The blade of the ratchet tube cutter is operated by squeezing the two handles together. It takes around 3 squeezes of the handles to complete a cut.
Ratchet tube cutter anvil jaw
The piece of tubing is rested in the anvil jaw. It helps the tube keep its shape under the pressure of the blade and prevents some warping.
Ratchet tube cutter safety lock
The safety lock on the ratchet tube cutter is a metal loop which clips over both handle ends to keep them pushed together, therefore keeping the blade pressed into the anvil jaw.
Ratchet tube cutter system
The ratchet mechanism consists of a round gear with slanted grooves (teeth) around the edge and a spring loaded finger or pawl, which prevents a backwards motion. The ratchet mechanism allows the handles to be squeezed together more easily.
Ratchet tube cutter handles
The handles of the ratchet tube cutter control the blade and ratchet mechanism. When squeezed together, the ratchet mechanism is turned and the blade pressed down. The handles need to be squeezed together around three times to complete a cut.
