4th-Hand Tool/3rd Hand Tool, whatever! Luxury or necessity?

[curium]

Hey! How many of you home mechanics have a 3rd/4th hand-tool for pulling/tensioning gear cables?

I'm currently f-ing and blinding while trying to get adequate tension on my front derrailleur (cuaght my knuckles on the chainring a few times too ).
Got a 100 mile ride this Sunday (fingers crossed for the weather) so yesterday I gave the bike a badly needed clean up and lube and now I can't get adequate tension in the cables.

Checked out a few videos on YouTube and people are using this special tool that pulls the cable with one hand, freeing the other hand to tighten the bolt.

Worth the cash? I ride a lot (3-4 times a week) and frequently adjust the rear derrailleur and will probably need to replace all the cables soon.

Also, anyone know a cycle shop in SE or Central London where I could pick one up TODAY?!

 

[Martin318is]

I got one very cheaply a number of years ago and yes, I have found it useful once or twice in that time. Not necessarily for the actual adjustment of the cable but for keeping tension on the rest of the cable through the frame etc when in the process of fitting something and I needed to walk away from the bike. You can certainly fit cables without one though.

 

[ElChingon]

Luxury.

A pair if good pliers and plenty of practice, oh and some elbow grease (not sold in stores, before you go looking for it).

 

[Martin318is]

Luxury.

A pair if good pliers and plenty of practice, oh and some elbow grease (not sold in stores, before you go looking for it).

Yes it is - its on the shelf next to the Headlight fluid.

 

[ustabe]

I like the fourth hand for snugging down zip-ties and adjusting the occasional center-pull brake that comes my way.

 

[BroDeal]

Luxury.

A pair if good pliers and plenty of practice, oh and some elbow grease (not sold in stores, before you go looking for it).

Or you can get a cheap cable puller and do it with no practice and no elbow grease.

 

[ElChingon]

Or you can get a cheap cable puller and do it with no practice and no elbow grease.

Well at that point just take it to the local shop why don't ya!

 

[ElChingon]

Yes it is - its on the shelf next to the Headlight fluid.

That's like the big open wrench I keep next to the desktop computer for its annual oil change. Yea, some people fall for that one, but then again my computer looks like it could have an oil cooling system.