Here are the wire strippers Adam is talking about: amzn.to/37Axegi Disclaimer: Tested may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through the links here.
These look like clones of the Knipex Multistrip 10. In direct comparison the original Knipex is performing better for very thin wires (e.g. wirewrap stuff). Here is a comparison: ruclips.net/video/9DGqiqA4tZo/видео.html
i remember my dad having automatic wire strippers and even though they broke, he never threw them away. no idea why. well i am 25 now and found some on a flea market to replace his. my father is not a person that throws his emotions out into the wild, but i knew he was glad to get those :D
That's not how you use manual wire strippers. You only make a single cut the the correct gauage stripper then you use the teeth at the end to pull the insulation off.
Thanks, Adam! This makes me wish you would post a video with your recommendations for a Maker’s Starter Toolkit; essential tools that should be in anyone’s starter set. That would be most helpful for us novices.
It is really great. Bought my first one 96 when working with audio/video fabrication and installation. The time savings and consistency it has makes it worth every penny.
Cool! I remember using these auto stripper's in school 20+ years ago....I don't strip wire very often, but when I do it's usually quite a messy affair with the standard tool....and I always find myself thinking back to this wonderful invention.... definitely going on the shopping list next time I visit the hardware store... thanks Adam 👍
Nothing like a set of automatic wire strippers. Love them SO MUCH. Also like the idea of having a cheap version, seeing as how I don’t need a professional-level unit, but also it’s so nice to see that the one you spent all the dough on is still being used today!! Thanks, Adam!
Oh yeah! I saw these during a random hardware store visit about 7 years ago, and immediately knew that I needed them. They were about $75, so i couldn't buy them straight away, but a few months later I did, and they've been my absolute favorite tool ever since!
I remember being a young tool geek and working in the garage with my dad while working on his race car. And the day he started wiring it up and let me help strip wires was EPIC! Reason being he, being an electrician with the Dept. of Water and Power in L.A., he had acquired a set of automatic wire strippers that were plier based. I LOVED that tool then and to this day!
I'm not a maker or even 1/4 or a decent handyman, but I had to strip a wire once, I mentioned it to a friend who works with a sparky (uk for electrician) and he told me about the tool you're using, he had one in his van and showed it to me, and let me borrow it. I was blown away by the tool, the ease of use and how it can make a tricky job effortless (if you only have a Stanley blade and pliers >_
I had a pair forever, and they are so old, i can't tell what brand they are. They were made to be repaired, but a component broke(part of the blade structure). They were the absolute best. I bought a pair of Kleins, and they are good, but they are nothing like the old ones which took any gauge, and stripped it perfectly, every single time. Thanks for this, i've never seen the form factor you are using, but an extra pair will be handy. The Kleins you have to put into the right slot, the old ones had no slot, they took any size, and just stripped the wire. Amazing.
I was amazed when i discovered these. Such a convience improvement. Also you don't have to adjust them as precisely as the one with a turning knob (the third kind of strippers).
The kind with the knob (I call them "Euro-style") are really good for small wire though. For consistently stripping 24 or 26 gauge wire, there is no better tool, in my opinion.
www.amazon.ca/Klein-Tools-11063-Katapult-Stripper/dp/B00BC39YFQ/ref=asc_df_B00BC39YFQ/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292914019569&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9940355808255377009&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9000053&hvtargid=pla-435049183348&th=1&psc=1 this style is an option too, good for compact areas sometime frustrating to get the wire lined up properly though
Had mine for 20 years + and use it everyday. I’m a electrician. If you are in the Trade, Buy the weidmÜller model. Yes it is expensive, But it Will serve you for a liftime. With love from Denmark!❤️🇩🇰
I saw some different types when I googled, some described one as having no cutting blade. Is this true for the one you use also? So it kind of just pulls the plastic off?
My favourite automatic strippers are the aerospace style ones made by ideal which cost around £100 back in the 90s. Had to have them as they were the only strippers allowed by the aerospace company I was working for at the time. Other places I've worked only allowed the manual strippers first shown by Adam.
I agree 100% My friend told me about them as he used them for work. He explained how to use them and how it strips the wire but I couldn't wrap my head around it so he showed me. I was amazed as it can strip a variety of wire gauges. As an added bonus he gave me his old set as he just bought a new set for work. I will never go back to using the old style ever again.
As a skilled and trained Electrician and Engineer, that worked on machines and installations and such, these are your bread and butter. I've been trained on them, I had never used something else... My Dad, also a trained Electrician still owns these "Old style strippers", and some years ago, I set him up with a new set of tools, all Insulated, state of the Art, and he loves it! We've been intalling a new kitchen last year, and yes... it is SO MUCH easier for him!
I really love my Jokari Super 4Plus, my favorite automatic wire strippers, professional but not to expensive. And I love the design of those, nice and ergonomic.
Thank you Adam! I wish I knew about these sooner. From time to time I replace old card readers at work and could have used something like this instead of my wire stripping multi-tool. I kept stripping copper because I misjudged the gauge.
I used one similar to the expensive one when I did automation work. It also had built in crimping and crimps for when you were doing hundreds of cross connections. Amazing tools.
Anita Swart Jokari or Weidmüller, most likely. Jokari makes all price points (I made the mistake of buying the cheapest version without a depth stop or cut depth fine-tuning, for wire with unusually thick or thin insulation), all of which perform very well, they differ only in features. Weidmüller is what Adam has, they don’t do low end, but if you get one you will not regret it at all. I plan on getting one myself, after getting spoiled with one at work. :p
just bought an IRWIN VISE-GRIP Wire Stripper for a project and can confirm that those are de best $23 bucks I have expended, the time and frustration it saves you is priceless!!
When I moved into my first home, my father in law was helping me with DIY. He has a reputation of being, let's say, awkward. I really needed some wire cutters among the thousands of other jobs going on at that moment. He went away to buy some and came back with this pair of wire cutters. I took one look at them and had no idea what he had brought, tossed them aside, and continued whittling away with a knife I had to hand. Some months later, when the stress of living in a building site had passed, I was in need of some wire cutters again. I picked these back up and with a now clear mind figured out how they worked, and my mind was blown! They are so good! I called him up to tell him how amazing they were and now every Christmas I get a random tool but nothing has come close to these wire cutters!!! 😂
Appreciate you sharing you thoughts and experiences. I just ordered the Knoweasy from Amazon. I started my electrical/ electronics journey in 1964 this will be yet another wire stripper in my toolbox.
Had one from RS Components about 30 years ago and they got wet corroding the cutter assembly. Were never the same again! I gave up with them and swore by the Ideal StripMaster type and never went back. I feel I owe them another try, now they are affordable!
Adam. I love you. I saw you use this tool on the portable battery charger video and I set out to find it and buy one. I decided to start my search with a google search and THIS VIDEO was literally the first thing to show up in the results. Why did I not think that would would have made a video about such a useful tool? Thank you so much for the link in the replies too! You're the best!
Automatic wire strippers are DOPE. I got a pair of Irwin strippers for $30 on Amazon, and use them every day, dozens to hundreds of times a day. Literally. I build firetrucks for a living.
Yep, back in the good old days I worked as an auto mechanic, and one of my specialties was dash work. Those strippers were a huge purchase for me (especially because I bought them off the Snap-On truck LOL), but worth every cent. When you are on your back and reaching up into a nest of wires, anything that makes the job easier is fantastic. Still have them too!
Everyone who has done any DIY electrical or electronics needs to strip wires.. you never installed speakers in your car, or home? Or wired a power supply on your PC?
I absolutely thought these were just kind of one of those self indulgent look how good I'm doing type of toys that electricians got to show off how many side jobs that they were pulling in. I didn't have problems using the manual kind that Adam showed at the beginning for the longest time. Of course all I did was running circuits in my house as rooms were renovated and such. Then I started building guitar pedals and rewiring guitars. Lots of 22 gauge wire in tight spaces and you really do not want to be putting enough force to strip the wire with the manual kind. So I broke down and bought a fifty dollar automatic wire stripper that will strip the 22 and 24 gauge wire I use regularly. After rewiring a strat using the new strippers I immediately bought another pair to use for house wiring so I could keep the electronics one in good shape. I would absolutely recommend to anyone doing wiring in their own home, in electronics or in some other hobby situation - just get a pair. I would not have said so before but having had them now I can tell you they are necessary.
My high school physics teacher introduced me to these and I promptly went out and bought a pair for $20 11 years ago. One of the best tools you can buy for so cheap.
Hey Adam huge fan 😁😂😎!!as much as I love automatic wire strippers, the most expensive and still my favorite unitasker tool I've ever bought was The original Ty-Rap automatic zip tie gun I think I paid $150 for the first one I bought back in 1991 when I first started working at an electrical control panel shop.! Same kind of one handed control over what you're doing!! It tightened the zip tie (TY-RAP).. and cut it off at whatever tension you choose!!
I got spoiled on Aircraft style wire strippers. They have removable cutter blades for various sized gauge wires. One side has a jaw that lowers and holds the wire. As you squeeze the stripper, the tool jaws spread open and the cutters push the cut insulation off the wire. They also have jaws that do not nick the wire strands plus a depth guide.
Capri Tools model 20010 are a nice bit of kit for wire. But I’m esp. fond of Knipex wire strippers. Expensive. But they’re made in Germany and the quality of construction and design is immediately evident. Saved me massive amounts of time.
Cool video, Adam! I bought mine about 40 yrs ago and have since worn them out. They were made by Paladin and have been discontinued. Expensive but best strippers ever. Totally worth it.
Hey Adam! I've said this in comments on previous videos and at the risk of being irritating i'm going to say it again. You need to get yourself an AMP VS-3 tool for splicing wire between 19 and 26 gauge. I know they're expensive but once you've tried it you'll never go back. No stripping, no soldering, and no heat shrink required. I do love my automatic wire strippers for anything over 19 gauge though :)
I have to use these wire strippers all day at work and some crimpers for ferrules on each wire too! I can't wait until a crimper and stripper tool is combined into one lol
An additional reason for these is with stranded wire. Legacy methods oftern result in broken strands. Fewer strands yields lower gauge conductor which, when carrying the rated current results in increased heat. In the worst case, this can result in a fire! I keep an AWS from Irwin in my every day tool vest. However, I really like the front feed units featured in this video.
I made a electric fixture for mine that allows me do operate them hands free using an electromagnet and a foot switch for when i need to do stuff at my workbench, totally game changer.
My personal top 3 wire-strippers that I use are as follows; Knipex side-cutters with integrated strippers for 1,5mm2 and 2,5mm2, extremely useful if you’re doing electrical work, as you don’t have to switch tools when snipping conductors and then stripping them. Then the Knipex version of the tool Adam just demonstrated, mine are ancient and still work perfectly to this day. They are also the only tool I know of that will strip ribbon cables, and are in my opinion the only automatic wire stripper to bother with, the rest are junk. And finally, the Ideal “common” wire stripper, like the one Adam showed at the start of the video. Excellent tool, very good blades, and rarely if ever nicks the wire when stripping.
As an elec-chicken, I have worn out 3 of the Knipex automatics. They really are worth the extra money, Knipex is streets ahead. Forget those bulky American wire strippers, the Knipex is where its at. Bonus: For anyone doing DIY electrical, (hopefully for small hobby projects and not something that needs to be up to code) check out Wago 221 splicing connectors. Forget about the lugs and crimps, you fire hazards 🔥
found the IRWIN brand a few years ago when doing a lot of electrical work on the house and wiring a car stereo. Best tool ever. Saves so much headache in tight spots.
I am so glad you posted this. I literally asked in a previous video what kind of strippers those are because they work SO MUCH BETTER than the ones I own.
My father had a pair of these when I was young. Probably still has them. They were a bit different, though. You'd put the wire in sideways, not straight on, and the head of it was split into two parts. Just before the cutting blade lowered, a flat piece lowered, held the wire, then the blade would come down, cut into the vinyl, and then the head of the unit would split apart, and pull the coating off.
As a trainee electrician I've always been taught to just strip with combi pliers (Klein's). Definitely frustrating at first but you eventually train your hand to the right grip pressure. But I always use auto strippers when I'm wiring a board or something with lots of connections.
This is actually common practice in New Zealand. Apparently it's all about speed on the job, and if your good at it, you never mark the copper. There is also a weird macho culture where if your reliant on auto strippers, your seen as unskilled or time wasting.
I recently got an automatic wire stripper from stanley. Ran me about 17€ and they work on pretty much any wire size. Super tool to cut, strip and crimp. They're even good at cutting bicycle bowden cable
My dad had a "self adjusting wire stripper". lol I played with it a lot as a kid with random waste pieces of wire, and whenever he let me use to help him.
I love this tool! And I have the expensive version (Weidmüller) where you can adjust the tension of the cutting knife, so it can strip both single and multicore wires from 5-6 AWG all the way down to 32 AWG without pulling any strands or other problems.
I also have Weidmuller strippers. One of the advantages you don't notice until you have been using them all day is the shock absorber - that sudden "clack" really affects your hands, and the little buffer that absorbs that is worth it's weight in gold. They really are worth the money.
You can't have to many :) The Weidmüller Stripax are indestructable... and worth every penny! You can't go wrong with the cheapies if you are not using them professionally or daily.
I remember my dad coming home from overseas with a pair of automatic wire strippers. He told me that it is so awesome that he actually stole them from his company issued tools. And I took up electrical engineering and one of our topics in a class was basically a wire stripping tutorial and I whip out the tool. I became one of the cool kids then. To this day, my dad still has them in this red box and use them from time to time. Real game changer indeed.
Adam should also feature the automatic zip lock machine // automatic zip tie gun :D There are numerous models. At work we use a bunch of different versions and they are a game changer if you have to zip tie a bunch of stuff :)
nothing wrong with a knife for stripping wires. I learned it that way at school. It does take a bit more skill to avoid cutting the metal (which is bad for obvious reasons), but it works
Definitely worth getting a pair with adjustable tension if you work with tiny wire! These and my automagic zip tie tightener-and-flush-cutter are some of my favorite time-savers! Careful biting into solid-core wire. A nicked solid wire will eventually break if it sees any movement.
The Irwin strippers are awesome also, they have some crimp tools on the handle also. The feature I love the most about these is they can strip the outer sheath off multi core wire super easy then strip multiple core wires at once. Very quick if you are doing home electrical work.
Ted Fort To me, they complement each other. I prefer this kind for most things, but yeah, for mid-stripping, as well as for any kind of twin or minor ribbon cable, the side loading kind is needed.
I got pretty good at using the scissors on my Swiss Army knife to strip wire for a long time until I broke down and bought an automatic stripper. Great investment.
I had a shitty pair for almost 5 years until my grandfather gave me his old pair and I've had them for about 15 years now and they still work fantastically... I don't think I can ever go back.
I’d just like to say I’m am and was a big fan of mythbusters wish it came back but anyway. I’m a trainee electrician and i never new about these but thanks Adam a new toy for my toolbox :)
Never used a wire stripper. I was taught with a wire cutter. You cut down only through the covering and twist the wire between the blades to cut around it and then simply pull the covering off. You gotta be precise to not damage the wire while doing it, because if you pinch too hard with the cutters, you'll damage the wire. But its the only way I ever knew how to do it.
I was using an automatic wire stripper in the mid 90’s when I was professionally installing car audio and car alarms. It was expensive, but worth the price.
Sad to see you didn't cover the mid range ones that aren't so expensive, they are similar but don't use blades, they use two teethed metal parts and pull the wire apart sideways, in the same direction of the handles, though now with those cheaper versions available of yours it's not so much of an issue, I still love the ones I'm talking about, and they are more compact due to the thin nature of them, and it works well for extremely small wires as well.
I’ve seen these before but only ever in videos. I have worked with and around a lot of electricians doing both commercial and residential work and a lot of mechanics and they all still use regular wire strippers.
Here are the wire strippers Adam is talking about: amzn.to/37Axegi
Disclaimer: Tested may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through the links here.
Great
Don't twist!
Come on man your close with NASA! 😉
These look like clones of the Knipex Multistrip 10. In direct comparison the original Knipex is performing better for very thin wires (e.g. wirewrap stuff).
Here is a comparison: ruclips.net/video/9DGqiqA4tZo/видео.html
Any recommendations for really nice ones? I mostly mod my video game consoles and deal with small cables.
Adam Savage’s Tested what brand are the nicer strippers?
i remember my dad having automatic wire strippers and even though they broke, he never threw them away. no idea why. well i am 25 now and found some on a flea market to replace his. my father is not a person that throws his emotions out into the wild, but i knew he was glad to get those :D
My uncle gifted me an inexpensive version of these and even those are such a joy to use. Underrated tool right there.
That's not how you use manual wire strippers. You only make a single cut the the correct gauage stripper then you use the teeth at the end to pull the insulation off.
Now trending on Amazon: Automatic wire strippers.
K-mart announcement for 21st Century
Thanks, Adam! This makes me wish you would post a video with your recommendations for a Maker’s Starter Toolkit; essential tools that should be in anyone’s starter set. That would be most helpful for us novices.
Yeah! these niche tools are great, but when your most expensive tool is a $10 one from harbor freight, I could use some basics first ...
ruclips.net/video/Nprbd76FFFI/видео.html
@@tay13666 relevant, but not quite the same.
thing is, it really depends on WHAT you're trying to make and what materials you're using
It is really great. Bought my first one 96 when working with audio/video fabrication and installation. The time savings and consistency it has makes it worth every penny.
Cool! I remember using these auto stripper's in school 20+ years ago....I don't strip wire very often, but when I do it's usually quite a messy affair with the standard tool....and I always find myself thinking back to this wonderful invention.... definitely going on the shopping list next time I visit the hardware store... thanks Adam 👍
Nothing like a set of automatic wire strippers. Love them SO MUCH. Also like the idea of having a cheap version, seeing as how I don’t need a professional-level unit, but also it’s so nice to see that the one you spent all the dough on is still being used today!! Thanks, Adam!
I'm not a maker. I STILL click faster then the speed of light on these vids with Adam. Greetings from The Netherlands.
Oh you’re a maker, you just haven’t made yet
Watching makers make stuff is like watching Bob Ross paint. It's therapeutic, whether you do it yourself or not.
De groette terug
You need an anti-fingernail smashing device next!
Savage bro savage
Oh yeah! I saw these during a random hardware store visit about 7 years ago, and immediately knew that I needed them. They were about $75, so i couldn't buy them straight away, but a few months later I did, and they've been my absolute favorite tool ever since!
I remember being a young tool geek and working in the garage with my dad while working on his race car. And the day he started wiring it up and let me help strip wires was EPIC! Reason being he, being an electrician with the Dept. of Water and Power in L.A., he had acquired a set of automatic wire strippers that were plier based. I LOVED that tool then and to this day!
I'm not a maker or even 1/4 or a decent handyman, but I had to strip a wire once, I mentioned it to a friend who works with a sparky (uk for electrician) and he told me about the tool you're using, he had one in his van and showed it to me, and let me borrow it. I was blown away by the tool, the ease of use and how it can make a tricky job effortless (if you only have a Stanley blade and pliers >_
I had a pair forever, and they are so old, i can't tell what brand they are. They were made to be repaired, but a component broke(part of the blade structure). They were the absolute best. I bought a pair of Kleins, and they are good, but they are nothing like the old ones which took any gauge, and stripped it perfectly, every single time. Thanks for this, i've never seen the form factor you are using, but an extra pair will be handy. The Kleins you have to put into the right slot, the old ones had no slot, they took any size, and just stripped the wire. Amazing.
I was amazed when i discovered these. Such a convience improvement. Also you don't have to adjust them as precisely as the one with a turning knob (the third kind of strippers).
The kind with the knob (I call them "Euro-style") are really good for small wire though. For consistently stripping 24 or 26 gauge wire, there is no better tool, in my opinion.
@@PhysicsDude55 exactly! Best for the real tiny stuff!
www.amazon.ca/Klein-Tools-11063-Katapult-Stripper/dp/B00BC39YFQ/ref=asc_df_B00BC39YFQ/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292914019569&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9940355808255377009&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9000053&hvtargid=pla-435049183348&th=1&psc=1
this style is an option too, good for compact areas sometime frustrating to get the wire lined up properly though
Had mine for 20 years + and use it everyday. I’m a electrician. If you are in the Trade, Buy the weidmÜller model. Yes it is expensive, But it Will serve you for a liftime.
With love from Denmark!❤️🇩🇰
I saw some different types when I googled, some described one as having no cutting blade. Is this true for the one you use also? So it kind of just pulls the plastic off?
My favourite automatic strippers are the aerospace style ones made by ideal which cost around £100 back in the 90s. Had to have them as they were the only strippers allowed by the aerospace company I was working for at the time. Other places I've worked only allowed the manual strippers first shown by Adam.
I have has a set of Stripax- Professional since 99 and will definitely add the new set to my toolbox. thanks for sharing
I agree 100% My friend told me about them as he used them for work. He explained how to use them and how it strips the wire but I couldn't wrap my head around it so he showed me. I was amazed as it can strip a variety of wire gauges. As an added bonus he gave me his old set as he just bought a new set for work. I will never go back to using the old style ever again.
As a skilled and trained Electrician and Engineer, that worked on machines and installations and such, these are your bread and butter. I've been trained on them, I had never used something else...
My Dad, also a trained Electrician still owns these "Old style strippers", and some years ago, I set him up with a new set of tools, all Insulated, state of the Art, and he loves it! We've been intalling a new kitchen last year, and yes... it is SO MUCH easier for him!
I really love my Jokari Super 4Plus, my favorite automatic wire strippers, professional but not to expensive. And I love the design of those, nice and ergonomic.
I am an electrical engineer. I use the more expensive ones at work everyday. They work great.
Thank you Adam! I wish I knew about these sooner. From time to time I replace old card readers at work and could have used something like this instead of my wire stripping multi-tool. I kept stripping copper because I misjudged the gauge.
I used one similar to the expensive one when I did automation work. It also had built in crimping and crimps for when you were doing hundreds of cross connections. Amazing tools.
As a left handed spark these were a lifesaver. All the other wire stripper tools were right handed.
I have a German one since years, one of my fav tools.
Please tell us the name of the German one ;)
Anita Swart Jokari or Weidmüller, most likely. Jokari makes all price points (I made the mistake of buying the cheapest version without a depth stop or cut depth fine-tuning, for wire with unusually thick or thin insulation), all of which perform very well, they differ only in features. Weidmüller is what Adam has, they don’t do low end, but if you get one you will not regret it at all. I plan on getting one myself, after getting spoiled with one at work. :p
Yeah I have a Weidmüller.
just bought an IRWIN VISE-GRIP Wire Stripper for a project and can confirm that those are de best $23 bucks I have expended, the time and frustration it saves you is priceless!!
I make custom wiring harnesses for a living. I strip hundreds of wire ends a day. These are absolutely essential to what I do.
What brand of tool do you use ?
@@ServantofChrist81 I use all sorts of brands, but my most used strippers are Klein.
@@talexander7217 glad you said that. I just bought some Klein’s 😂
When I moved into my first home, my father in law was helping me with DIY. He has a reputation of being, let's say, awkward. I really needed some wire cutters among the thousands of other jobs going on at that moment. He went away to buy some and came back with this pair of wire cutters. I took one look at them and had no idea what he had brought, tossed them aside, and continued whittling away with a knife I had to hand. Some months later, when the stress of living in a building site had passed, I was in need of some wire cutters again. I picked these back up and with a now clear mind figured out how they worked, and my mind was blown! They are so good! I called him up to tell him how amazing they were and now every Christmas I get a random tool but nothing has come close to these wire cutters!!! 😂
I use a pair of Klein Tools Automatic Wire Strippers (model 11063-W) and they have been a game changer for all my wiring needs.
Appreciate you sharing you thoughts and experiences. I just ordered the Knoweasy from Amazon. I started my electrical/ electronics journey in 1964 this will be yet another wire stripper in my toolbox.
Had one from RS Components about 30 years ago and they got wet corroding the cutter assembly. Were never the same again! I gave up with them and swore by the Ideal StripMaster type and never went back. I feel I owe them another try, now they are affordable!
Adam. I love you. I saw you use this tool on the portable battery charger video and I set out to find it and buy one. I decided to start my search with a google search and THIS VIDEO was literally the first thing to show up in the results. Why did I not think that would would have made a video about such a useful tool? Thank you so much for the link in the replies too! You're the best!
Automatic wire strippers are DOPE. I got a pair of Irwin strippers for $30 on Amazon, and use them every day, dozens to hundreds of times a day. Literally. I build firetrucks for a living.
Yep, back in the good old days I worked as an auto mechanic, and one of my specialties was dash work. Those strippers were a huge purchase for me (especially because I bought them off the Snap-On truck LOL), but worth every cent. When you are on your back and reaching up into a nest of wires, anything that makes the job easier is fantastic. Still have them too!
*really fond of well made thoughtfully designed tools that actually WORK and do their jobs well*
I won't be stripping wires anytime ever. But I need those
Everyone who has done any DIY electrical or electronics needs to strip wires.. you never installed speakers in your car, or home? Or wired a power supply on your PC?
@@dfbess you shouldn't need wire strippers to wire a pc...
I absolutely thought these were just kind of one of those self indulgent look how good I'm doing type of toys that electricians got to show off how many side jobs that they were pulling in. I didn't have problems using the manual kind that Adam showed at the beginning for the longest time. Of course all I did was running circuits in my house as rooms were renovated and such. Then I started building guitar pedals and rewiring guitars. Lots of 22 gauge wire in tight spaces and you really do not want to be putting enough force to strip the wire with the manual kind. So I broke down and bought a fifty dollar automatic wire stripper that will strip the 22 and 24 gauge wire I use regularly. After rewiring a strat using the new strippers I immediately bought another pair to use for house wiring so I could keep the electronics one in good shape. I would absolutely recommend to anyone doing wiring in their own home, in electronics or in some other hobby situation - just get a pair. I would not have said so before but having had them now I can tell you they are necessary.
My high school physics teacher introduced me to these and I promptly went out and bought a pair for $20 11 years ago. One of the best tools you can buy for so cheap.
Hey Adam huge fan 😁😂😎!!as much as I love automatic wire strippers, the most expensive and still my favorite unitasker tool I've ever bought was The original Ty-Rap automatic zip tie gun I think I paid $150 for the first one I bought back in 1991 when I first started working at an electrical control panel shop.! Same kind of one handed control over what you're doing!! It tightened the zip tie (TY-RAP).. and cut it off at whatever tension you choose!!
Holy hell, I worked in IT for quite a while and not once did I see or hear about these. Incredible.
I got spoiled on Aircraft style wire strippers. They have removable cutter blades for various sized gauge wires. One side has a jaw that lowers and holds the wire. As you squeeze the stripper, the tool jaws spread open and the cutters push the cut insulation off the wire. They also have jaws that do not nick the wire strands plus a depth guide.
Capri Tools model 20010 are a nice bit of kit for wire.
But I’m esp. fond of Knipex wire strippers. Expensive. But they’re made in Germany and the quality of construction and design is immediately evident. Saved me massive amounts of time.
Cool video, Adam! I bought mine about 40 yrs ago and have since worn them out. They were made by Paladin and have been discontinued. Expensive but best strippers ever. Totally worth it.
please get all of the favourite tool videos into one playlist! :)
I used to work with electric stuff before, this tool was the primary thing in my tool bag. Could not work without one!
Hey Adam! I've said this in comments on previous videos and at the risk of being irritating i'm going to say it again. You need to get yourself an AMP VS-3 tool for splicing wire between 19 and 26 gauge. I know they're expensive but once you've tried it you'll never go back. No stripping, no soldering, and no heat shrink required. I do love my automatic wire strippers for anything over 19 gauge though :)
lol one of those automatic ones was literally my first wire stripper and I still use it, nice to see it getting some love lol
I have to use these wire strippers all day at work and some crimpers for ferrules on each wire too! I can't wait until a crimper and stripper tool is combined into one lol
Oh boy! A video about Adam's favorite strippers... wait a second here.
An additional reason for these is with stranded wire. Legacy methods oftern result in broken strands. Fewer strands yields lower gauge conductor which, when carrying the rated current results in increased heat. In the worst case, this can result in a fire!
I keep an AWS from Irwin in my every day tool vest. However, I really like the front feed units featured in this video.
I made a electric fixture for mine that allows me do operate them hands free using an electromagnet and a foot switch for when i need to do stuff at my workbench, totally game changer.
I've got some and I absolutely love em
My personal top 3 wire-strippers that I use are as follows; Knipex side-cutters with integrated strippers for 1,5mm2 and 2,5mm2, extremely useful if you’re doing electrical work, as you don’t have to switch tools when snipping conductors and then stripping them. Then the Knipex version of the tool Adam just demonstrated, mine are ancient and still work perfectly to this day. They are also the only tool I know of that will strip ribbon cables, and are in my opinion the only automatic wire stripper to bother with, the rest are junk. And finally, the Ideal “common” wire stripper, like the one Adam showed at the start of the video. Excellent tool, very good blades, and rarely if ever nicks the wire when stripping.
Adam, you rock. Thank you for this tip!!!
As an elec-chicken, I have worn out 3 of the Knipex automatics. They really are worth the extra money, Knipex is streets ahead.
Forget those bulky American wire strippers, the Knipex is where its at.
Bonus: For anyone doing DIY electrical, (hopefully for small hobby projects and not something that needs to be up to code) check out Wago 221 splicing connectors. Forget about the lugs and crimps, you fire hazards 🔥
We have 3 or so of the old ones at work. I love working with them its insane how easy it makes your life
found the IRWIN brand a few years ago when doing a lot of electrical work on the house and wiring a car stereo. Best tool ever. Saves so much headache in tight spots.
One of the best things to have in a kit for electrical. I prefer the Klein 11063W
Love those for in the shop. Bit as tradie they’re another thing to carry. Usually I use my pliers to strip, unless I need to do a lot.
Wire Cutter and Stripper, for 8-20 AWG Solid and 10-22 AWG Stranded Electrical Wire Klein Tools 11063W is my favorite
I am so glad you posted this. I literally asked in a previous video what kind of strippers those are because they work SO MUCH BETTER than the ones I own.
Mitoni Look for Weidmüller or Jokari. I’ve used both and they both work great.
My father had a pair of these when I was young. Probably still has them. They were a bit different, though. You'd put the wire in sideways, not straight on, and the head of it was split into two parts. Just before the cutting blade lowered, a flat piece lowered, held the wire, then the blade would come down, cut into the vinyl, and then the head of the unit would split apart, and pull the coating off.
As a trainee electrician I've always been taught to just strip with combi pliers (Klein's). Definitely frustrating at first but you eventually train your hand to the right grip pressure.
But I always use auto strippers when I'm wiring a board or something with lots of connections.
LINEMANS... not kleins... LINEMANS PLIERS.
@@-Nick-T also known as the electrician's hammer.
Well as an electrician I don't call it the electricians hammer I just call it a hammer
You're being trained to strip with linemans?
What sort of hack is training you?
This is actually common practice in New Zealand. Apparently it's all about speed on the job, and if your good at it, you never mark the copper.
There is also a weird macho culture where if your reliant on auto strippers, your seen as unskilled or time wasting.
Thank you adam I got a pair automatic wire strippers.
I recently got an automatic wire stripper from stanley. Ran me about 17€ and they work on pretty much any wire size. Super tool to cut, strip and crimp. They're even good at cutting bicycle bowden cable
My dad had a "self adjusting wire stripper". lol I played with it a lot as a kid with random waste pieces of wire, and whenever he let me use to help him.
I love the short videos on your favorite tools! Keep em coming!
I love this tool! And I have the expensive version (Weidmüller) where you can adjust the tension of the cutting knife, so it can strip both single and multicore wires from 5-6 AWG all the way down to 32 AWG without pulling any strands or other problems.
I also have Weidmuller strippers. One of the advantages you don't notice until you have been using them all day is the shock absorber - that sudden "clack" really affects your hands, and the little buffer that absorbs that is worth it's weight in gold. They really are worth the money.
I think I had the same reaction the first time someone showed me automatic wire strippers, they are excellent.
My Father was an old school electrician, he used a knife. I was taught to do it that way - - - I have has an automatic stripper for several years
I've got to check those out! I love my Irwin Tools vise-grip Wire Stripper and Cutter
I use the IRWIN'S also, but the one he showed look a little quicker.
@@boconnor8803 Definitely!
You can't have to many :)
The Weidmüller Stripax are indestructable... and worth every penny! You can't go wrong with the cheapies if you are not using them professionally or daily.
I remember my dad coming home from overseas with a pair of automatic wire strippers. He told me that it is so awesome that he actually stole them from his company issued tools. And I took up electrical engineering and one of our topics in a class was basically a wire stripping tutorial and I whip out the tool. I became one of the cool kids then. To this day, my dad still has them in this red box and use them from time to time. Real game changer indeed.
Adam should also feature the automatic zip lock machine // automatic zip tie gun :D There are numerous models. At work we use a bunch of different versions and they are a game changer if you have to zip tie a bunch of stuff :)
I have a wire stripper from the 60's that sideways instead of from the front. Wonderful tool.
I knew there would be a favorite tools about those!
And here’s me, stripping wires with a knife for years, oblivious of technology
Being poor has given me expertise in stripping thin wires using fingernail clippers
eri - Or fingernails themselves, which work surprisingly well on the thinnest gauges
You can actually go pretty thick I've found. Works damn good in a pinch
For the gauges I run into for small electronics I usually use my teeth.
nothing wrong with a knife for stripping wires.
I learned it that way at school.
It does take a bit more skill to avoid cutting the metal (which is bad for obvious reasons), but it works
Just bought a cheap $6 auto wire stripper. It breaks thin stranded wire out of the box but it does have a an adjustment knob.
Definitely worth getting a pair with adjustable tension if you work with tiny wire! These and my automagic zip tie tightener-and-flush-cutter are some of my favorite time-savers! Careful biting into solid-core wire. A nicked solid wire will eventually break if it sees any movement.
The Irwin strippers are awesome also, they have some crimp tools on the handle also. The feature I love the most about these is they can strip the outer sheath off multi core wire super easy then strip multiple core wires at once. Very quick if you are doing home electrical work.
used to do a TON of automotive wire repairs, automatic wire strippers were a live saver!
I like the side-loading models, as they allow you to strip the insulation from the middle of wire so you can splice another wire onto it.
Ted Fort To me, they complement each other. I prefer this kind for most things, but yeah, for mid-stripping, as well as for any kind of twin or minor ribbon cable, the side loading kind is needed.
I got pretty good at using the scissors on my Swiss Army knife to strip wire for a long time until I broke down and bought an automatic stripper. Great investment.
I had a shitty pair for almost 5 years until my grandfather gave me his old pair and I've had them for about 15 years now and they still work fantastically... I don't think I can ever go back.
I use that tool every day at work, it is amazing!
I’d just like to say I’m am and was a big fan of mythbusters wish it came back but anyway. I’m a trainee electrician and i never new about these but thanks Adam a new toy for my toolbox :)
More of fav tools please
I worked electrical assembly in a factory and we had a couple of them.
I bout my first automatic wire stripper from radio shack in 07 for $30 they still sell em on the website & are great quality
I have a similar tool but the profile is alot smaller which helps in cramped spaces
Never used a wire stripper. I was taught with a wire cutter. You cut down only through the covering and twist the wire between the blades to cut around it and then simply pull the covering off. You gotta be precise to not damage the wire while doing it, because if you pinch too hard with the cutters, you'll damage the wire. But its the only way I ever knew how to do it.
I was using an automatic wire stripper in the mid 90’s when I was professionally installing car audio and car alarms. It was expensive, but worth the price.
Sad to see you didn't cover the mid range ones that aren't so expensive, they are similar but don't use blades, they use two teethed metal parts and pull the wire apart sideways, in the same direction of the handles, though now with those cheaper versions available of yours it's not so much of an issue, I still love the ones I'm talking about, and they are more compact due to the thin nature of them, and it works well for extremely small wires as well.
If you leave the stripped part on and twist as you pull it off you get a tight twist in the strands, ideal for terminating.
I’ve seen these before but only ever in videos. I have worked with and around a lot of electricians doing both commercial and residential work and a lot of mechanics and they all still use regular wire strippers.
In november 2020 Knipex is releasing their forged wire stripper. It's not automatic but an amazing wire stripper definately a must have!
I have a similar tool that also has a bootlace ferrule magazine in the top too.
I think for about 20 years I was using side cutters and only bought my first one of those in the last 12 months, should have done it way sooner
The wire strippers where the wire goes in sideways work better and they were out 30 years ago! I used them starting in '91!