Searching for the Best Wire Stripper
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- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2019
- Tools:
Hakko CSP-30-1 Wire Stripper
amzn.to/2DpktIv
IRWIN VISE-GRIP Multi-Tool Wire Stripper/Crimper/Cutter
amzn.to/2GtzcFg
IRWIN VISE-GRIP 2078300 Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper
amzn.to/2WOzpbJ
Wire Stripper,ZOTO Self-adjusting Cable Cutter Crimper
amzn.to/2TzbbAd
Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper and Cutter
amzn.to/2MQ16MK
WORKPRO 8-inch Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper
amzn.to/2DYglka
GB SE-94 10-gauge to 26-gauge Automatic Stripper and Crimper amzn.to/2t9UwI4
Kinee Adjustable Automatic Cable Wire Stripper
amzn.to/2MUmh06
Ideal Industries Stripmaster Wire Stripper,
amzn.to/2GrfzOe
Grizzly G9723 Wire Stripper
amzn.to/2thRMbP
Transcript:
...Let’s start with something a lot of us probably already have. Here are two examples of manual wire strippers. These Hakko CHP ones here I’ve probably owned for 10 years. 9 times out of 10, these are what I reach for when I’m working on electronics.
They don’t take up much room, they’re lightweight and lock up to go in your pocket. They handle a 20 gauge all the way down to a 30 gauge, and also work as cutters and pliers. If you work on electronics and don’t have something like these, you did something wrong.
I also like the spring action that allows you to open and close it one-handed. Most of the options I’ll show you will spring open like this. But not these. These 8-inch wire strippers from Irwin are intended for electrical work and thicker solid-core wire.
There are a ton of interesting features packed in here -- crimpers, pliers, screw cutters. Unfortunately, these are practically useless for me. I rarely work with electrical, and when I do, I prefer a spring-loaded option I can operate one-handed. With these, you have to awkwardly flick them open every time you use them.
I bought these by accident because they come up as an Amazon choice for Wire strippers. What I didn’t know is that the page bundles three different models, and that the more useful, popular models are these 6 and 7-inch ones that have a spring grip. So watch out for that.
But really, if there’s a Vise-Grip wire stripper to seek out, it’s this one. For around $20, this self-adjusting model is, in my experience, the gold standard for this type of tool at this price. I’ve got four other variations in a similar design I’ll compare it against, but first let me show you how these work if you’ve never seen one.
The self-adjusting action on these makes it so that when you place a wire in these within a common range -- in this case 10-24 gauge -- the jaws will automatically apply just the right amount of pressure to pull the sheath from the wire.
And because it’s more of a clamp and pull motion -- not so much about cutting -- these are less likely to damage your wire in the process.
The other really cool feature of this design is this adjustable stop block. If you’ve got a job where you need to make 10 or 1,000 identical lengths of wire with a half-inch of sheathing removed from each end, you can set this so that you’re removing the exact same amount of sheath each time. It makes your work much more consistent.
The other elements here are a tensioner so that you can dial the grip up or down a bit for better results. These also include a relatively sharp cutter, and a good range of crimping options.
Now, what makes this specific model so great, in my opinion are the small details. They’re easier to squeeze, so your hand doesn’t tire out as fast. The range of wire gauges is actually etched into the metal instead of painted on the handle. And you also get a ½-inch and ¼-inch reference etched in here for the stop block.
For reference, here it its cutting and stripping 10 gauge wire. And here it is with the kind of common 24 gauge stranded wire I use for electronics.
Now let’s compare this to a more generic option from a brand called ZOTO, though I only know that from the Amazon page. There’s no logo on the tool or the package it came in, so I think it’s fair to expect that this is being sold under a number of different brand names. At $17, you’re not even saving a lot of money.
It’s the same idea, only the action is a little stiffer, the cutter is on the dull side, and the crimper cutouts aren’t what I’m used to. But the biggest difference is that the stripper head is really sharp. It does the job, but might damage your wires.
Here it is on 10 gauge wire. And here it is with 24 gauge.
Next up, here’s a version from Klein Tools. These were $2 more than the Irwin, and Klein has a good reputation for quality. I was a little disappointed, though.
The action on these was the stiffest out of all of them, and I think part of that is due to this nice sharp cutter in the handle that has overlapping blades that add add just a bit more friction.... 
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My dad invented these wire strippers *US3087363A* applied for 1960, granted 1964. The patent has been cited for other devices. Funny thing is I used his wire strippers all through my youth not realizing he invented them. They were very handy for stripping wires working on guitar amps and effects pedals. Dad was a radar technician in the US Navy 1950-iirc 1954.
Dad's last unpatented invention before he died in 1988 at the young age of 56 was a spring tensioned vertically reciprocating scroll saw that attached to the front of a radial arm saw and driven by a single connecting rod attached off center to a mock saw blade with a standard sealed precision bearing, giving free motion to the rod linkage. I worked great. 😊
I would love to see a photo of dad's version! Is it out there?
@@JamieMurdock90 I believe those wire stripper are now called "Katapult or automatic gauged Wire Stripper" they're kinda like a mixed btw the self adjusting and gauged but you still have to put into the right size wires it prevents the wire from being damaged, from the wiggles of an gauged stripper but u have get the grip of a self adjusting. I personally like self adjusting cause it works on more than just small wires but also works for decent size cables.
I love this no nonsense review. You started out with the best and compared everything else to it. I didn't have to stay til the end to see the other options, but because the video was so informative and high quality, I did.
The best ones were the ones my dad had that someone stole after he died; they were 100% metal and had no brand I can recall seeing on them. The Klein's will be great after a few hundred uses to break them in. I bought the Irwin self-adjusting and they didn't work AT ALL for speaker wire (12 gauge). I took them back and got the Ideal which works but is not what I want so I'm taking these back too and getting the Automatic Wire Stripper 10-24 AWG by KNIPEX for $40. It's only about $10 more and is exactly what I want/need.
That Garner-Bender is the best one for modern (thin) automotive wiring because with those small heads you can work in confined spaces.
The best wire strippers had the least coverage... the last set you mentioned are the ones that will hold up to the most abuse, and still keep working perfectly. The perfect set up reduces time/fatigue and is consistent over a long period. I wore out the kind you are showing in only a few nights of doing lighting install at Walmart. The last ones you covered I ended up buying several sets, and my work friends ended up with a set too. Itll handle most average sizes
Now THIS is how a comparison review should be done !! No nonsense or bs "unboxing", just quality information. Thank you !
got used to stripping wires with an Olfa for about 5 years. now any wire stripper feels like a luxury.
I have the Irwin Automatic Strippers and they quickly became one of my favorite tools. I really enjoy using them and they have saved me a lot of time!
I love my Irwin automatic stripper. I used a manual stripper while installing over 30 led lights in two different rooms of our home. It worked fine but cutting off sheathing and then manually stripping all of the wires became very tedious. I picked up the Irwin and it will not only strip the wires but also remove sheathing. The other feature I love is that you can put multiple wires in the stripper together and strip them all at one pull. It works great for Romex 12/2 and 12/3. Fast and efficient.
Fantastic information. For YEARS, I've been meaning to learn more about wire stripping tools, and which ones to buy. This answered all of my questions! Thank you for making this easy and to the point video.
I’ve had the last one shown for 20 years still looks mint and works great
In the latter stripper tool, you have missed a most important detail. The strippers you show all have blades that have slanted knife-edges. With these (and the manual strippers with similar-shaped blades) the stripper can cut deep into one side of the wire, nicking and even partially cutting the copper, while on the other side, fails to cut all the way through the insulation. If you get instead a "die-cutting" stripper (for example, "Stripmaster" sold by Ideal Tool Co.), the design is the same, except for the cutting edges. They have a narrow sharp section which cuts through the insulation, and a wider plain cylindrical smooth hole that guides the wire to remain centered in the cutter. If you strip Teflon wire, nothing but these will work!
Another type of stripper not covered is the thermal stripper (such as Kinetics Teledyne Stripall). These have heated, dull, blades that melt the insulation. These will work on Teflon wire, and cannot damage the copper. You use lower temperature (settable) for vinyl insulation, and higher for Teflon. Most of these have straight blades. They work best when they are closed on the wire, given a quarter turn, then pulled off.
I like your detailed overview of the strippers. As a panel builder myself, stripping over 1000 wire ends on a busy day, I really like the Knipex Multistrip. The lightness, reliability, and repeatability with the length adjustment is very nice.
Those Ideal 16-26AWG strippers are pretty much the standard for Aviation. Consistent and reliable. Work perfect for Mil-Spec wire.
@Tree Power you may confused with MIL spec one. Common industrial Ideal model 45-097 is not so expensive as shown in this video. It is around 50 usd.
I have owned the Irwin vise grip automatic stripper for about 2 years now. Rewired about every circuit on a 67 camaro they worked great for stripping wire. However the crimpers suck. I hate crimp connections any way so I solder and heat shrink every thing. So the work great for me.
Great review. I'm looking to get one of these after years of using the smaller spring loaded models. I'm doing a lot of DIY electrical work and this was very helpful.
Excellent video comparison of wire strippers. Clear and concise! I have the harbor freight version of the one at 5:50. I wasn't sure what that dial on the back did because you don't see anything moving when turning it. Thanks for explaining it.
I use a commercial electric lineman plier with strippers built in on the handle side. Saves me time with not having to switch between strippers and pliers
I never knew there was a tension adjustment on my Irwin auto adjusting wire strippers, thanks!
The “Catapult” (Klein model name) design is the proverbial cat’s arse of all of these. Knipex makes a set of the grab-n-rips that is probably the best I have ever used.
I worked for Graybar in St Louis, MO, USA we sold the Ideal strippers. Sold a pile of them. Bought a pair for my personal use, Love them
Phew... I bought a wire stripper from Amazon, and then I decided to look for reviews, and heck I was lucky, thanks to your video!
I tend to look for reviews BEFORE I buy a thing, but whatever works I guess.
@@BadgerMonkey
I know, I usually do so, but this time I didn't!
AWESOME video! To the point and you followed up your opinions with reasons. THANK YOU!
35 years from houses to power plants....klien needlenose- strippers are my go to....use a razor knife for big wire...
Once in February, in Western PA (COLD) we did a primary voltage conversion at a bottling plant. My partner dragged his ass from the warm office to help do a couple of the final terminations of direct burial HV cable, we had already done 16 without him on the wretched day. Anyway, he crimped on a terminator, but the jagoff forgot to slip on the molded stress cone first! When he realized his boo-boo, he left it to me to undo. There was so little extra cable in the transfer box, I didn't have room to swing the stripping tools for the 1/2 inch thick dielectric, so I did what I would have said was impossible and (CAREFULLY) prepped the bitter end of the cable with my pocket knife. We renamed him "The Mad Crimper" which he hated - I didn't care because I never worked with him again.
Excellent review. I have seen these tools on sale for various prices and wondered if the extra cost was worth it, and you have answered that question perfectly. It was also a great demo of exactly how each type works, and the pros and cons. Thanks.
The Ideal stripper is what I worked with in the air force, that's what I have now. All those other strippers except the Ideal and the Ideal knock-off stretch the insulation. Rust is entirely up to the owner, if you respect your tools, you take care of them, a little light oil goes a long way to keeping metal tools rust free. Good video.
And we suppose to guess what you worked with in the air force?
For the last type of strippers, the one with separate holes for the wire, keep in mind that you need to use different size holes for stranded vs solid wire of the same gauge. Subtract 2 AWG for stranded wire. IOW the 14AWG solid wire would go in 14AWG hole. The 14 AWG stranded wire will go in 12AWG hole. Stranded wire is thicker because of space between strands.
Having worked as an commercial electrician for forty years the second most important thing about a pair of strippers is that it easily fits in a pocket. Most real electricians don't wear a tool pouch. We normally keep a pouch or more likely tool bag near but a pair of kleins, channel locks and screwdriver are generally in a back pocket and wire strippers in a front pocket. Now first important thing is a tool that works well for the type of work the electrician is doing. I liked a pair of ideal t-strippers I had. It had the #12 stripping hole next to the cutting edge. Saves a lot of time hunting for the right hole in awkward of dark working conditions. Then the pair I had started next at a #6 hole and descended down to a perhaps #18 wire size. Most useful stripper I ever owned.
The Klein looks like the best bang for the buck. There's a lot to say for its metal stop. It's more durable than the plastic ones, which more likely to break off and difficult to find a replacement for. Of all strippers with the same design, it is the only one featuring a useful and serviceable wire cutter. You can always sharpen or replace them when they become dull. The others feature a dull cutter built into the frame. If the action is a bit stiff, you can always remove the cutters. For professionals, a built-in cutter may be convenient, but not the chief selling point of a wire stripper. Finally, Klein has a decent warranty program which the other lesser known brands lack.
I loved the video!
As a Journeyman Inside Wireman with 30 years (sigh - for the trolls out there- your state would call me a Master), *my personal choice* for a Self-Adjusting Semi-Automatic Wire Strippers ( *I actually don't use them much* ) would be the Klein - the crimpers on those other models (Irwin included) are completely useless. A *mechanical indent crimper* CLOSE TO THE JAW like T&B crimpers is what is needed for mechanical pressure connectors.
The cutters on the Klein looked pretty good too (shear type). Those other tools with Anvil-Type wire cutters are infuriating on stranded wire if they aren't precision-built high quality tools.
Obviously it's all about the intended purpose - the producer of the video had their preferences and I have mine - that's perfectly fine 💘
Here are some tips from my years of experience, FWIW:
If you're using _oval crimpers_ (the Yelow, Blue, and Red dots at 5:32) for 'INSULATED TERMINALS' please *don't bother.* THEY JUST DON'T WORK.
Use NYLON INSULATED TERMINALS that have see-through yellow/ blue/ red insulation for the 3 ranges of wire size commonly used in wiring and control applications both for industrial use and transportation and USE INDENT CRIMPERS like Thomas & Betts (T&B)/ Sta-Kon WT111.
Opaque VINYL INSULATED TERMINALS are complete garbage. Some folks warm the insulation up with a heat gun, use an indentation type crimper, and slip the insulation back over the crimp - that's about the only way I will use vinyl insulated connectors but frankly that's a tremendous amount of work.
Anyway, I digress. For strippers I like the Kleins and Ideals (curved, premium grips) primarily but I'm open to the Southwire, Irwin, and Channel-Lok strippers too.
That's my windy two cents worth 🧓😁
I have an older Snap-On set of old style single stroke wire strippers with individual sizes that I use for wiring control panels and PLCs with crosslink-insulated wires (too hard to strip otherwise) and a cheaper version of the same thing (not awesome). Overall, most of us electricians learn to use whatever tools we learned with - I learned to use my pinky finger to open my pliers but that's kinda what I was paid to do 🤷♂️
Thanks. You have achieved something very rare-you made in intelligent, non-judgmental and useful comment on RUclips!
I ordered the Hakkos, a bunch actually. But gotta disagree with the Irwin self-adjusting as I own it and it works about half the time; also gotta whack it each time to knock out any debris as that'll screw it up, so can't go quickly. Yeah, maybe it's okay if you're doing the same wires again and again but I am often working on something with lots of different types.
I'm old, but my favorite is the good Ole Miller wire strippers, very simple in construction. I've never used the stop screw, always just felt for the proper pressure. One of the problems with many strippers, they can easily nick the conductor. If you are doing production work, that's another story. Another one of my favorites, originally was made by AMP, later by Paladin, and apparently now by some company I've never heard of, Kkmeter. It will adjust to all sizes of wire within it's range. What is unique is the actual insulation cutter, not a simple knife but a bunch of little teeth that conform around the insulation. The tool is also good for stripping ribbon cable, if you are into that stuff, as it can strip multiple conductors at the same time. Jim
20+ years experience industrial electrician, 8 years building MCC's & BMS control panels, IMO for 0.5sqmm to 2.5 sqmm tri-rated the best stripper you can get is a Thomas & Betts Duostrip 200; fast and easy to use, much less fatigue when stripping a lot of wire and ambidextrous-so ideal if you are left handed. The model with the built in crimper is pointless, might get you out of a spot now and again, but the basic stripper is excellent.
One thing the self adjusting strippers is also good at is stripping two or more wires at the same time, at the same length. Good for Ethernet and telephone cables to fit into modular terminals.
You need to try some stripax. Yeah they are expensive. But they are 100% worth the price. Been carrying a set for over 4 years, and have never had them fail. And I work factory automation, so I strip a LOT of wire, between 32awg and 8AWG. And the stripax I often do 3-5 wires at one time.
I bought a dollar wire stripper for yes 1 dollar plus tax that lasted just over 10 years to include work for the military and home use. they recently gave out. afer buying a new set for 10 dollars I was dissapointed and wished I bought 10 of the originals when I had the chance. Great video. If you dont have a automatic stripper buy any of these and they'll blow your mind on how useful they are day to day.
Wow, a video that gets straight to point without a lot of waffle. Well done and a sub from me.
I have those Irwin auto stripper, and use them mostly
I like the spring loaded single notch types. You need to develop a feeling for when you've cut only the insulation but I like them for their compactness and low price.
I recently got new new pair of “908” Channellock strippers, so far they work pretty well.
Thank you so much for your genuine review. I was about to make wrong choice by picking up wrong tool. Thank you so, so much!
One more thing I suppose the range of vise grip is more (10-24 awg) than klein tools (10-22 awg) for crimping
I have had through the years a number of wire strippers and my different places of employment have had several more. At one point when I did more field service, I prepared my own tool kit. One of my criteria was a minimized weight. So, no heavy or bulky wire strippers or any other overweight tools. I looked at Bibs as a light weight option and found it too dull. In fact, it mostly squeezed the insulation tight, rather than cut and peeled. A British made Eclipse fit my needs. Not for production use, but just ideal for the occasional field use. The fancier types (at work) often turned out to be too big in some tight corner and short wire end. However, that type with appropriate blade was the only one that worked with teflon/kapton combination or other wire wrap insulations. Most of the other strippers just slit teflon insulation lengthwise.
Have had the second to last from China for about 4 years now. Its getting worn but I have done everything from motorcycle repair to general electrical work. Very effective. That Irwin 2078300 looks promising
Thanks, I was hesitant to buy the Irwin stripper, but for my purposes it will likely work fine.
I have a pair (2) of Greenlee strippers that range 30-20 and 24-10 awg. I use the 30-20 set most of the time.
Half the time i just use my pliers, but if i am stripping all day, i love my klein strippers.
I personally really enjoy the stiffer action, and dont need a crimper on the tool, as i already have them on my pliers and my actual crimpers
Good job! Made my choice.
The last ones you showed are the ones that I have used for 20 years.
A few years ago I was at Home Depot and picked up a set that's reversible. The brand is "Commercial Electric", has 20-10 awg on the left and metric on the right, thumb release and spring loaded.
I bought it for installing a new DVR and camera system and LED lights inside and outside of my house.
Hindsight is 20/20 as they say. The tool works ok but I kept reaching for my Klein lineman pliers with the crimper in the handle end.
As you said, Electronics and Electrical work are a little different. Retired Electronics Technician and still doing a bit of both.
If I were to get back into troubleshooting I would definitely be getting your Top Pick. I've developed a habit of stripping a little long, except when soldering into an RG solder in connector.
This is the exact video i was hoping to find. Thanks!
For the vise grip the plastic yellow piece tends to snap off after heavy use. For myself at least with all other tools in a bag it gets snagged. I never ever used it anyway, I think I had a good feel of measurements from muscle memory. Other than that it is truly the gold standard.
I can cut multiple wires at the same time as well (small size)
I literally had just researched every single one of these tools and many more options on Amazon a few days ago. I found pairs of self adjusters as cheap as $8 or so, but those seem to have more common issues, obviously. Like you mentioned, tons of the unknown brand options and even some big company rebrands are probably all made by the same few Chinese factories.
I have the same pair of Irwin manual strippers you said you bought on accident, and they work alright. I do need to get a set more like the small spring loaded ones you love. I also want a self adjusting set for when I want to work faster though. Overall great video, well made, clever in terms of adding to your revenue as well. You clearly know what you are doing on RUclips and I subscribed.
So helpful. Thank you!
Thank you for the helpful tutorials
I use the Knipex 1262180. Works perfect.
I have the Klein ones and have used them for over 5+ years and have no issues with them. IMO those are the gold standard ones.
👍👍 Thanks! Good presentation!
i still use the radio shack 1s love them out of all and i have them all
If price is no fear, Thomas & Betts wite strippets, the wire goes into the nose then just click. Under a dash or a small hole priceless.
Do you happen to have a model number?
I bought one of those good ones, but I still use my side-cutters maybe half the time.
I've had 3 of the last one and they all broke in the same place. They could not do large very or they will malfunction but on all the smaller stuff, they worked well.
The Irwin hands down! If you are working in the cold and want to get warm speed matters. The Irwin gets em done quickly. It will cut wires but unless I want to just pound it out I will cut with something else. Worth every penny!!
Best strippers I’ve used for electrical are the Gardner Bender GESP-224 Pro
I have a Weicon No 5 - and i really really recommend it! There are different types, like No 5 Pro, No 7 and so on depending on what you are after, but No 5 is cheap, light and strips Extremely well and will suit most of every DIU and also professional people.
Automation Direct or Panduit front loading strippers with a v-blade. Unbeatable for control panel wiring and electronics. Easily handles 14 to 30 AWG.
Katapult® Wire Stripper and Cutter for Solid and Stranded Wire
Model# 11063W
Best ones I've used. Once you used them enough you can eye ball the correct gauge hole and have 0 issues. They even have a teeth set that goes all the way to 26 gauge.
The last two strippers presented have a specialty that I have seen and shortly used a long time ago. The special jaws were made for Teflon + Kapton combination insulated wire wrap wire. That wire was needed for wide range temperature application (-55 to +125 degrees C; or -67 to 257 degrees F for those in the US). Nothing, including thermal strippers worked acceptably on that wire. Then somebody -- I think it may have been the local AMP representative -- came in with the special jaws. They had a supporting tubular part with the cutting ridges in the middle. Given the overall small size, you at first did not even notice the ridge and wondered how it performed the cutting. Anyway, those strippers did the job.
Manual plier style are the way to go, no nonsense
2:06 [in Schwarzenegger drawl] "Say hello to Mr. Wire Stripper. You, buy me now. I be your best friend, yes. You use me good long time, yes."
The only tool truck we get at our shop is Snap On so that's what I bought , I'm not sure what sizes I bought (I have 2 sets) 1 is about 9 inch and 1 is about 5 inch .. They work very well neither are automatic but the small set are spring loaded ... They get used usually a couple times a week , razor sharp and I love them ..
Since I do both electrical and electronic work I keep 2 pairs of Klien manual strippers in my kits. I can cover from 10 to 30ga wire and combined they weigh less and take up less space than any of the automatic units. Plus the auto strippers suck on THHN wire.
Just bought one called workpro that is just a square block and since it has 4 sides, it does everything from 26 - 6 gauge, coax cable, 14-2 and 12-2.
Thanks a thousand, now i know what i'll buy .
Like the options, but many of those have "pinch points" just where your hand and fingers are. OUCH!!! Cut myself once with the cutter below the hinge point.
My dad had the last type - with the pre-defined wire sizes. Perhaps it was just his set, but it struggled to grip the wire, and when you released, the jaws squashed your newly-cut wire. Just something to look out for.
Thanks for saving me $30. For some reason I thought my life would be better with some automatic strippers, but I've always used the small ones like you use and will stick to it!
so true...until the day comes when you;re forced to manage with only one good hand, while the other has less than 50% strength...you never can tell,eh?
Been doing electronics EE for 40yrs. For the small gauge wires l prefer the Ideal squeeze type you tried at tge end,with the die with separate holes. Never had rust issues. I get very clean strips and can do partial strips. I have ones with various sizes up to 10g and one down to 30g. Although the big gauges are better stripped with other tools. For everything else I use the Vice Grips stripper. It is the most versital. I also have the CK knock-off but it doesn't work as smoothly and the grips are not as comfortable.
My favorite is. Ideals Kinetix, I don't use auto strippers, and I use kliens ratchet crimpers , which give a much better crimp than the manual ones
I have one of the recommended Irwin strippers and they don't grip tightly enough to work on 12 and 14 ga. wire. Even with the adjustment screwed down as tight as it will go the clamp is inadequate. I took them apart to see if I could fix them but, no, there's no way to make them grip tighter. I even put in a shim to push the little adjustment pin further out but it still wasn't enough. By the by, it takes a pair of tweezers to put the little adjustment pin back in because it is so tiny. Sadly, it was the local Platt Electrical Supply store that recommended the Irwin stripper.
I noticed you like the Haco wire strippers. Should look at the Paladin/Greenlee/Textron PA1117 and PA1118 set. The 2 pack is $15 at Menards. Coming from doing lots of delicate electronics work along with fiber optics, textron/paladin/greenlee are a trusted name in FO strippers with the PA1171.
Ideal 22-30 the best one all round, after some time using it you can strip any wire any gauge way faster then any automatic stripper.
More expensive, but the best in my opinion is the Patco PTS-10 for $79. It is a thermal type that melts the insulation, so the strands don't get nicked. It comes with a spare element, but I have never changed mine in over 30 years of use.
I have a pair of mac automatic wire strippers that work really well
you missed one of the most important tools. the knipex ergostrip.
review it and fall in love with it
I like this dudes reviews. I do electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and carpentry. Like he said, it's nice to see the other tools that are out there. His boyfriend should be proud.
I recently bought Klein wire stripper and 2nd item was ratcheting crimper tool by Klein The Crimpers look and feel heavy duty
$40 Amazon (2 tools 1 pkg)
Thanks for the review of several different wire strippers / cutters...
May I know what kind of wire stripper used for bigger wires like 8 AWG (8 mm2), 6 AWG (14 mm2), 4 AWG (22 mm2), 2 AWG (30 mm2), 1 AWG (38 mm2) wires?
I find it a little difficult to search for the best type of wire strippers for these wires.
Thank you!
I prefer the normal style wire strippers. Southwire and Klein make a great compact set that fit in your hand nicely and makes stripper easier to push with your thumb. But I do tear those springs out. I much prefer to open them myself
You did give a little caveat at the beginning but I'd up that to say that all self-adjusting stripers are great for production work but all but useless for repair work as the big heads are all but impossible to get down where they are needed. The Hakko is my personal favorite.
*The best wire stripper is the wire stripper that you find next to you.* I use a really old-school (vintage) "BIB MODEL 8" by Multicore Solders Ltd. Made in England. Patented 28029/64. (So it's from 1964). It's probably not the best, but it's right next to me.
Thank you for sharing
Thanks for the great round-up but... the one thing that is important to me (beyond the efficacy of actually doing the job of wire-stripping) is... whether or not the stripping teeth (and the gripping ones, FTM) are replaceable and/or sharpenable...
I picked up the one that looks like a dinosaur years ago. I always thought it just broke the wires until I realised you could change the tension.
whatch this cool video! ruclips.net/video/otNlco7P_fA/видео.html
My experience with the final style is that while they work well, all the complicated mechanics come loose after a while and you are constantly tightening all the screws all over the thing.
thank you
If you want to make any stripper more effective and can even not use any stippers on sonme wires is a simple lighter torch. Softens the sheath to allow an easy strip and eliminates any wire scoring from bad strippers.
you can replace the blades in the parallel wire strippers so they’re the best by far if you can sharpen curved cut outs you can re use the same blade insert but it will after a couple of sharpens be slightly larger and eventually you will need to replace them
Thankyou for the very informative video
Fantastic little reviews. I was looking at most of these and was really thinking of getting the generic as its a fair chunk cheaper, but your review has convinced me to go with branded. Now I need to decide on whether its the Irwin (from your review) or the Stanley Fat Max that I go with.
The Irwin has a cooler looking handle.
You neglected to mention one of the most significant advantages of the Irwin stripper. It is great to removing the sheathing from Romex. Just put the Romex in the jaws and it pulls the sheathing from the Romex. That feature alone saves tons of time when house wiring.
I was really hoping to see you review the Knipex automatic wire stripper. I really like my various cutters from this German brand. You seemed to review a knockoff of it, but not the original.
I use the "expensive one", you can buy these nowadays for around $75,-. The old Knipex 12-40-200 didn't work well for us, and they didn't even last a year! The newer 12-52-195 might be a good option, if u often have to switch from thin to thick 16mm wire, assuming they did prolonge the lifetime of this newer version.