# Instruments and Equipment > Builders and Repair >  What else can I use to cut strings?

## ColdBeerGoCubs

I'm visiting relatives, brought a new pack of strings, but left the string cutter at home. 

I need to get these flatwounds off, I like them, and they've broken in nicely and kind of have the sound I want, but back to the 74's so I can get a base sound again. 

Anyway, can't find anything here to cut with except for a pair of garden shears, don't need a perfect cut and I don't mind a bit of string hanging off for a few days, but is there anything else, a razor maybe, that I could use?

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## Chris Biorkman

Fingernail clippers.

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## Ted Eschliman

> Fingernail clippers.


Once. Then you have to throw them away. (They're murder on your nails afterwards.)

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## Mario Proulx

Just wiggle the string back and forth against the tuner post and it will break off cleanly, right at the post. Grab the string about an inch from the post, and move it back and forth(side to side) while keeping some tension on it. Takes 2-3 seconds and you'll never have a cleaner-looking, safer headstock. No tools required...

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## Brent Hutto

Mario,

Is there any particular precaution you take to keep the wire from pulling back out of the wrap when you break it off right at the post? Or is it just tight enough not to be a problem?

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## Pete Braccio

Wire dikes or pliers.

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## Rroyd

Just leave them long, as they act like antennas, and when you aren't practicing, you can stick the 2 poles of a 9-volt battery between the first and second pairs of strings, and you can pick up WSM, broadcasting out of Nashville.

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## ColdBeerGoCubs

Thanks for the info all, I'm going with Mario's method. I'm doing the 9 volt battery thing right now and all I'm getting is some Chicago disco station that went bust almost 40 years ago.

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## allenhopkins

If you bend a sharp kink into a string, then wiggle it back and forth a few million times (exaggeration), it will break where kinked.

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## Jim Ferguson

Needle nose pliers have a cutting edge on them usually.  That is what I carry in my mando case.....works great.Peace,
Jim

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## Eddie Sheehy

I tend to loop the excess string in a tight circle... a habit from my college days playing guitar when strings had to be repaired...

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## Chris Biorkman

> Once. Then you have to throw them away. (They're murder on your nails afterwards.)


Wouldn't know. I can't keep from chewing them off.

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## Dave Hanson

Just coil the extra length up until you can find something to clip them.

Dave H

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## journeybear

There might be something in the kitchen you can adapt for your purpose, such as a _mandoline_.  :Grin: 

Seriously, use the method Mario described, wiggling the string either back and forth or around and around, though you may want to grip the string a bit away from the post with a pliers. The string has to be held steady or you will just be flailing the loose end about pointlessly. The core of the wound strings may break before the wound part, but that is usually softer metal.

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## John Soper

Kitchen shears sometimes work and can be used to kink the strings to start the million wiggle technique.

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## journeybear

Just _please_ be careful if you use something (nail clippers, scissors) whose smooth cutting surface may be damaged by the strings. This not an emergency situation so why cause damage to an otherwise perfectly good tool?

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## P.D. Kirby

:Grin:  :Laughing:  :Mandosmiley:

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## Ed Goist

I'd do that little loopy-thing with the string ends until I had access to cutters or needle-nose pliers.
BTW, I too recently changed-out the flatwounds on my A4 for J74s. I missed the ring and volume of the D'Addarios, I had more fret noise with the flatwounds (none with the J74s) and had a few 'dead frets' with the flatwounds (the _thudding_ of the D-note (5th fret) on the A-course drove me nuts!).

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## fredfrank

Use the wife's sewing scissors.

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## journeybear

Spoken like someone who got a lump of coal for Christmas and is angling for _half_ a lump next year!  :Laughing:

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## Markus

I've done the small loops at the headstock, but I've got a small hemostat [from my fishing tackle box] that I keep in my case with spare strings.

My tailpiece restringing is much easier with that [grumble tailpiece grumble].

Works great to make a nice kink and for the bendy-bendy procedure outlined above, in times without a wire clipper.

I would *strongly* argue against using an improper cutting tool.  My third string change on my Breedlove I couldn't find the clipper so used the cutter on a needlenose pliers.  An inept cut + bang into headstock left a lovely 1/4 opaque spot on the nice satin ebony headstock.  Imperfect tools are awkward ... and awkward inevitably leads to problems [whether the third time or hundredth].  Better to wind them into circles than be an idiot like I did.

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## chipotle

I found some tiny side cutters at a discount hardware bin about five years ago and bought 10 or 12 and gave most of them away. They were about 3 inches long overall and would fit in the small compartment in an instrument case. They made a great gift!

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## dwhite

You should be able to burn right through them with any decent arc welder or plasma cutter.  Thermite might also work.

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## darylcrisp

> Just wiggle the string back and forth against the tuner post and it will break off cleanly, right at the post. Grab the string about an inch from the post, and move it back and forth(side to side) while keeping some tension on it. Takes 2-3 seconds and you'll never have a cleaner-looking, safer headstock. No tools required...


saw Doyle Dykes a few months ago(an outstanding fingerstyle player for Taylor guitars, who really plays HARD on the strings with a thumbpick and glueon nails). He gave a short restringing demo and did exactly what Mario suggests. Doyle does string bends above the nut and has been stuck and bleeding in the past-he told who showed him this method-i cannot remember, but he said he has yet to have a string slip or have tuning issues.

daryl

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