Nippers

[pati]

Hi All

Just a quick report on « quality » nippers.

Abel: love them, very slim and small design yet sharp and good on any sort of line. The hook eye cleaner/needle though is pretty useless for any hook smaller than a size 12 due to its very inconvenient position.

Orvis: impressed with the built quality and blades sharpness.The lever design makes it the easiest and most efficient nipper I have tried on any sort of line. It is totally effortless! The hook eye cleaner/needle is very smartly designed to be hidden and away yet very easily deployed. It is slightly bigger when compared with the Abel and needs to be carefully positioned on your vest/pack as the size and lever design makes it prone to catching the line. That the lever does not stick out much and the tool is curved out to keep it relatively slim. It is definitely not as slim/small as the Abel, but it is not massive or significantly sticking out either.

Maxcatch (ie the Loon one with replaceable blades): the build quality is miles apart from both Abel and Orvis. It is however small and relativelyslim. The needle is very poorly positioned, almost as bad as the Abel. The blades are decently sharp but the cutting quality is no better than standard cheap nippers. I expect them to last a bit longer though, fingers crossed. On the plus side: the nippers triple up (on top of line cutter and hook eye cleaner) as a bottle opener, which is quite convenient !

All in all I would say the Orvis one is the best tool, the Abel is excellent as a minimalist small tool and the maxcatch are a decent back up option to keep in your pack just in case.

 

[sean freeman]

I found the orvis too bulky and sold it, don’t know why I bought them as I use my Abel ones all the time and love them! Would like to try a hatch pair though.

 

[Mrtrout]

I tried the Simms ones but found them dull to cut as only one blade and an anvil design, not tried the Orvis ones, Maxcatch are great for the money I think but my Abel’s are just superb, five years in with them and still sharp.
S.

 

[kingf000]

I had Veniards that were great, until I lost them. Claimed to be tungsten carbide blades. I bought another pair and they weren't as good. Cut well on one side but not on the other! Surely it can't be that difficult to make a pair of decent nippers at a reasonable price? I now buy cheap baby nail clippers for a couple of quid and throw them away when they don't work any more.

 

[skinner]

Boomerang Original SNIP Black Fishing Line Cutter, 36" Retractable Tether, Stainless Steel Blades Cut Braid Clean and Smooth Everytime!: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

Shop Boomerang Original SNIP Black Fishing Line Cutter, 36" Retractable Tether, Stainless Steel Blades Cut Braid Clean and Smooth Everytime!. Free delivery and returns on all eligible orders.

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[pati]

I found the orvis too bulky and sold it, don’t know why I bought them as I use my Abel ones all the time and love them! Would like to try a hatch pair though.

Yes when used to the slim and small design of the Abel it s hard to move to the bulkier Orvis, and I myself do keep to my Abel most of the time. That said the Orvis is a better tool and if you re a first time buyer not used to the small Abel, it is probably what I would advise to buy.

 

[kingf000]

Boomerang Original SNIP Black Fishing Line Cutter, 36" Retractable Tether, Stainless Steel Blades Cut Braid Clean and Smooth Everytime!: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

Shop Boomerang Original SNIP Black Fishing Line Cutter, 36" Retractable Tether, Stainless Steel Blades Cut Braid Clean and Smooth Everytime!. Free delivery and returns on all eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

×

These look great with good reviews. Different from most so I've bought a pair to try!

 

[GEK79]

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I tried the Simms ones but found them dull to cut as only one blade and an anvil design, not tried the Orvis ones, Maxcatch are great for the money I think but my Abel’s are just superb, five years in with them and still sharp.
S.

My dad says I can have his abels when he stops fishing. I agree with the simms not great. However the amazon specials I ordered after I thought I lost the simms are sharp and eye cleaning needle seems to be in a good spot.. For a tenner not a complaint..

 

[glueman]

Poundland nail clippers do the job well and only cost a pound

 

[BobP]

£50 for a pair of line snips that you can lose in the long grass in 5 minutes? Someone's having a giraffe! You can get a Rio flyline for that!

 

[pati]

Poundland nail clippers do the job well and only cost a pound

The debate here is not value for money ;-)

No one is required to spend money on these.

As a matter of fact, buying the Abel to me has proven one of the best purchase in my fishing life as it does make my fishing more smooth that I never have to fight with my nipper: I consistently get a clean cut exactly where I want it and on the very first attempt. It use to frustrate me a lot to struggle with nippers. It s an expensive way of fixing a small problem, but given how many years less of frustration, it was well worth it!

Note also that I bought my Abel new from Orvis for 25£ ...

But again, my post wasn’t about value for money or saying you must have an expensive nipper, but rather provide an objective comparison between products for those who hesitate between those.

I personally prefer the Abel, even though the Orvis is a better tool

 

[sculpin_crusader]

I treated myself to some of the Simms nipper but only because I felt they were a good price rather than full price. I agree with previous comments about them not being the sharpest because of the one cutting edge and anvil but as I have a workshop I can hone the blade to a super sharp edge.

 

[mike fox]

I have the Orvis Compfy Grip Nipper Zinger combo. Works well for me, especially on fine tippets.

 

[arawa]

The Abel is excellent at cutting line of all diameters but totally agree about the useless needle though.
The worst nippers I have bought was an Orvis ceramic one; looks good but useless at cutting anything.

 

[sean freeman]

Agree regarding the eye cleaner on the Abel, still doesn’t bother me much to be honest. I’m tempted to order a Brookie coloured set to match my new reel.

 

[3lbgrayling]

a good long time ago I bought Tiemco Ceramic nippers.Same as sage 1 blade and anvil.Rubbish.

Jim

 

[glueman]

Nail clippers cut nylon perfectly as for an eye prided I made my own

 

[GEK79]

The debate here is not value for money ;-)

No one is required to spend money on these.

As a matter of fact, buying the Abel to me has proven one of the best purchase in my fishing life as it does make my fishing more smooth that I never have to fight with my nipper: I consistently get a clean cut exactly where I want it and on the very first attempt. It use to frustrate me a lot to struggle with nippers. It s an expensive way of fixing a small problem, but given how many years less of frustration, it was well worth it!

Note also that I bought my Abel new from Orvis for 25£ ...

But again, my post wasn’t about value for money or saying you must have an expensive nipper, but rather provide an objective comparison between products for those who hesitate between those.

I personally prefer the Abel, even though the Orvis is a better tool

Personal choice. We all have one..

 

[ACW]

I really rate the ones Mick Bloke Bell was selling way back tiny but very very good cutting .kept on a lanyard they have done well for a decade or so

 

[skinner]

a good long time ago I bought Tiemco Ceramic nippers.Same as sage 1 blade and anvil.Rubbish.

Jim

I bought some of those ... rubbish indeed!