silk cutters

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shannonlovesflowers

shannonlovesflowers

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Oct 16, 2007
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So The part of my job that is not my favorite is doing faux.

Not because I think they are cheap, we carry really expensive good quality silks, but because the stems are SOOOO hard to cut. I sound like a tennis player when I'm doing silks. It's so pathetic!

So I did do a search, but found no advice.

What are the BEST cutters you have found to cut those big fatty fat fat stems that silks have. Mind you I'm not talking hobby lobby or Walmart stuff. I'm talking the big dogs!
 
Bolt cutters. I kid you not. I have a pair that sits near the tool box, because they're too big to fit inside. I put the stem on the floor, put it between the bolt cutter, and use my foot to push down to cut. Works great on the wire we use for grave stakes also.
 
I buy my wire cutters from our local electrical supply. They are more expensive but worth it. They take care of most stems. Better than anything I ever got at a floral supply.
 
choppers

One place I worked got this silk cutter at our local wholesaler that was this huge chopper that attached to the counter. I loved that thing because cutting those thick-a*s wires on silks is craziness plus I'm not super strong anyway. With these choppers it doesn't matter. Maybe your wholesaler has them too!
 
ditto on the counter cutter. Came with the shop in 1974, needs new blades finally...
Sorry there is no brand name on it at all.
 
The store has the counter mounted cutter, one gal has the big bolt cutters and I have smaller ones, we're pretty well covered, good thing too since we sell quite a few arrangements.
 
Bolt cutters here too. Bigted, I really like your idea of mounting them to a piece of wood. I will have to see if I can get that done!
 
ditto, on bolt cutters. they actually come in many sizes so the bigger the stem, the bigger the bolt cutter for ease of cutting. my brother-in-law actually has a small generator with a special tool that will cut the stems effortlessly. I don't sell that many silks so I haven't wanted to buy that tool because it is costly. But if my carpal tunnel gets worse I may consider it....
 
Bolt cutters also. Saw this in a design show years ago. Got mine at Tractor Supply store for about $18.00. Works great!
 
Yep, bolt cutters.

One of our smaller designers was cutting a HUGE stem and holding the cutters between her knees to get more power... someone said "wow, those are BIG pliers"... when she finally cut through sparks actually flew from the metal. So of course, it had to be said: "Plier, plier, pants on fire!"

Lost something in the translation here, but it still makes me giggle every time I use them!
 
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Michelle McMichael said:
Yep, bolt cutters.

One of our smaller designers was cutting a HUGE stem and holding the cutters between her knees to get more power... someone said "wow, those are BIG pliers"... when she finally cut through sparks actually flew from the metal. So of course, it had to be said: "Plier, plier, pants on fire!"

Lost something in the translation here, but it still makes me giggle every time I use them!
Click to expand...
no, It was funny!
 
Knipex - the best!!

Light weight and easy to cut.
I find bolt cutters cumbersome and hard to use.

Knipex cut through big wire stems like butter

Have to get them on line
 
Check with Peggy Bishop at Magnolia Wholesale in Tupelo, Mississippi. She carries a counter mounted wire cutter that will cut through the trunk of an entire bush with ease and minimal effort.
 
My friend in Colorado Springs uses a hand held cutter that she bought from a piano tuning business. I used them when I was there the last time and they were incredible. The cost, I think was around $60.00 some dollars, but they were impressive.
 
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