How many cuts can I expect from the Plato 170 Shear Cutter?

The lifetime of a Plato 170 cutter is dependent on a number of variables, including the thickness of the wire or lead and the amount of force used in the cutting process. The spring and hinge mechanism is tested and rated for 1 million cuts, but that’s just opening and closing. The life will be much short when actually cutting something. For maximum life on a high volume assembly line, consider the Plato Extra-Strong Cutter (part #170S), which has a more robust rivet and blades. It can cut 50% thicker gauge wire or leads, and will last longer in a production environment.