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Wire twister for fencing: mild steel only

Updated: October 2026

A wire twister for fencing, as Conservation Handbooks describes it, is a short bar with a hole for a neat finish on mild-steel stock netting. It does not strain the fence, and it is the wrong tool on high-tensile line. A garden tail can be wound by hand. A boundary that must hold stock cannot. The [wire tie twister comparison](/hub/fencing-and-wire/wire-tie-twister) is the amazon.co.uk set. Products Compared editorial team, 16 October 2026, from Conservation Handbooks, Hampton Steel, the Gripple brochure and those listings. No laboratory test. Prices are GBP. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

A wire twister for fencing, as Conservation Handbooks describes it, is a short bar with a hole for a neat finish on mild-steel stock netting. It does not strain the fence, and it is the wrong tool on high-tensile line.

Our top picks

CYUXING CYUXING drill wire twister set

Best overall

CYUXING CYUXING drill wire twister set
4.4/10about £7.99
View offer
Heryson Heryson stainless wire twister

Alternative

Heryson Heryson stainless wire twister
4.2/10about £5.69
View offer
XIHIRCD XIHIRCD 11# square drill twister

Alternative

XIHIRCD XIHIRCD 11# square drill twister
2.2/10about £4.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Where a twist belongs on a fence
  2. 2.The short bar, not a strainer
  3. 3.What the fencing listings in this set actually are
  4. 4.When a fencer should stop

Where a twist belongs on a fence

A twist belongs on mild-steel stock netting and mild-steel tails, and it stops on high-tensile wire. Conservation Handbooks allows twisting only on mild steel, because high-tensile wire springs undone. You wind the loose end for a finish you can see. That fastening does not pull the fence tight, and it is difficult to re-attach if you must restrain the fence again. Stock fencing is often specified to BS EN 10223-5, wire to BS 4102 and zinc to BS EN 10244-2 Class A. Those standards describe the mesh, not a twister. Hampton’s 1235 to 1395 N/mm² on HNHT 2.5 mm is a property of high-tensile line wire, not a load for a hole in a bar. The fence is still strained with a strainer.

The short bar, not a strainer

The bar should be no longer than about 100 mm, so it can turn inside stock netting. A hole takes the loose end. You wind for a finish, not for tension. Kwazar’s Strainrite twister, outside this set, is 78 mm and £4.00 excluding VAT. A strainer is a different tool. Kwazar’s Strainrite chain strainer says not to exceed 350 kg and not to sleeve the handle with a pipe. Tight fence, strainer. Tidy mild-steel tail, short bar. A Gripple Twister secures a tail from 1 mm to 3 mm on mild steel or high tensile, and it can be removed for re-tensioning. That permission does not transfer to a twisted join or to a drill head.
CYUXING CYUXING drill wire twister set

Testsieger

CYUXING CYUXING drill wire twister set
4.4/10about £7.99
View offer

What the fencing listings in this set actually are

Heryson, at about £5.69, is the only hand wire twister here. It is stainless steel, about 20 g, with several hexagonal holes, and it has no hex shank. Length is not stated, so it is not documented as the 100 mm bar. A 5.0 from one review is an anecdote. Measure it before you trust it on a boundary. Drill titles that mention fencing are still hex bits, from about £4.99 to £7.99. Each needs a drill, the wrong shape for a tail inside netting. Labels 9# and 11# are not a British wire gauge. NEIKO, Draper, QWORK and Zeromall are pull hooks for loops and sacks, not a short fencing bar. The pull is on how to use a wire tie twister. This is recognition, not a ranking.

When a fencer should stop

Stop when the boundary has to hold stock. A garden tail on mild steel is a different risk from a field fence. A line that is moving, or that has sprung back, needs a fencer. High-tensile line stays refused. Hampton’s tensile figures describe that wire, not a working load for Heryson or any drill head here. Gloves, boots and eye protection, which Hampton recommends for handling fencing wire, are for the coil. They are not a reason to wear gloves in a drill chuck. If the wire is mild steel and you are tidying rather than tensioning, the short bar is enough. If that fails, use a strainer, a Gripple, or a professional. The buying order is on the wire tie twister buying guide.

Common questions

Can you use a wire tie twister on stock fencing?
Yes, on mild-steel stock netting, to finish a tail where a staple at every crossover is not justified. Conservation Handbooks limits the twist to mild steel and the bar to about 100 mm. The twist tidies the wire. It does not tension the fence.
Why not on high-tensile line wire?
High-tensile wire springs a twist undone. A title that says fencing does not lift that Conservation Handbooks limit. BS EN 10223-5 and BS 4102 describe the mesh. Hampton’s 1235 to 1395 N/mm² on HNHT 2.5 mm line wire describes the wire, not a safe load for a hand bar or a drill head.
How long should a fencing wire twister be?
No longer than about 100 mm, so it can turn inside stock netting. Conservation Handbooks gives that limit for a bar with a hole. Kwazar’s Strainrite twister, 78 mm and £4.00 excluding VAT, is outside this amazon.co.uk set. A 260 mm pull hook will not fit the same space.
Is a drill-bit twister the same tool as a fencing bar?
No. A fencing bar is turned by hand through a hole. Listings from XIHIRCD at about £4.99 to CYUXING at about £7.99 are 1/4 inch hex heads that need a drill. Heryson at about £5.69 is the only hand plate in the set, and its length is not stated, so you cannot treat it as the 100 mm bar until you measure it.
Does a twister tension the fence?
No. Tension belongs to a monkey strainer or a chain strainer. Kwazar’s Strainrite chain strainer note says not to exceed 350 kg and not to put a pipe on the handle. If a strained line is moving or has sprung back, call a professional. Extra turns with a twister will not restore that tension in a controlled way.
What is a Gripple Twister, and is it this product?
It secures a tail from 1 mm to 3 mm on mild steel or high tensile, and it can be removed so the line can be re-tensioned. That is the Gripple brochure, not an ASIN here. The high-tensile permission stays with that tool. Hex against hook is on drill or pull wire tie twister.

Related pages

Wire tie twister

Best wire tie twister 2026: top pick by review file

Wire tie twister buying guide: job, wire and price

Drill wire twister vs pull twister: which one fits

How to use your wire tie twister on mild-steel wire

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings in this set, last checked on 16 October 2026.

  1. Conservation Handbooks, joining wire (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  2. Conservation Handbooks, fencing tools (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  3. HSE, PUWER overview (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  4. HSE, repetitive work (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  5. Draper 31059 bag tie twister 260 mm (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  6. Hampton Steel, stock fencing (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  7. BSI, BS 4449 reinforcing steel (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  9. Tooled-Up, Makita DTR180 rebar tying tool (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  10. amazon.co.uk listings in this set (retrieved 16 October 2026)