Wire rope cutter FELCO C108 8 mm, 560 mm length

Wire rope cutter 8 mm capacity marks the working limit of the FELCO C108, a two-hand tool for twisted steel cable. The body measures 560 mm and the complete unit weighs 2.40 kg. Both handles are forged aluminium and carry a lifetime warranty against breakage. Blades and the linked joint parts use hardened steel with a phosphate treatment against corrosion.

The cutting head works through a cam device built into the force transmission. That mechanism lowers the hand force needed to close the jaws on steel rope. A triangular cutting geometry holds the cable on three sides during the stroke. The strand is sheared rather than flattened, so the rope end stays compact. Blade clearance can be reset with an adjusting screw as wear appears. Wear parts are listed separately and can be exchanged on site. The cutter is manufactured in Switzerland.

Wire rope cutter 8 mm: build and cutting mechanism

Materials and construction

Forged aluminium forms the two handles and keeps the 560 mm tool at 2.40 kg. The same material resists bending when both arms load the linkage. Cutting blades and the connected joint parts are machined from hardened steel. A phosphate layer slows corrosion on these surfaces during outdoor and workshop use. A plastic covering on the handles softens the grip during repeated cuts.

• Cutting capacity: 8 mm twisted steel cable
• Length: 560 mm
• Weight: 2.40 kg
• Handles: forged aluminium, lifetime warranty against breakage
• Blades and joint parts: hardened steel, phosphate treated
• Grip: plastic-coated handle covering

Wear items such as blades, bolts, nuts and pins are listed as separate references. A worn blade or a loose central bolt can be replaced instead of scrapping the cutter. The catalog states that the hardened blade and pin assembly supports around 10,000 cuts before service. Running cost therefore stays tied to small parts rather than to the complete unit.

Cutting system and adjustment

The cam mechanism transfers hand force to the moving blade through a lever linkage. Effort at the grips stays lower than with a plain pivot cutter of similar size. The triangular jaw profile traps the cable during the cut. Strands are held together, so the finished end does not splay or flatten under the edges.

• Force transmission with cam device for reduced cutting effort
• Triangular cutting system for clean, uncrushed cable ends
• Blade adjusting screw for setting cutting clearance
• Moving blade supplied with cam and two pins as one unit
• Damping spring and handle cushion on the linkage

Adjustment is made with the blade screw and the central bolt and nut. Resetting clearance restores a clean shear when the edges start to drag on strands. Both handles close within the reach of two hands, so the operator controls the full stroke. The cutter is used free-hand, without a bench mount or vice.

Common applications

The C108 cuts twisted steel cable up to 8 mm on site and in the workshop. Typical work covers rigging lines, guy wires, fencing cable and lifting accessories cut to length. Maintenance crews use it on tensioned wire in orchards, vineyards and agricultural structures. Electrical and installation teams cut steel support cable and messenger wire. Because the cut end stays compact, cable can be sleeved, clamped or crimped directly after shearing.

Genuine spare parts from the catalog

FELCO lists numbered replacement references for this cutter. The main items are grouped below.

• C108-1 cutting blade, C108-2 counter blade, C108-3 central bolt
• C108-4 central nut, C108-5 blade adjusting screw, C108-6 handle cushion
• C108-7 damping spring, C108-8 nut, C108-9 counter nut
• C108-10 hexagon screw, C108-11 counter nut, C108-12 cam
• C108-13 lever, C108-14 base with two pins, C108-15 pin
• C108-17 moving blade with cam and two pins
• C12-4 pin and 20-5 pin

Keeping a blade set and the central bolt in stock shortens downtime on site. Service is limited to clearance adjustment, pin checks and blade exchange when edges dull.