Removing old cable clips

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

I have loads of old cable clips on the outside of my house
Multiple sky installs over the years

I tried some normal pliers but don't seem to be able to grip them enough to pull them straight out, a wiggle will loosen them, but then the mortar seems to come off with the nail

If I use a claw hammer its the same, because it pulls at a slight angle it breaks the mortar

Anyone got any ideas? It looks a mess and really want to tidy it up before we add an aerial and yet more clips!

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

+1-- did it for a living

Sorry you mean what adam said, assume so

I was thinking side cutters but dont actually own any so would need to buy some, well technically I do have some but they are small precise ones and would bend before the clips gave I am certain

Need to pickup some grout from screwfix so will take a look and grab a pair from there

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

or mole grips/locking pliers
theyre great for all sorts of stuff

The problem I found is that I just cannot get enough friction on the plastic bit, no matter how hard I squeeze they are slippery to some extent.
These nails are really grippy, they are ridged so bite well.
Will try the side cutters, they look like I imagined the tool i needed, the claw hammer works but the leverage point is too far away and that causes to much of an angle on the pull

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

I was wondering about end cutters, ordered the ones above seems rude not to at that price, will give them a go, hopefully can pull straight out without falling off the steps

Will pickup some side cutters if the end cutters dont work

Funny I am never shy to buy some tools, just had open reach round to pull my fibre cable for FTTP, and they couldnt get it through, wanted to cut the top off the trunk, so I lent them a hacksaw (small one as they only had large) that was hard going so lent them the multi tool so they could cut the trunk off. They had boxes of kit but not things like that, really surprised.
Bad news is they still couldn't pull that cable so now its waiting for some subbies to dig a trench and replace the trunking. Go live not due until end of July anyways so no rush.