Rant: Overheard a guy at the supply house say 'a good crimp is just a good crimp, doesn't matter the tool'

I've seen too many service calls from bad connectors to believe that. What's your go-to coax crimper that actually lasts?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthewsullivan2mo ago

Honestly that mindset misses how a cheap crimper's jaws wear out of square over time. You get a sloppy, uneven crush that looks okay but fails later. My old Paladin just keeps making perfect hex crimps year after year.

tarac162mo ago

That's just how it goes with anything that has moving parts under stress. People buy the cheap version, it works fine for a bit, then the tiny flaws add up until it's junk. Meanwhile the good tool in the drawer just does its job quietly forever. It's the same story with boots, kitchen knives, you name it. The upfront savings get eaten by having to buy it twice.

kelly.dylan1mo ago

Flip it around and think about who's actually doing the crimping. A pro electrician cranking out hundreds of connections a day needs that Paladin because their hands and wrists will give out on a cheap tool. But the weekend warrior running six outlets in their basement? The cheap Harbor Freight special might last them a decade before it starts acting up, and by then they've lost it anyway. The real cost isn't just money, it's how many crimps you're making and how much your body can take. I've seen guys with arthritis swear by ratcheting crimpers that cost double what a quality tool does, just because it saves their joints.