Quick verdict
A 17 inch, 2.8 pound crimping tool that bites a sagging run of fence wire and folds a small crimp into it, taking up a few inches of slack per bite, so barbed, high tensile, field and electric fence wire is retensioned in place without cutting the run, splicing or pulling it with a stretcher. Every fence goes slack with frost and cattle, and most of the time the wire is sound and only needs the sag taken out. The crimp is a bend, not a cut, so old wire survives it.
Strengths
- Retensions wire in place without cutting or splicing
- Each bite takes up a few inches of slack
- Works on barbed, high tensile, field and electric wire
- Does not break old or worn wire
- Light enough to carry along the fence line
Weaknesses
- A crimp is a weak point under a hard hit; use sparingly on one strand
- Very slack wire needs a stretcher first
- Generic build; the pivot wants oil
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Sag Out, Wire Intact
Field fence goes slack every winter and every time something leans on it, and the wire itself is usually fine. Cutting it to retension means a splice and a stretcher; a crimping tightener takes the slack out where the wire hangs. The MOPHOEXII is a 17 inch crimper that bites the wire mid-span and folds in a small bend that shortens it by a few inches a bite, on barbed, high tensile, field and electric wire.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how crimp-style fence tighteners are used generally. We have not used this tool ourselves and the brand is a generic importer.
Using It
Walk the fence with the tool. At a slack span, open the jaws over the wire between posts, squeeze firmly, and a crimp forms that pulls the wire tighter. Check the tension, move along a few feet and crimp again if needed. A run of fence is tightened in an hour with no cutting, no splicing and no stretcher.
What a Crimp Does
It is a bend, not a cut, so old brittle wire that would snap in a stretcher survives it. It is also a small stress point, so spread crimps along the run rather than stacking them in one spot, and keep them a foot or more from posts, staples and splices where the wire already bends.
Limits
A wire with a foot of sag needs a stretcher to pull it and a splice to hold it; the crimper is for the inches, not the feet. On high tensile wire, one or two crimps per span is enough and more invites a break under a hard hit.
Wire Types
Common 12.5 and 10 gauge field and barbed wire, high tensile smooth wire and the aluminum wire of an electric fence. Woven wire fabric takes a crimp on its horizontal strands too.
Build
Generic steel at a fair weight. A drop of oil on the pivot keeps the squeeze smooth, and the jaws want a wipe after rain.
Who Should Buy It
- Anyone with field or barbed fence that sags each spring.
- Horse and livestock keepers maintaining long runs.
- Electric fence owners tightening aluminum wire.
Common Owner Complaints
Crimps breaking under heavy impact. Spread them; use a stretcher for big slack.
Alternatives to Consider
A fence stretcher and splice for major slack. Inline ratchet tensioners on high tensile fence. A come-along and a wire grip for one-off pulls.
Verdict
For the sag that every fence gets, a crimping tightener fixes it in place without a cut, and this one is light enough to carry the whole line. Crimp sparingly, spread them out and keep the stretcher for the big jobs.
Full specifications
MOPHOEXII Fence Fixer Wire Crimping and Tightening Tool for High Tensile, Barbed and Field Fence, 17 Inch FAQs
Open the jaws over the wire mid-span, squeeze, and the tool bends a crimp into the wire that shortens the run by a few inches. Repeat along the span until the wire is taut.
A little. Spread crimps along the run rather than stacking them, and keep them away from posts and splices. On high tensile wire, one or two per span is plenty.
When the wire has a foot or more of sag, or has been spliced loose. Pull it with a stretcher and use the crimper for the last inch.
Common 12.5 and 10 gauge field and barbed wire, high tensile smooth wire and aluminum electric fence wire.
