iCrimp Battery Cable Lug Crimping Tool for Open Barrel Lug for AWG 13-3

I bought a box/set of open barrel copper connectors and found I couldn't make any of them work without the proper crimp tool. So, I purchased this one. Once I received it, I did a few experiments on crimping various gauge wire with the various open barrel connectors. It's good to practice with this on junk wire so that when it comes time for the real deal, you're prepared and will do a correct crimping job. I can say that I'm totally happy with it. It's a very well built set of crimpers. The prime reason I gave it four stars for "Easy to use" rating was/is because in a situation like crimping, you need two hands for operation of the crimpers. Then you need another hand to place and hold the connector in place in the teeth of the crimper, and finally you need another hand to hold the wire to be crimped so it's properly placed in the open barrel while the two handles are being squeezed together. For this very reason, I would have liked to purchase the bench unit but, the ones I bought are more versatile and portable. On edit: The bench unit basically takes the place of a couple extra hands. Now, primarily you need only use one hand for the one handle since the base of the unit is stable. And you can use the other hand for stabilizing the barrel connector and the wire end that are in the jaws ready to be crimped. But the bench unit is not nearly as portable as the two handled one is so, working close to your work and not a bench means you more that likely need the portable unit.

The IWISS IWS-5100A crimping tool is built like a tank! The handles are made of thick steel, the grips are large, non-slip and comfortable. The crimping head is 9mm (almost 3/8 inch) thick steel with the crimp patterns wire EDM machined into it. The long handles and the pivot design provides great mechanical advantage - crimping thick, heavy connectors is effortless. Although this is not a "ratcheting" crimper, the mechanism goes slightly "over center" so that it's impossible to make a faulty crimp by not squeezing enough. The crimp patterns machined into the head are shiny smooth and don't leave any gouges or burrs on the connector. The crimp amount or depth (squeeze) is adjustable by loosening two locknuts and then adjusting the two pivot cams. There are 4 settings on each cam, so you actually get 8 different settings. The crimper comes set to 1,1 which is the lowest setting. At this setting, the crimps are perfect. The adjustment cams have a hexagonal lock under each head so that they stay where they are set. It is impossible for them to self-rotate out of adjustment. Maybe after years of use, the tool might wear enough to require adjustment, but since it's so heavily built, I doubt it would ever wear out in my lifetime. I own several different Iwiss brand crimping tools and they are all very good quality and work flawlessly. This tool is no exception. It's super easy to use, it's built very solidly and it makes beautiful, strong crimps. Also, unlike other brands, this tool was lubricated during assembly as evidenced by traces of oil on all the joint pivots. A little thing, but it's another indicator of Iwiss quality. This tool is a bit expensive, but you get what you pay for and more. I give the IWISS IWS-5100A crimping tool both thumbs up!

My first crimp is shown in the photo. The crimp is mostly ok, but you can see the crimper wasn't placed quite close enough to the ring and required a second crimp to touch it up nicely. That was just my inexperience with the tool. A dozen crimps later I am producing excellent results with minimal fussing around. The tool itself is extremely sturdy and easy to work with. That said, even with the compound action design and long handles it does take considerable effort to crimp the 50A and larger size barrels. For those I put one handle against the floor and use my arms and a little body weight to squeeze down the other crimper handle and complete the job. Once you do it a few times it is simple. The cutter works easily and the nose of the crimper can be used to tighten the barrels on the crimps before inserting into the tool (you have to do this with the crimps I have). I have no regrets about the price or quality of this tool so far and I no longer dread crimping larger terminals or worrying if they are crimped properly. Should have gotten this long ago.

Works well. The different size of wires and connectors that can be crimped is a good addition as well. The cutter cuts stranded wire nice a and straight. Seems to be well made of heavy gauge material. The only draw back I see is the actual crimping area of the jaws. The cables I am making have open barrel connectors that have a longer space for wire. I just began crimping a little at a time and moved up and down on connectors until it closed the entire area. Not a real problem just a bit tedious to do. All in all I would recommend this tool.

Another strong tool ...I do alot of automotive electrical work ...does the job!

I had to crimp a couple battery terminals for some 8 gauge wire and these worked great. I honestly put a lot more force on them than I probably should have due to the terminals I used, but they handled it like a champ and feel just as tight as when I pulled them from the box.

I ordered this crimper to replace a disintegrated battery terminal on a Ducati Multistrada using open barrel terminals (that I also ordered from Amazon). It was replace the terminal with open barrel crimps, or pay $1100 for a new wiring harness and have to install it, too...! The crimper worked very well, though the open barrel crimps didn't result in the crimps shown in the photos used in the description of this crimper (didn't fold in as deeply as in the photo or as I would have liked). But, I don't believe that's a fault of the crimper--more of the lugs. The crimper did not come with any instructions. The crimper appears to be well made and should hold up to many long years of use. I'm happy with the quality of this crimper for the price (value for money). I can recommend this crimper with no reservations (though I do like ratchet style crimpers better, BUT they are much more expensive and for the limited number of uses I will have for this crimper it will be just fine).

Haven't had a chance to use the tool yet, but it seems sturdy and well built. Decent price. The only thing I see may be an issue is that the jaws could be a little wider. The crimp portion of most connectors are longer than the jaws are wide.

Good product and good value for money. Used professionally, functions well.

I crimp crimping tool. Havn’t used but it look’s good.

Works great for larger open barrel F-splices (Amp/Tyco/TE).

this tool is a disappointment - the cutting wedge stops the crimping jaws from closing correctly and makes closing to crimp extremely difficult - once removed the tools crimps much easier - the crimp quality is some place between adequate and poor in that the jaw dies do not close precisely as suggested and very often leave sharp ridges on the base anvil side as opposed to the curled side because the anvils do not fit tightly or precisely - this happens on every one of the sizes - the only good thing is that it has the force to do the crimp