The Xuron 2175SH Maxi-Shear Flush Cutter is a great choice for flush cuts of soft wire up to 12 AWG (2mm). this flush cutter is an excellent choice for chainmaille and wire art enthusiasts. Not well suited for cutting harder metals like nickel silver (model railroad rail) but great for cutting copper wiring used in model railroad electrical components. The flush cutter uses a blade by-pass cutting method - put simply, the blades cut by shearing as opposed to compression. The result is a clean, square cut requiring little, or no, post-cut clean up. The Maxi-Shear Flush Cutter also features soft Xuro-Rubber(R) handle grips and Light-Touch(R) return spring.