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Soldering tools | Miscellaneous hand tools | Bench top tools => Miscellaneous hand tools, Workbench improvements => Topic started by: Kiriakos GR on March 21, 2017, 03:02:54 PM

Title: Does it make sense buying Die Sets for a low-cost Crimping Ratchet ?
Post by: Kiriakos GR on March 21, 2017, 03:02:54 PM
In this question I had to answer recently at my self .
But any worthy answer it has value only if this is result of research. 

At stock market of Ebay in 2017 Chinese logistics companies they did their decisions of lowest price that they accept for any product.
Chinese logistics companies  they are now the invisible middle man.

Currently Crimping Ratchet with Die this is priced at best close to 12 EUR.
Single Die this is about 5.5 EUR and at best offer situation you might get it at 3.90 EUR .

Low-cost Crimping Ratchet it is not bad (speaking of quality) and pricing this is close to reasonable, but no one can predict life cycle.

The answer in above question is rather simple if you have purchase a Crimping Ratchet  with not a popular Die.
I am electrician and Crimping of RF connectors this is a LOW in popularity application.   
By me getting one Die for crimping of insulated clips, single Crimping Ratchet this now becomes a multi tool.

Now be careful because our enemy is watching and he is also aware of what is popular or unpopular. 
And this explain the fact that Crimping Ratchet with a popular A30J Die this is priced for 19 EUR (lowest price).
When unpopular Crimping Ratchet for BNC & RF connectors this is priced at 12 EUR  (lowest price).

Nowadays there is circulating one offering at about 30~35 EUR and this is one Crimping Ratchet with five Dies.
Be warned that most of these Dies I consider them that they are for unpopular applications.

In the end of the day the point is how much money you are trying to save, by acting smart.
This topic serves one goal, and this is to help you to discover all sides of this iceberg. 


For me neither paying over 100 EUR for a KNIPEX Crimping Ratchet this is reasonable to do.
I am in a war against overpriced goods.
Title: Re: Does it make sense buying Die Sets for a low-cost Crimping Ratchet ?
Post by: Kiriakos GR on May 26, 2017, 08:25:28 AM
This is an update after me installing this new die.  :)

This new experience of my it did worked as reminder that perfection even in the world of metals, this comes by strict following of accuracy in measurements.
Just one or two millimeter error this is enough to characterize one crimping tool as good working or this be a Fail.

In my case I have 98% success even if new die this is probably made from another factory, and because all such factories they hide their brand, you are not able to make a choice based of manufacturer brand.

I made about 20 cables with it, and results they are very acceptable.