General
dikes
What does dikes mean?
Diagonal cutting pliers — short, angled jaws designed for cutting wire flush. Universal in electrical, low-voltage, and general construction work. 'Pass me the dikes' on any jobsite gets you a pair of Kleins, no questions asked.
"Hand me your dikes, I need to snip these zip ties off the bundle."
Origin
Clipped from 'diagonal' (cutters). Common American trade slang; spelling 'dykes' is also seen but 'dikes' is the convention in tool catalogues.
Frequently asked questions
What are Dikes in electrical work?
Dikes are diagonal cutting pliers — the snub-nosed cutters found in every electrician's tool pouch.
How do you use Dikes in a sentence?
"Pass me the Dikes so I can snip this wire."
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