I use them for safety wire (up to .041") and they get into hard-to-reach places that 'regular' cutters can't. For for more intensive use (e.g. large cotter pins) I use heavy-duty wire cutters (8" Diagonal Channellock E338 E Series XLT Splice Cutters). The first pair had a slight defect in jaw alignment that reduced effectiveness near the tip. But the Channellock warranty process was simple and relatively quick: 30 days from sending the defective pliers to receiving a new (perfect) replacement. The only cost was shipping the defective pliers to Channellock in Pennsylvania.