Compact Bolt Cutters: What They Cut, Which KNIPEX CoBolt to Pick, and When You Need a Full-Size One

KNIPEX rates its standard 200 mm CoBolt for soft wire up to 6 mm, medium-hard wire and bolts, nails or rivets up to 5.2 mm, hard wire up to 4 mm and piano wire up to 3.6 mm. That covers fencing wire, nails and screws that need cutting off, and most jobs where ordinary diagonal cutters would chip.

KNIPEX says the lever joint multiplies hand force about 35 times. That's how a 335 g tool cuts material that would otherwise need a long-handled bolt cutter.

Length decides both capacity and how you carry it. The ratings below are KNIPEX's own.

KNIPEX lists more than a dozen CoBolt versions, and the part number tells you what changes. The 71 02 200 has the same head and capacities as the 71 01 200 but multi-component grips instead of plastic-coated handles. The 71 31 200 adds a recess in the cutting edge for easier cutting of thicker wire. The 71 41 200 has a 20° angled head and the same recess, for cutting nails, screws or wire as close as possible to the surface below.

If you're unsure, start with the 71 01 200. Choose the angled head only if flush cuts are a regular job, since the bend makes it slightly bulkier (KNIPEX lists 24 mm thick against 15 mm).

A compact bolt cutter is about reach and portability: one hand, a tool bag, work overhead or in tight spots. A full-size, long-handled bolt cutter is for thicker bar, chain and hardened padlock shackles that are beyond the CoBolt's ratings.

For fine copper wire, neither is the right tool; a wire stripper and cutter like Klein's 11055 gives cleaner cuts and strips insulation too.

• Worth buying: electricians, fencing and farm work, car and bike repair, and anyone who cuts bolts, nails or hard wire a few times a year.
• Get a full-size bolt cutter: chain, thick bar or locks above about 6 mm.
• Skip it: if you only cut copper wire and cable ties, diagonal cutters or a wire stripper are enough.