What`s the best way to cut open an oil filter?

[aquariuscsm]

I saved on of my blue "made in Japan" Nissan oil filters part #15208 55Y00 from my last oil change. What`s the easiest way to cut it open? Can you do it with a hacksaw? I`ve never done this before.

 

[o2man98]

I use a Longacre filter cutter like this.

 

[Pablo]

Hacken' 'n sawin' are about the nastiest ways to go about it.

I scored a pimp cutter really cheap, Summit branded one. Do eBay or some such....

http://www.summitracing.com/search/?keyword=oil filter cutter&dds=1

 

[bepperb]

A dremel with an abrasive cutoff wheel does it, it's not pretty. A can opener will do Purolators, but not many others.

 

[barlowc]

I put mine in a bench-mounted vice and then used a hacksaw to cut around it at the lip of the baseplace. I took my time and it came out pretty good. Check out the filter I cut open that way in this post.

I'll be interested to see your blue "made in Japan" Nissan oil filter cut open. I wonder if it's a DENSO, or may a Nippon.

 

[daman]

A filter cutter is the easiest and cleanest way to do it any-other way is just primitive and sends shavings and debris into the filter.

a real BITOG get's 'er done with the right tools..

 

[Sayjac]

I really like this, it has 4 cutting wheels and I got it a HF on sale plus 20% off for ~$11. It's actually a muffler cutter and says up to 3&1/4" diameter. It's worked great on all mine including #3614 (Fram #). Slick! Only difference than pic, HF has long coil spring that wraps around the slot on the upper tongs, instead of one on handle. Not in catalog but still in my local store for ~$19 reg. price.

I also have the Summit 1 cutting wheel I got as a gift, but the two guide wheels are too far apart for my filters. It works, but not as smoothly

 

[Silver02ex]

needle nose pliers, I keep pulling the filter apart at the dome end. It takes about 5 min per filter, but i don't have to go out and buy a filter cutter.

 

[Newtonville]

Originally Posted By: sayjac
I really like this, it has 4 cutting wheels and I got it a HF on sale plus 20% off for ~$11. It's actually a muffler cutter and says up to 3&1/4" diameter. It's worked great on all mine including #3614 (Fram #). Slick! Only difference than pic, HF has long coil spring that wraps around the slot on the upper tongs, instead of one on handle. Not in catalog but still in my local store for ~$19 reg. price.

I also have the Summit 1 cutting wheel I got as a gift, but the two guide wheels are too far apart for my filters. It works, but not as smoothly

I recently found the same thing, exhaust cutter, in my tool box. I had bought some years ago, still in package. Mine looks identical but by Craftsman. I see that it works well too, but didn't think it went so big. Great now I can start cutting.

Originally Posted By: Silver02ex
needle nose pliers, I keep pulling the filter apart at the dome end. It takes about 5 min per filter, but i don't have to go out and buy a filter cutter.


It would take me 5 mnths to do that, with arthritis in fingers, which just started recently, and is the pits when you like to work on things for fun.

 

[84zmyfavorite]

Ive used my plumbing ABS pipe cutters.

 

[Sayjac]

Yeah, not muffler cutter, exhaust cutter. That's what I meant.

If I had to use needle nose, even if I could, I'd fuggetaboutit.

Here's exactly what the Harbor Freight cutter looks like.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Well,I`m about halfway through it :^P I think my hacksaw blade has seen better days haha! I`ll post lotsa pics as soon as I get it done ;^)

 

[JonnySaab]

CRUSH IT !,

sorry I couldn't resist.

 

[Newtonville]

I just cut a small Toyota filter with the Craftsman, very easy with this. Maybe the can is thin. Mine doesn't seem to go as wide as the HF spec, but reaches the small filter size.

 

[Sayjac]

Quote:
..... Mine doesn't seem to go as wide as the HF spec, but reaches the small filter size.[/color]
Yeah, I saw where the spec on the Lisle tool exhaust cutter I first posted was not spec'd as wide as the HF.

 

[Nick R]

I use a Dremel tool with a cutting wheel. I need to get more though so I can cut open the Factory filter from my focus, I just haven't gotten to Sears yet to do it. Might have some pics up tomorrow night if I can get out tomorrow since I'm off.

 

[jdog]

i have the one from harbor freight it works great

 

[FZ1]

The best way to cut open a filter is.......not to cut it open.

 

[daman]

Originally Posted By: FZ1
The best way to cut open a filter is.......not to cut it open.

You should be banned from the site

 

[Virtuoso]

I use a dremel with heavy-duty cutoff wheels. Like stated, it does send some shards into the filter..so if you're looking for unadulterated interiors...perhaps a dedicated filter-cutter is for you. Since I'm mainly just curious about E-Core media "blowouts" and the general condition of the interior, it works good, and has lots of other uses too.