Ratcheting Crimp Frame Handle

This is a high quality, solid product. The finish is excellent and the ratchet linkages are not flimsy. The jaws are detachable so other anvil styles can be substituted. My need was to crimp RG-6 Quad connectors which have a slightly thicker barrel than the RG-6 Dual coax connector. The Dual connector crimper is 0.350 in. and crushes Quad connectors. I found a 0.360 hex anvil that worked perfectly crimping the larger Quad barrel.

This thing is great- much cheaper than the "professional" version at Home Depot, and works like a champ. Delivers stout crimps (you need to have reasonably strong hands), is adjustable if the mechanism loosens over time, and you can swap out crimp dies as needed. The release lever is a little difficult to get to if you have the handles mostly closed, but it's workable. Else is fantastic. The ratcheting part is not quite what I expected- it's more of an anti-back-up feature; that is, the jaws won't open up until the crimp is completed unless you work the release lever. I was expecting a sort of pumping action- each squeeze of the handles closes the jaws by 1/8" or something.

I've had this for years and made many, many connections with the hex and non-insulated crimp dies. I took one star off for performance because one of the screws that holds the die broke off my first set - but parts express promptly sent me a replacement that has lasted for years so I'm not really complaining.