Steel cable cutter FELCO C9 two-hand, up to 9 mm

Steel cable cutter FELCO C9 cuts soft wire rope up to Ø9 mm using both hands. The forged aluminium handles are stamped from 7 mm thick plate and take high leverage loads. Each handle has a round core and a hard plastic sleeve with vertical grooves against slipping. The grip stays firm even when the operator pulls with full body weight.

The cutting head uses a hardened steel blade 7.5 mm thick, machined as a separate part. Three pins join the blade assembly to the aluminium handles. The head can be dismantled, so the blade is replaced instead of the whole tool. Total length is 325 mm and the weight is 750 g. The rated service figure is about 10,000 cuts. Capacity changes with the metal: soft cable, high-tensile rope, stainless rope and spring wire all cut at different diameters.

Steel cable cutter FELCO C9 build and cutting head

Handles and grip

Handle bodies are forged from aluminium alloy and stamped to a 7 mm section. That section carries the bending moment created by long two-hand leverage. The round core under the plastic sleeve keeps the hand position neutral during repeated cuts. Vertical grooves in the sleeve add friction when hands are oily or wet. The low mass keeps the tool manageable at height.

• Forged aluminium alloy handles, 7 mm stamped section
• Round handle core with hard plastic sleeve
• Vertical grooving on the grip surface
• Total length 325 mm
• Weight 750 g

Two-hand operation spreads the force across both arms, so the cut is driven by posture rather than wrist strength. Long handles reduce the effort needed at the blade edge. Technicians working on ladders or in trenches can hold the tool close to the body. The plastic sleeve also cushions the shock felt when a tensioned rope parts.

Blade and cable retention

Both blades are made of hardened steel with a body thickness of 7.5 mm. The noses are bevelled towards the edge, so the cable is drawn inward rather than pushed away. When the blades close, the openings form a teardrop recess. That recess holds wire rope inside the cutting zone and limits strand escape. Three pins secure the blades, which keeps the head serviceable.

• Hardened steel blades, 7.5 mm thick
• Bevelled nose profile on both cutting edges
• Teardrop recess when closed, holds cable in place
• Three-pin modular assembly
• Blade, spring and bolt set replaceable
• Rated around 10,000 cuts

Modular assembly matters in production use. A worn blade is removed with the pins and swapped on site, without sending the cutter away. Replacement items include three parts.

• Blade C9-5.
• Nickel-plated spring C9-11.
• Bolt and nut set C9-90.

Keeping one spare blade per tool shortens downtime in rigging shops and maintenance teams.

Cutting capacity by material

Capacity depends on tensile resistance, not only on diameter. Soft steel cable cuts at the largest size, while hardened and stainless ropes drop to smaller diameters. Spring wire is the most demanding material in the range. The figures below come from the manufacturer data and should be read as maximum values for a clean, square cut.

• Standard soft steel cable: Ø9 mm
• High-tensile cable, 160 kg/mm²: Ø7 mm
• Stainless cable, 190 kg/mm²: Ø6 mm
• Very hard cable, 210 kg/mm²: Ø5 mm
• Solid round steel bar, 60 kg/mm²: Ø7 mm
• Copper or aluminium core electrical cable: Ø9 mm
• Solid aluminium bar: Ø9 mm
• Hard spring wire: Ø4 mm

Common applications

Riggers use the cutter to shorten lifting rope and guy wire on site. Orchard and vineyard crews cut trellis wire and multi-strand support cable. Electrical teams trim copper and aluminium cored cable up to Ø9 mm. Maintenance shops cut spring wire, solid aluminium bar and small round steel bar. The two-hand format suits repeated cuts during installation work, where a clean end face matters for sleeving, crimping or threading through fittings.

Catalog notes and spare parts

Catalog data lists the cutter as a two-hand model with aluminium handles, hardened steel blades and replaceable wear parts. Listed spares include three parts.

• Blade C9-5.
• Nickel-plated spring C9-11.
• Bolt and nut set C9-90.

Cutting diameters vary with cable hardness, as shown in the capacity table above.