We see this all the time. Simply stated, bolt cutters are designed to cut bolts, while wire rope shears are designed to cut wire rope. Wire rope cutting requires using blades that have shear-type cutting, meaning that the blades move past each other or through the cut allowing the wire rope to be cut cleanly and evenly. The blades on a bolt cutter are not shear and will only smash the wire rope. Remember to use bolt cutters for bolts and solid material, and only use wire rope shears for wire rope and cable.
Information provided by KNIPEX Tools LP
