The wire cutter,[1]​ side cutting pliers, cutting pliers, pickaxes (in Venezuela), are a tool that uses pressure to make clean cuts in cables or metal wires.[2]​[3]​.

Most wire cutters are manual, similar to the pliers used in electronics tasks. In fact, many types of pliers, such as nose pliers, universal pliers or wire strippers, are provided with some kind of wire cutter function. Other wire cutters are large pneumatic tools used for denser cables such as power lines.[4]​.

Some modern bayonets have features of the cutting pliers used to cut through barbed or razor wire on the battlefield.

Apart from mechanics in the world of crafts, they are found in many specialties, such as upholsterers, saddlers and shoemakers, among others. In disciplines that have to do with electricity, they are generally smaller and have the handle covered with an insulating plastic to avoid entanglement when used for electrical network cables.[3]​.