Gonna run some #8 fuel line (braided) along my cars frame and I wonder what the best tool is to cut the braided hose without messing up the ends too bad? I used to use a saw but the ends often got messed up...
Is there any special tool to cut braided hose?

 

I wrap with electrical tape and use a dremmel with cutting disk. Tape is the key to keeping your ends clean.
Second option, very large pair of bolt cutters

 

I've used large cable cutters (look like bolt cutters but have curved jaws) and sharp 12" metal sheers (look like big sissors) with great results. Also tightly wrapped (once around) the ends with electrical rubber splicing tape before adding the hose end.
Eddie

 

I use tape (centred where I want the cut). Wrap a few tight turns around the hose & then take a hacksaw to it (with fine teeth, or a junior hacksaw).

 

Electrical tape + Dremel

 

Hmmmm... gonna try both..
I'll get the cutoff wheel as also the cable cutter! Thanks!

 

Pneumatic cutoff wheel here, with about a 3" disk. Wrap hose with tape tightly.

 

I suppose you could chew on it. That's how my girlfriend's dog cuts through a flip flop or a dog bone.

 

I put a cutoff blade in my 4 1/2 inch grinder. Any parts place sells a 4 1/2 inch grinder for under $30. They also have 4 1/2 inch cutoff blades for a few dollars, these blades work great for cutting steel.
Anyway wrap the hose where it is to be cut, put it in a vise with the piece of tape just outside the jaw and cut off with the cutoff wheel. It makes a nice clean cut.

 

A sharp chisel works good, I also use a large cable cutter, I don't like using cut off wheels because it leaves rubber particles in the hose and burns the end

 

Never have done it but always heard cleanest way was a sharp chisel and a hammer. I think they did that on hot rod tv once before as well......

 

I used to work in Aeroquip's Jackson Michigan lab. We wrapped the hose with tape and then used a high speed cut off wheel. Did a neat job.

 

I've done this in all the ways mentioned here (cable cutters the size of big bolt cutters) and this is definately the cleanest method without any distortion of the hose. It actually pulls the braided wire downward on the ends making it easier to put the fittings on. No tape, no frayed wire. Try a little oil or WD 40 as it helps the fittings slide on. You can hold the fitting with a wrench and put it agaist a wall or anything flat and solid to push the fitting onto the hose. I also purchased a set of colored anodized wrenches so as not to scratch the color off with a normal wrench. I recommend flushing the assembled hose out with water and then blowing it out with high pressure air.
-Patrick

 

as always TT is on the money. ive used every method and a sharp chisel a big hammer and one focused hit is the most predictable and cleanest method.

 

Just replaced about every hose under the hood with braided and used the cut off wheel to cut them all. There are a few things that make this easier/cleaner:

1. Get that cut off wheel going as fast as your grinder will allow... full tilt boogie/max air pressure, you'll make less mess and have fewer rubber and/or stainless particles inside your hose.

2. Wrap tape across the place where you cut. And I prefer "glass tape"... it's the stuff that has fiberglass threads running through it. The fiberglass threads will hold the tape to the braid when you cut through. Sometimes this tape is referred to as "filament tape."

3. Before the hose ends go on, blast out the hose.. clean out everything from inside. I've even used Q tips and (hey what a brilliant idea) pipe cleaners (little white fuzzy bendable worms) on the small diameter hose. I always made the last thing done a blast (of a least a minute) of compressed air while rotating the hose.

And a couple of other notes:

When installing the hose ends, I had much less braid fray when turning the hose "counter clock-wise" into the hose end... can't say why, just seemed to work that way.

If braided hose touches/rubs a painted surface... it will remove the paint.

Just my experience... hope it helps.

kdlp

 

I cut mine with a dremel using a cutoff wheel. Easy and quick and cuts like butter with a hot knife! If your worried about the rubber artifacts, cut the stainless steel braiding without cutting completely through the hose and then cut the hose with a razor or knife. As stated, wraped the braiding with tape prior to cutting.

 

Wrap the hose a couple of times with electrical tape where the cut is to be made. I use a Dremel with a cut-off wheel in the middle of the tape. A secret is to bend the hose in a U-shape and cut on the exposed side of the bend. This will greatly reduce the fraying of the steel braided cover.