Top 4 Best Bolt Cutters For Master Locks 2023 Reviews

There are many solid reasons to have the Best Bolt Cutters For Master Locks in your arsenal, whether to cut that padlock with the missing key from your garden shed or trim metal chain links for fencing installation.

Bolt cutters are an essential tool for cutting heavy wiring, rods, and fencing, but the types and thicknesses of steel they can cut vary greatly between models. To determine which bolt cutters were the real standouts, we tested some of today’s top models.

We cut wire for baling, fence, all thread (threaded bolt rods), and more. Although certain models’ performance astonished us, only some of the bolt cutters we examined met our high expectations.

Bolt cutters come in various sizes and brands, making choosing the best one for the job difficult. Please find out how the following models made it onto this list of the finest bolt cutters, what to look for when choosing a pair, and what makes them stand out. The Fiskars PowerGear bolt cutter is a modern version created for maximum strength, comfort, and control. It is arguably the greatest bolt cutter on the market.

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Top 4 Best Bolt Cutters For Master Locks 2023

Our Top Pick Bolt Cutter – KNIPEX – 71 fit in tool box 01 200 Tools

Padlocks can also be cut with bolt cutters. Furthermore, they don’t necessarily need to be so big that you must carry them individually. Sometimes all you need is a set of cutting pliers that are stronger than standard side cutters yet small enough to fit in your small toolbox.

The 8′′ Knipex bolt cutter is in its domain here. The Gedore 8340Z is much more compact than the Knipex 8′′ bolt cutter, which is substantially smaller. Its dimensions are ideal for fitting in a daily tool bag, the back pocket, or a tool belt rig.

These small bolt cutters from Knipex have induction-hardened blades that offer outstanding performance while cutting wires of various hardnesses and thicknesses. However, you can use them to cut up to 1/4″ soft wire, 13/64″ medium hard wire, 5/32″ hardwire, and 9/64″ piano wire. They could be better at cutting padlocks.

These Knipex tiny cutters are small enough to use with one hand, unlike the large bolt-cutting pliers that call for two hands. To make the cutting exercise less taxing on your hand, they have a compound action lever that amplifies your hand effort.

The gripping jaws behind the lever are my favorite feature of these Knipex micro bolt cutters, while I also appreciate their outstanding engineering and small size. They can be used to remove fence wires and nails from wood. When you don’t have multipurpose fencing pliers, you can use these cutters in place of them combined with a claw hammer.

Other than for wire fencing, Knipex CoBolt bolt cutters have many other uses. For cutting huge fishing hooks, for instance, put these pliers in the tackle box if you enjoy fishing. For Muskies, Northern pike, and other large fish, my pals use these to clip the stiff hooks.

If you work in the construction sector, you will be astounded at how these cutters cut through various wires, including steel grating, high-tension fence wire, nails, and screws. They are essential for any remodeler who has to cut difficult screws for trimming materials.

Finally, you can cut small locks with these bolt cutters. The good news is that carrying them across the streets won’t get you in trouble. As you know, large bolt cutters are dangerous to swing around in the streets.

The sole drawback is the cost of the Knipex 8′′ Compact Bolt cutters. The Gedore tiny bolt cutters are half the price of these. But they are priceless for the quality, adaptability, and strength they give your hands.

And I guarantee you wouldn’t hesitate to buy them if you’re a Knipex fanboy like me. Additionally, they have plastic grips or comfortable grip handles. Additionally, they come with a straight or an angled head.

Personal Review

Used on a concrete slab with a 6×6″ wire mesh. Made easy and short work of clearing everything out. Has a comfortable handle length and decent leverage. Even though this was a good workout, faster cuts might have been made if the blade were spring-loaded.

(Image Source: Pixabay)

Runner Up Pick Bolt Cutter For Locks – HK Porter 0190MCD Power Link Bolt Cutter

The HK Porter cutters are another excellent set of bolt cutters for soft, medium, and hard metal. They are 24 inches long overall, and the induction hardening on their jaws gives them excellent cutting strength.

Although these powerful bolt cutters expand to a maximum of 5/8″, their cutting power varies depending on the material. They can only cut tough materials up to 5/16′′ thick and medium to hard materials up to 7/16′′ thick.

HK Porter bolt cutters use a special technology built into the jaw mechanism to make cuts with less effort. This reduces the effort required to cut materials like lock shanks that have been hardened with pliers. To cut hard bolts, you must exert a fair amount of force.

The cutting power and cost-effectiveness of these heavy-duty bolt cutters from HK Porter set them apart. These bolt cutters perform better and more cleanly than Kleins at a fraction of the cost. They can cut various materials, such as bolts, chains, padlocks, wire shelves, etc.

Personal Review

I oversee our HOA’s dog waste bags with combo locks that occasionally malfunction, which works excellent for busting Master-style padlocks.

I bought this to save myself from having to buy a cheap item that I would only use once and then throw away; it is a keeper. It is heavy, which is both wonderful and bad. Although it will never shatter, it is also hefty to carry around. Therefore, it might only be suitable for some.

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Best Heavy Duty Bolt Cutters – GEDORE 8340 Z-200 TL Bolt cutter

You require a pair of small bolt cutters to cut steel nails and screws, but your side cutters are inadequate for the job. The Gedore 8340Z, a 13-inch model, is one of the best tiny bolt cutters. These little pliers-style bolt cutters are portable and offer outstanding cutting performance.

The tiny bolt cutters from Gedore 8340Z are forged, hardened steel. The cutting edges are further induction hardened to a 65 HRC hardness to increase their cutting ability. Additionally, the double cutting surface on the cutting edges makes it simpler to cut hard metal. It also aids in maintaining the primary cutter.

To crimp an object before cutting it, place it close to the pivot. To cut it, slide it away from the pivot toward the main blade. The main blade stays sharper for longer because of this double-cutting design, which also offers excellent cutting efficiency.

The Gedore 8340 bolt pliers have great handles as well. They are specially made to open only some of the way. As a result, patients with arthritis can use them without any issues. Even while cutting through difficult screws and nails, the tool is quite comfortable thanks to the ergonomic handle material.

For routine use, the Gedore tiny bolt cutters are fantastic. They can be used to cut fencing wires, nails, and screws too big for side cutters. Like other pliers, these pliers are simple to store in a toolbox.

Personal Review

Therefore, consider these German-made Gedore 8340Z bolt cutters if you require a high-quality one that you can conveniently carry in the toolbox. They won’t let you down and are of the highest German quality. Additionally, you won’t pay exorbitant prices for them.

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Best Bolt Cutters For Master Locks – RIDGID 14228 Model S30 

Try the 31′′ Ridgid bolt cutters if you want bolt cutters that aren’t too big but can cut almost anything. They have a great design and ergonomic handles and are made of sturdy hardened steel.

The Ridgid 14228 cutters offer various cutting capacities for various types of metal. They enable you to cut metals that are up to 1/2′′ soft, 7/16′′ medium-hard, and 3/8′′ hard. These pliers work incredibly well for cutting bolts, normal and master locks, and rebar.

The Ridgid 31′′ bolt cutters are excellent for a variety of uses. They may be used to cut through locks and bolts quickly, and even 3/8″ rebar. Truck drivers adore them for removing bolt seals from trailers. These bolt cutters from Ridgid Tools are extremely popular among linesmen. They employ them to cut 1/4″, 5/6″, and 3/8″ steel utility strand conductors.

Even though they appear to be overkill, these Ridgid 31′′ bolt cutters are ideal if you need bolt cutter pliers for your DIY tasks. You won’t need to purchase another pair in your lifetime, and they are worth flaunting. Bolts, fencing wire, bull panels, and all other metal objects the jaws can fit around can all be cut with them.

These Ridgid bolt cutters offer the best value for the money overall. These tools are of the “buy once, cry once” variety. They work best for cutting heavy-duty metals like rebar rods, heavy-duty chains, industrial master locks, and padlocks.

In addition to their durability, the Ridgid 14228 bolt cutters have a lifetime warranty. The lifetime warranty offered by the Ridgid Tools Company covers any flaws that could lead to the tool’s malfunction. Therefore, the business will replace the instrument at no cost if the cutting edges deteriorate.

Personal Review

I cut locks and hardened chains with big bolt cutters. Bolt cutters come in several varieties. The cutting edges of the less expensive models are soft, and they begin to distort after only a few cuts into hardened steel.

The Ridgid heavy-duty bolt cutter series is an exception. Additionally, Ridgid will repair the cutting surfaces if you wear them out, thanks to their lifetime warranty. Quality and comfort are evident even in the handles and grips. You’ll be happy you invested more cash in a lifetime-worthy item.

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Product Comparison

One of the top models is the Neiko 36-inch. The Bolt Cutter is perfect for cutting bolts, chains, padlocks, threaded rods, thick gauge cables, fencing, and many other metals in a professional setting. The bolt cutter is robust and built to last. The reinforced cutting blades improve the bolt cutter’s life, power, and durability.

These powerful, precisely constructed best bolt cutters for master locks have a lever-fulcrum design that converts a force of 50 pounds applied to the handles into 4,000 pounds of pressure between the jaws. As they bite through the roughest applications, the jaws constructed of the heat-treated and hardened Chrome-Molybdenum metallic cast withstand damage and dents.

The molybdenum metal jaws on the WORKPRO bolt cutters allow for complex cutting action with less effort. Soft rubber handle made of two materials for comfortable cutting. Size ranges from 14 inches to 30 inches.

The drop-forged WorkPro bolt slicer is your finest work companion for this mess, which could include a lock for which you have misplaced the keys or forgotten the combination, as well as protruding nails, rods, and rivets. The best bolt cutters for master locks from WorkPro are made with Chrome Molybdenum metallic jaws that have been drop-forged for extreme strength and durability.

Tools by Klein 63RBCHD The Heavy-Duty Ratcheting Bolt Cropper might be too expensive for master locks, but this is it if you require a single tool to handle all your cutting requirements.

Guy strands, such as those in utility poles and tent stays, electric cables, chains, and padlock cables, are difficult to cut because they fall out of place, forcing you to clip each one individually. It would help to have a cutter with notched cutting blades to hold the strands together and chop them in one motion.

The high-quality and adaptable TEKTON bolt cutter has adjustable and even replaceable jaws. Most bolt chopper makers will try to persuade you that their cutter blades are so tough that they can’t deform or break no matter where or how long you use them.

The fact is that any blade will eventually become blunt from use and need to be replaced. Additionally, you have various cutting requirements, so the Tekton heavy-duty bolt and wire cutter include neck and jaw adjustment bolts for adjusting or changing the jaws.

Factors To Consider When Choosing The Best Bolt Cutters (Buyer’s Guide)

Bolt cutters are basically basic cutting pliers, but selecting the best one from a range of choices can be difficult. There are a few boxes that your choice needs to check to guarantee that it will cut bolts effectively.

If not, you risk spending a lot of money on a gadget that will be useless after a few uses. Therefore, these are the key elements to think about while looking for a set of bolt cutters.

Durability

It is difficult to predict a tool’s durability before using it. But if it is composed of high-quality materials, you can hope it will survive longer. Alloy steel is used to make bolt cutters, which are likely to withstand abuse over time.

Size

When it comes to pliers, it’s generally accepted that longer pliers provide more leverage. This is a requirement for levers of the class variety. Less force is required to shift the load the further the effort is from the pivot.

Therefore, lengthy bolt cutters give you the mechanical benefit of being able to cut tough bolts and metal rods. However, other factors besides size can provide you with power. The pliers’ weight also changes.

Weight

Hefty pliers should be used sparingly because they lead to significant hand fatigue. But occasionally, going heavier is better when selecting bolt cutters.

It would help if you had something that could bear the pressure because you’ll be applying a lot of force to the handles to cut bolts and thick metal. This is why stronger bolt cutters work better. They can withstand greater clamping pressure without the handles deforming.

Furthermore, the weight of the bolt cutters is manageable because you don’t use them frequently. Avoid using them for extended periods.

Cutting Capability

Bolt cutters’ cutting capacity or diameter is determined by how widely they can open their jaws. At the very least, a good set of bolt cutters should open as wide as the stock you intend to cut.

Therefore, be sure to know the size of the bolts and metal rods you plan to cut before shopping for the cutters. However, generally speaking, the pliers’ size and ability to cut go hand in hand. Therefore, don’t expect to use tiny bolt cutters to cut 1/2″ rebar.

Warranty

The last thing you want is the cutting edges becoming damaged or the handles bending because you will be utilizing bolt cutters to cut really hard metal. Additionally, a warranty would be greatly appreciated, given the high cost of the best bolt cutters. However, at the very least, you should obtain a warranty for the jaws if you cannot obtain coverage for the entire equipment.

How Do Bolt Cutters Work?

The lever is the fundamental design element of the best padlock bolt cutters. This device uses a pivot to convert a small amount of pressure into a significant amount of force at the shorter, opposing end of the bar to carry out some mechanical work. In other words, a lever scales up the force while scaling down the force’s distance.

Lifting or moving rigid objects, as well as, in the case of cutters, cutting tough materials like steel, are all mechanical tasks that could not have been performed with just bare arms. Typical padlock cutters can cut through common metallic materials like padlock shackles and hasps, rebar, chain link fences, nails, and bolts with just 50 pounds or less of force from the user’s arms.

For industrial and emergency purposes, some specialized hydraulic bolt cutters can increase the cutting force of the human arm to a maximum of 16k pounds. Bolt cutters crush material by concentrating the powerful force on the small region where the blades come into contact, unlike scissors, which shred cloth between their two sharp blades.

How We Test The Best Bolt Cutters?

Bolt cutters are hand tools that are easier to judge in person than online, but we followed some general rules to ensure we had a good selection of the best ones to try. First, we thought about the brand.

Crescent H.K. Porter and Tekton make a wide range of high-quality cutting tools, such as pruners, shears, and bolt cutters, so we chose the best ones from each brand. We also included less well-known brands whose goods were highly rated by users. Lastly, we ensured that the bolt cutters we chose differed in size and price.

When we tested, we used a simple, hands-on method. With each tool, we cut bolts, wires, and metal rods. We remembered that the maker said the metal thickness a bolt cutter could cut depended on its size and type. For example, we used the biggest bolt cutter to cut rebar, but we didn’t try to do it with a small, compact cutter that wasn’t made for that.

During the testing process, we gave points for the tool’s general design, how easy it was to use, how well it cut, and how well it was made. A formula was used to give each tool points. The better it worked, the more points it got. After testing, we added the points and used the total scores to group the tools.

Conclusion

These are the Best Bolt Cutters For Master Locks rapidly when you need the choice to cut through one. Bolt cutters are often sufficient to cut through the shackle of a conventional padlock.

If you encounter a lock that is challenging to unlock, you can utilize the other power tools. Last but not least, properly apply the knowledge you learned from this post and avoid using it to break into someone else’s property without permission.

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