TRENDnet Crimping Tool, Crimp, Cut, And Strip Tool, For Any Ethernet or Telephone Cable, Built-In Cutter And Stripper, 8P-RJ-45 And 6P-RJ-12, RJ-11, All Steel Construction, Black, TC-CT68

I recently picked up the TRENDnet Crimping Tool, and let me tell you, I feel like a certified network technician. Sure, I may not know the difference between a router and a modem, but that doesn't stop me from crimping like a pro. This tool is easy to use, and even easier to pretend like you know what you're doing. The built-in cutter and stripper make preparing the cables a breeze, and the all-steel construction makes me feel like I could crimp through concrete if I wanted to (not that I've tried...yet). I've used this tool to crimp Ethernet cables, telephone cables, and even some random cords I found lying around my house. It works like a charm every time, and my friends are always impressed when I whip it out (the tool, that is). So, if you want to feel like a network wizard, or just need to crimp some cables for whatever reason, this tool is definitely worth checking out. Plus, it's black, so it matches all of my other tools, which is a nice bonus.

This is just a basic crimper tool that I've used this to crimp five RJ-45 Ethernet cables and so far each one of them appear to be terminated great. I've check both ends of the cables and have not found any shorts or continuity issues that would lead to performance issues. I've also continuously pinged several devices on the network using these cables for a few days and have had a 99% successful packet transmission rate on them. I have yet to use it for the RJ-11 side but I assume it will work similarly. The cut and strip feature on this also works great, however, you will need to be careful about the stripper tool. I've had a few occasions where I stripped the outer sheath too deep and I accidentally cut a few wire pairs in the process. But with some practice I was able to strip cables without this happening. For the low price point of this tool, it represents excellent value for its use and I would highly recommend it.

I have owned this for over a year now, and have had the opportunity to use it on a few occasions. I would estimate I have crimped 30 to 40 RJ-45 Cat 5 ends at this point, enough to see how well this performed and will hold up. At this point, I think this is well worth the $14 I spent on it.... it has not failed me once, and has crimped the RJ-45 Cat 5 ends flawlessly. The action is smooth, and the tool is thick and heavy enough that it does not flex, and easily powers through the stroke. For those wondering how to lock it closed for storage - it takes a soft touch - but SLOWLY close the handles together, and the click before it fully closes, let go, and VOILA! It takes a little practice, but once you get used to it, locking it closed becomes second nature. I would recommend this to any part-timer who wants something to crimp the occasional RJ-45 or RJ-11. If you are looking something heavy duty for daily / professional use, this might work OK for a while, but there are better options IMHO. Good tool, met my expectations. Thanks for reading.

This tool is perfect for the do it yourself home wiring jobs. In my opinion you should never use the stripping feature of any crimping tool (beyond getting you started). It's highly possible that you did nick a wire (with any combined crimping/stripping tool), so after stripping use another small wire cutter to trim the sheathing further down (trimming it length wise) and make sure that in the end you fully cut the wires beyond the original stripping cut. Once you get the wires mapped out and ready to insert into your connector you can use this tool to cut the excess wire (it has a very sharp cutter and worked well). Then slip it in the connector, verify colors and crimp. This tool crimps well and the cutters are very sharp. It feels sturdy. Not much more I need from a crimper. This tool is a great value and works very well.

I work in IT in a large organization that sadly doesn't have management support for a full tool kit for their IT folks... So I have to provide my own tools. This is my 3rd RJ11 / RJ45 crimper, and although I don't ever use the RJ11 end of things, the RJ45 crimper is a mandatory tool for my job. This one replaces I believe a "Greenlee" or whatever green handled unit I picked up at the BORG. The build quality, finish, and function of this tool is absolutely fantastic. The contour of the handles is very comfortable and non fatiguing, and the cutter works fast and clean. About the only thing I don't use this for is stripping the jacket back on Cat 5e and Cat 6 cabling. I picked this up based on price, and I was shocked to find that I honestly feel I got more than my moneys worth for once. I will recommend this tool to my colleagues based on performance alone. Simply put, this makes my job easier. Enough said. I am curious about one review where the reviewer stated he wore one out in 6 months. I have had one of these crimpers before in the past, and I do a LOT of network cable work in my job. I tend to replace my crimpers and other network tools due to theft, not wear / breakage. I have never managed to wear a crimper out. I would love to know how many cables one needs to crimp to wear out one of these...

This tool is everything I could have wanted. I needed to cap off a line I had going into my bedroom that I accidentally cut. I figured this would be easier than buying a new cable and try pull it through a wall. The crimper itself is very well-made. I was surprised at how nice it felt in the hand based off other reviews who called it cheap looking. It was easy to use, stripped the cable perfectly and then took seconds to terminate the line. There was no clicking sound for me, it just worked. The hardest part for me was getting the 8 individual wires into the cap in the right order, which has nothing to do with the tool itself. I found the photos posted by Steven B. to be very helpful as a guide for the correct order the wires should be in. In terms of actually using the tool, the printed instructions are useless, but I found this video to be extremely helpful.

Great product. Highly intuitive and easy to use. Stripped cable easily. Crimped easily. I'd never crimped a RJ11 plug before. All I did was watch a YouTube video showing how to crimp and then play with this tool for a few minutes... did a few practice plugs on spare cable... then crimped a very important connection that worked perfectly.

These are ludicrously cheap and effective! I mostly knew what I was getting and it wouldn't be the best crimpers in the world. However, the ones I received exceeded my expectations! The only negative thing I've found so far is the crimp port is slightly deeper than I'd like, at least for some connectors. I'm very satisfied with my purchase.