There’s a wire fence in the back yard. The wire rectangles are about 3 inches by 1.5 inches. The wire is thicker than chicken wire, but not as thick as hog wire. I want to remove the fence, but I’m not sure of the proper tool. I could use my diagonal cutters (‘dikes’), but I’d rather only use those on electrical wires. I don’t want to damage them by using them on the fence. I’ve used my large bolt cutters, but they’re a bit unwieldy.
Suggestions?
How is it attached to the posts? I’ve just used strong pliers and pulled out the brads that attached the wire to the posts, and then just rolled up the wire from the whole section of fence.
Fencing pliers (available at most hardwares) are the tool you’re looking for. They have shearing cutters that will go through barbed wire size wire without difficulty, and are much more wieldy than bolt cutters.
You can get small bolt cutters, like this.
I’d do that before I took a chance on dulling my dikes.
Check out the second post in this thread…
If you have one, angle grinder.
If don’t have one, buy one. They’re awesome!
Excellent suggestion. I have DeWalt’s smallest angle grinder and it’s so powerful that it’s kinda scary.
Small is fine, but you’ll have that tool for years. Why get something that will be useless after that one job? Get the ‘Big’ bold cutters instead. Pay the money once & get many jobs out of it.
There wern’t any posts in this thread when I typed that. :dubious:
The wire just slips into protrusions on the metal posts. But it’s overgrown with blackberries, ivy, and other weeds. It’s easier to remove it eight feet at a time.
I have big bolt cutters, but they’re a bit unwieldy.
I always used a heavy set of lineman’s pliers for stuff like that.
Use what you got. It’ll be fine. I’ve cut a hundred miles of Field Fence with regular wire cutters. They don’t care.
Yeah, me too. Sounds like ‘Horse Fence’. Have some along with Hog fence to make an area for my dogs.
Yeah, this. I’ve but plenty of fencing like that with my diagonal cutters with no issue.
Yes, these type of fencing pliers are what you need if you are dealing with any type of fence. Will cut, splice, tighten, remove fencing staples, etc. Other wire cutters will work, but will work does not mean it is the best tool.
I hate to take the chance. I mean, my dikes are only Craftsman; but I like them. I do see some dikes at Harbor Freight that say ‘Cuts ACSR, screws, nails and most hardened wire’. I could get those.
Harbor Freight also has fencing pliers, and they’re half the price of the dikes. I’m guessing you put the wire in the semicircular slots on the pivot?
Yup. The antique ones I grew up using on the farm cut barbed wire with no issue, except the cutting slots only fit one strand so for two-strand barbed wire you had to cut the strands individually. These look like they might have space for cutting both at once. With the shearing cutting action they go through steel wire much, much more easily than dikes will.
I bought fencing pliers and long-reach diagonal cutters. Both have a ‘lifetime warranty’, and the total cost, including tax, was $17.59.
Yeah…Good post Johnny
I now REALLY want the tool Dallas Jones posted !