Question Recommendation for a punch down tool.

[Maverick567]

Evening all,

I’ve been punching down a few network cables and have lost the will to live with my £10 punch down tool from Screwfix. It is fairly unreliable at punching down and the cutter on the end no longer works.

What recommendations do people have for a tool that is half decent, and consistently punches downs?

Cheers

 

[mickevh]

Krone have been ubiquitous for ages - to the extent that some of us refer to all IDC punch down tools as "krone tool" in the same way that many brits call all brands of vacuum cleaner "hoovers." Krone can be a bit pricey though. Maybe a worthwhile investment if you are punching day in day out, but might be a bit OTT for a one off DIY job. It might work out less expensive to buy a couple of cheaper ones and live with the breakage. But then I suppose there's always eBay when you are done.

 

[Maverick567]

Krone have been ubiquitous for ages - to the extent that some of us refer to all IDC punch down tools as "krone tool" in the same way that many brits call all brands of vacuum cleaner "hoovers." Krone can be a bit pricey though. Maybe a worthwhile investment if you are punching day in day out, but might be a bit OTT for a one off DIY job. It might work out less expensive to buy a couple of cheaper ones and live with the breakage. But then I suppose there's always eBay when you are done.

Thanks, makes sense. Not sure I can justify £40 for DIY as you say!!

 

[mushii]

Pick your price point, they will all do the job

https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/search/?q=krone

 

[jimscreechy]

I used to do cable pulling (system cabling mostly) 30+ years ago. I bought an RS Components 'Krone tool' back then which I still use today (well, last month when I helped a friend run cat 5 in his house) Cost me about a fiver then.

VDIB299001 | Schneider Electric Cable Punch Down Tool | RS Components

uk.rs-online.com

 

[mushii]

I still have my first British Telecom issued Krone tool - given to me by the BT engineer who taught me phone wiring in networking

 

[Markr123]

Just a note on my experience...
I purchased a Draper (likely just a v.cheap rebrand item) Amazon product
The tool failed in spectacular fashion with springs and bits of plastic flying all over the place after ~10 connections. Absolute waste of time.
I later purchased the Trendnet item from Amazon (as linked in @mushii link above). Far, far better quality.
I’m never normally one for falling for buy cheap, by twice but got caught out on the Draper item. Really tarnished my feeling on the brand as was so infuriating when a tool fails when part way through a task.