How do you break/cut these sockets without actually breaking them?

[Outlaws]

http://smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com/single-in-line-mill-max/

I just got half way thru this and I have 1 piece that isn't damaged.  How on earth do you cut these.  I am using a razor blade.  Xacto knife?  Or are they no good singularly?  I wanted to full socket a Fuzz Face pcb.  I guess I could use them without plastic still but they don't sit nicely.

[akc1973]

I normally snap these types of sockets with my fingers. It's worked for me anyway.

[Outlaws]

I normally snap these types of sockets with my fingers. It's worked for me anyway.

the first couple I tried with a needle nose and they snapped at mid way point of the next pin.  Same when I am cutting.

[Cozybuilder]

I score through with a utility knife blade, both sides, it cuts clean.

[Kipper4]

I use wire snips

[KarenColumbo]

Me too. https://www.amazon.com/wire-cutters/b?node=553186 one of these would do nicely

[antonis]

I score through with a utility knife blade, both sides, it cuts clean.

Doesn't scoring second side results in socket in your eye/nostril/ear/hair/coffee/cat-dog manger... 

[Elijah-Baley]

I score through with a utility knife blade, both sides, it cuts clean.

So I do.

[EBK]

I score through with a utility knife blade, both sides, it cuts clean.

Doesn't scoring second side results in socket in your eye/nostril/ear/hair/coffee/cat-dog manger... 

Yes, until you learn to be gentler. 

I use a chisel to score the first side, then flip it and cut through.

[njkmonty]

I use either these tools and never have a problem, very quick and easy...

https://www.cedist.com/products/pliers-xcelite-shearcutter-general-purpose

[njkmonty]

I use either these tools and never have a problem, very quick and easy...

https://www.cedist.com/products/pliers-xcelite-shearcutter-general-purpose

[Outlaws]

I must have gotten a dud strip then, because this sounds like no one has issues at all lol.

[Mark Hammer]

Well, they don't end up looking like they were neatly machined to be only 3, 4, 7, 8, etc. pins long, but they hold the pins in place with the appropriate spacing, and that's all that matters.

[duck_arse]

I stole one of these from work in 1990-ish, still using it.


snap-blade knife. put the blade into the little ditch, and rock it back and forth. turn over and repeat. if it doesn't cut right thru, you just fingers-snap it.

[rutabaga bob]

THAT'S where it went!

[EBK]

If you want to socket a discrete component like a resistor on an existing PCB, you could cut a strip five sockets long and use pliers to push the middle three pins up and out of the plastic, leaving just the sockets on the ends with a plastic spacer between them. 

Alternatively, for a cleaner look, remove the plastic from the sockets, leaving you with a bunch of individual sockets and slide them onto the pins of a random IC at your desired spacing.  The IC will hold the pins in the proper orientation so you can solder the individual sockets easier.

[davent]

Anytime i tried cutters or knife one side of the cut would be destroyed loosing a socket or wrecking the piece i was aiming to use so i cut through with a very fine razor saw i have.

https://www.amazon.ca/Xacto-X75300-Precision-Razor-Saw/dp/B00004Z2U4



dave

[Kipper4]

I just tried Cozy's knife technique on some dual pin headers and it works fine.

[PRR]

FWIW: I have always figured I am gonna lose some holes while breaking, they are very cheap per hole, just buy lots and take what you get out of it.

[antonis]

As Paul said, their cost per hole is under zero so is better to remove the metal pin next to your cutting point (they can be easily extracted by pressing) and make the cut with any convenient tool..