, Pro'sKit PM-251.
They have a long reach capability, great for work in tight places behind the panel. They seem to be available by several vendors according to Google. Note the difference in the photo attached.
 

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String tie leaves no sharp edges, but some people don't care for it. Takes a little more time and dexterity to install, but is also pretty impervious to grease, oil and heat.

Make things neat, which ever you chose to use.
 
Waxed lashing string

cvairwerks said:
String tie leaves no sharp edges, but some people don't care for it. Takes a little more time and dexterity to install, but is also pretty impervious to grease, oil and heat.

Make things neat, which ever you chose to use.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Not a single zip tie allowed on my build. I hate them.
After years working on various stuff, I find they become brittle and draw blood.

I use waxed lashing string. Work with it long enough and you can even wrap and tie with one hand. If it's a sensitive area, I add a wrap or two of self fusing silicone tape before the string.

Old Telecom Guys are very familiar with lashing string. Go in any Central Office and you'll see it.
Behind my panel I use industrial velcro.
 
As already mentioned, a set of small flush wire cutters is the key to injury free, zip tie installation.
Another but slightly more expensive option is to use an actual zip tie installation tool that tensions the zip tie and cuts the tail flush in one operation.
 
Larry: I agree that old telecom lacing looks really neat. Did some in my telecom days. In the aerospace world, about the only difference in lacing, is we've pretty much outlawed the running lace system and only use individual ties. Got to slap newbie hands once in a while, as they have a tendency to tie things too tight when there is fiber in the bundle. I think we buy lacing cord by the pallet load at work!
 
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