Let’s get this part out of the way: cutting fences/wire that ain’t yours is bad. Don’t do it.

Now, being reasonable men, we can safely assume that in a situation where life and death may come down to removing obstacles in your path, a pair of wire cutters that will cut chain link and barbed wire can be very handy. Most notably if you’ve had the misfortune to get stuck in traffic and the only way out of that situation is to cut a hole through the fences that line the road.

Anyway…

Colemans Surplus has a deal ( a VERY good deal) on surplus British military wirecutters. Dated from when Churchill was doing his thing, these wirecutters fold up into a very small package and, yes, they will cut chain link and they will cut barbed wire. Tried ’em myself. At the stupidly low price of less than four bucks each get a bunch. One for each BOV, a couple for around the farm, one per team, etc, etc. True, they probably won’t cut padlocks…and a boltcutter that will cut padlocks will easily deal with chain link and barbed wire…but not in as compact a package and not for a lousy $3.25 each.

Seriously…go get a half dozen for $20. Zero approved.

ETA: Hmm…price went back to its normal $19. Either the sale ended yesterday or they use the Cheaper Than Dirt pricing algorithm that increases price as demand rises.