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Greenlee cable cutting systems
Greenlee Cable Cutter Guide
Separate Greenlee soft-metal Cu/Al cutters from ACSR/hard-metal systems, manual ratchet cutters and remote hydraulics. Model and jaw selection control what the tool is actually designed to cut.
Cable-cutting selection chain
Material → cable construction → size/capacity → access → tool/jaw → blade → manufacturer limits. A capacity for soft copper/aluminum does not automatically apply to ACSR, guy wire, steel armor or another cable construction.
Last technical review: August 26, 2026.
Greenlee cable cutters span soft metal, hard metal, manual and hydraulic systems
A search for “Greenlee cable cutter” can land on products that are not substitutes for one another. Greenlee separates soft copper/aluminum cable from ACSR and other hard metal, and it offers manual ratchet, remote hydraulic and battery-powered architectures.
Greenlee cable cutter model map
| Model / family | Architecture | Published application / capacity | Key compatibility detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESC50LX | 18V battery, inline soft-metal cutter | Up to 2 in standard and fine-stranded Cu/Al cable | Dedicated cutter family; 350° rotating head and auto retract. |
| 750 | Remote hydraulic, 11T | 1000 kcmil Cu or Al; 1-15/16 in jaw | Replacement blade 17459; ram unit 746C. |
| 756 | Manual heavy-duty ratchet cutter | 1500 kcmil Cu / 1500 kcmil Al; 2 in jaw | Scissor action for smaller cable, automatic ratchet action for heavier cuts. |
| ESG45LX | Battery hard-metal cutter | 1590 kcmil ACSR plus specified guy strand, ground rod and rebar | Hard-metal application; not the same blade/application as ESC50LX soft-metal cutting. |
| CJ-CUAL / CJ-ACSR1 | Interchangeable jaws for EK425/EK628 6T tools | CJ-CUAL up to 600 kcmil Cu/Al; CJ-ACSR1 up to 477 kcmil Pelican ACSR plus documented guy-strand sizes | Turns applicable Greenlee 6T battery tools into documented cutting configurations. |
ESC50LX: soft-metal capacity should stay attached to Cu/Al
Greenlee publishes the ESC50LX family for copper and aluminum standard and fine-stranded cable up to 2 inches in diameter. The page also identifies its inline format, 350-degree rotating head, automatic retract and 18V Makita battery platform. Those ergonomic features are useful, but the important compatibility boundary is still the material: ESC50LX is a soft-metal cable cutter.
ESG45LX: a separate hard-metal path
The ESG45LX is a different system for ACSR, guy strand and other hard metal. Greenlee publishes capacities including 1590 kcmil ACSR (Falcon 54/19), 5/8-inch standard guy strand, 1/2-inch EHS guy wire, 5/8-inch ground rod and 1/2-inch Schedule 60 rebar.
Greenlee's current safety-notice page lists notices for ESG45LX and ESG45X. If you own, service or are considering one of these models, review the manufacturer's current notice before use. A capacity table should never override an active safety notice.
Compare current Greenlee cable cutter listings
Search by exact model—ESC50LX, ESG45LX, 750, 756 or the specific cutting-jaw catalog number—and verify whether the listing includes a tool, battery/charger, remote head/pump or jaw only.
Greenlee 750 vs 756: hydraulic and manual paths
The model 750 is an 11-ton hydraulic cutter with a published 1000 kcmil copper/aluminum capacity and a 1-15/16-inch jaw opening. Greenlee lists 17459 as the replacement cutter blade and 746C as the ram unit. The 756 is a manual ratchet cutter with a larger published 1500 kcmil copper/aluminum capacity and 2-inch jaw. Capacity alone does not tell you which is faster or more practical; the hydraulic 750 is built around powered repetitive cutting, while the 756 is a manual ratchet system.
Interchangeable cutting jaws for EK425 / EK628
Greenlee's current ESC50LX overview also documents the CJ-CUAL and CJ-ACSR1 cutting jaws for EK425 and EK628 6-ton battery tools. The published capacities are up to 600 kcmil Cu/Al for CJ-CUAL and up to 477 kcmil Pelican ACSR, 5/16-inch EHS guy strand and 3/8-inch HS guy strand for CJ-ACSR1.
This is a strong example of why the site's compatibility model records the power tool and the installed jaw separately. The same base tool can support different materials only through the documented jaw path.
Find the documented replacement blade or jaw
Use the Cable Cutter Blade & Jaw Finder to match selected Milwaukee cutters/jaws and Greenlee 6-ton cutting-jaw paths to documented replacement parts.
Comparing cordless cutters across brands?
The Battery Cable Cutter Guide compares the selection logic for cordless Cu/Al, ACSR and utility cable cutters while keeping material-specific capacities separate.
Technical sources used for this guide
- Greenlee ESC50LX 2-inch Inline Cable Cutter overview — soft-metal cutter and CJ-CUAL/CJ-ACSR1 interchangeable-jaw details.
- Greenlee ESC50LX22 product page — 2-inch standard/fine-stranded Cu/Al capacity.
- Greenlee ESG45LX Hard Metal Cutter — ACSR, guy-strand, ground-rod and rebar capacities.
- Greenlee Safety Notices — current notice index including ESG45LX/ESG45X entries.
- Greenlee 750 Hydraulic Cable Cutter — 1000 kcmil Cu/Al capacity, jaw opening and replacement parts.
- Greenlee 756 Heavy-Duty Ratchet Cable Cutter — 1500 kcmil Cu/Al capacity.
Greenlee Cable Cutter Guide FAQs
Which Greenlee cable cutter is for copper and aluminum cable?
Greenlee has several. The ESC50LX is a battery soft-metal cutter published for up to 2-inch standard and fine-stranded Cu/Al cable; the 750 is an 11-ton hydraulic cutter published for 1000 kcmil Cu/Al; and the 756 is a manual ratchet cutter published for 1500 kcmil Cu/Al.
Which Greenlee cutter is for ACSR and guy wire?
The ESG45LX is Greenlee's hard-metal cutter family. Greenlee publishes 1590 kcmil ACSR plus specified guy-strand, ground-rod and rebar capacities.
Can Greenlee EK425 or EK628 crimpers use cable-cutting jaws?
Greenlee documents interchangeable CJ-CUAL and CJ-ACSR1 cutting jaws for the EK425 and EK628 6-ton battery platforms, with specific Cu/Al and ACSR/guy-strand capacities.
What replacement blade does the Greenlee 750 hydraulic cable cutter use?
Greenlee lists replacement part 17459 as the cutter blade for model 750.
Is there a current safety notice for Greenlee ESG45LX cutters?
Greenlee's safety-notice page lists notices for ESG45LX/ESG45X. Owners and users of those models should review the current manufacturer notice before use or purchase.