Originally Posted By: DrRoughneck
Dremel or disc grinder work great. You can use them for tons of other stuff, they are worthy investments unlike a dedicated oil filter cutter you will maybe use once.
Problem with a Dremel/cutoff wheel is the debris that gets in the filter when cutting open, as well as the rate that you are having to replace the wheel (at least on the Dremel).
I used a hacksaw once. Took way too long, way too messy, as well as cutting media sometimes during the process.
I used my Dremel for several years. It works, but gets a lot of debris in the filter, making it hard to see of there are particles that the filter caught.
I used a standard cutoff wheel, I could do 1 filter per wheel. I switched to the fiber reinforced cutoff wheel. Could do 2-3 filters with that. Never tried the premium metal wheel.
I tried one of the exhaust chain cutters, did not work too well for me. It would start to cut, but as soon as one of the wheels broke through, it started crushing the can, not cutting.
Here is one of the one's I tried to use it on.
I bought this filter cutter last month.
It works very well, nice clean cuts, takes about 1 minute to open a filter now and no mess at all.
The one thing I don't like about it is that as you tighten the post, it tends to make the other end come up off the filter base, so you have to press it down while cutting.
Not a huge deal, but can be a little awkward. I saw a similar tool, but it had the post in the center and the wheel on the adjuster, I may see if I can set mine up that way.
It was ~$43 shipped. A little more than what I was wanting to spend, but I am glad I did it.
Sure I may only use it 3-4 times a year, but using a tool designed for what you doing makes a huge difference in opening them.
Well worth it.
