This will prove to me the cycle has had the attention to detail

[Gareth]

In response to this thread I have just ordered some of these:
http://www.campandfish.co.uk/as014---wsb-tackle-fishing-crimping-pliers-1656-p.asp
I could not bear the shame of the OP seeing my frayed ends at a forum meet, but paying more for crimpers (Fox brand) than I did for my cutters seemed a bit OCD.... So tidy cable ends for me from now!

The pliers that you have ordered will only make a single flat crimp. The Fox Pliers (the same model is also available under several other brand names including ET) make a slightly oval crimp with 5 equal size and equally spaced square indentations in the ferrules. I am a predator and sea angler making up all of my own traces, so the purchase of these pliers has more than jusified the original cost over the 9 or 10 years that I have had them. I also use my Fox crimping pliers and some 90kg breaking strain multi strand flexible stainless steel wire to make up a fair few "saftey " leashes and these include ones I have made to prevent the lose of R clips and Lynch pins that are fitted to the bike trailers I make, and my dog and falconry training aids.

 

[Night Train]

I crush the things in a pair of pliers.
It does bug me though that as soon as I have done that I realise I have mis-routed the cable and need to take it all out again.

I used to 'zap' the end with a welder, when my welder was nearer where the bikes are, as it nicely seals the end and the cable can still be removed through the outer.

 

[Arch]

Whenever I buy brake cables, the LBS man hands me cable-end thingies and I wave them away. His look of profound disappointment is a picture in itself.

Usually I snip the cable to length, but sometimes I loop and twist a too-long cable at the brake end. It ends up looking like a hastily re-stringed guitar.

When I pull the lever, my bicycle slows or stops, depending on the pressure applied and my speed at the time. That's all I ask of my brakes.

I know I am a fillystein; I just can't spell it.

I had a frayed end on a rear brake cable and didn't care.

Then I found that it had gradually sawed a slit in fabric of the heel of one of my trainers, as it brushed against the cable on each pedal revolution.

It's still frayed of course, I haven't actually fixed it!

 

[Zoiders]

There is nothing spiffy or sophisticated about crimping tools, they are pretty crude unless you spend mega bucks on star-crimping tools.

The best cable end crimping tool to use is in fact a mole grip, it gives an even and uniform flat crimp, you have to set the tension right though to achieve this.

Some fold out multi tools by leatherman and gerber actually contain good crimpers as well as they double up for use with blasting caps.

 

[Freddyflintstone]

There is nothing spiffy or sophisticated about crimping tools, they are pretty crude unless you spend mega bucks on star-crimping tools.

The best cable end crimping tool to use is in fact a mole grip, it gives an even and uniform flat crimp, you have to set the tension right though to achieve this.

Some fold out multi tools by leatherman and gerber actually contain good crimpers as well as they double up for use with blasting caps.

When working at ICI Industries
There, all trades, electrical and mechanical, have to have crimpers checked to the specification.
I waited 4hours to receive mine. Mine only cost £20 and they passed. The guy behind me
spent "mega bucks" and thought they would fly thru. They failed. Torque adjustment was unstable.