Cutters:
Cutters are a simple but obviously essential tool for rosary making. While the exact model you use doesn't matter as much as it does with other tools, you do have to make sure to buy the right kind that are designed for cutting the materials you are using and that have the right shape.
You want to make sure to use flush cutters, which leave one side of the cut wire nice and flat, and to use cutters designed for metals. You may also wish to use a separate pair for different kinds of wire to avoid wearing them out prematurely.
Xuron LX micro shear flush cutter:
These are reliable and sharp cutters with a very small tip that can reach into super tight spaces like small wire wraps with ease. I use these mostly for Sterling silver, as they are slightly more delicate due to their thinner design and Sterling silver is softer than brass wire.
The pair shown to the right are well used, and have held up nicely after 4 years. They are still nice and sharp, and don’t show many signs of wear.
Hakko CHP-170 micro cutter:
Small, cheap, and reliable. They are well suited to any type or size of wire up to 18 gauge. They are ever so slightly larger and might not fit into super small or tight spaces, but are nonetheless perfect for almost all the wire cutting you will need. I use these mostly for brass or silver filled wire to save wear on the smaller and more expensive cutters.
These cutters never really wear out unless they are used on steel or iron wire, or used with wire thicker than 18 gauge. They might get somewhat dull after several years, but will still cut cleanly.
Hakko CHP TRR-58-G:
Larger and more expensive cutters suited for heavier gauges of wire, such as 16 or 18 gauge wire. I use these for ring cutting and for cutting things that aren’t really supposed to be cut with tools like these.
The pair pictured on the right are 10+ years old and have seen tons of abuse over the years, yet still work just fine. The large size makes them unsuited for rosary work, but regardless these are useful to have around.
What NOT to use:
To the left are cutters you should not use for rosary making! Traditional wire cutters will leave a sharp point on both ends of the cut wire, and hobby cutters for model-making are designed to cut plastic and will break or dull if used on metals.
