Marine wire stripper ripoff

ronsurf said:
The best ones I've ever had are similar to these: https://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-316247/ck-495001-automatic-wire-stripper.html

They were left in the back of my car after a service, along with a very nice 11mm spanner. I see they cost £16, I remember paying a lot more than that....
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I got a pair similar to those from ALDI. They work quite well I also have several other types. Much of the thinner audio and data cabling I terminate would be very difficult without automatic strippers, especially up ladders of in awkward places.
 
I've used professional wire strippers- which are essential if you are dealing with teflon high temp coated wire. Though for normal purposes I often use side cutters or a Stanley blade or even scissors. Not too PC , but works well with some care. Most of it hinges on how much you use the tool?
 
A long long time ago, I was working as an apprentice sparky. In sparky school, they taught us which tools to use to properly strip a wire, and at the time most of them looked like this.

Then they sent us out in the field a couple weeks, with a different master or journeyman sparky each time to learn from. All of them stripped wires, stranded and solid core with their trusty side cutters (good quality VDE ones). When asked about this, they'd laugh and say nobody has that sort of time and if you do it right, the side cutter is just as good.

I have since stripped many wires with my side cutter, and become sufficiently good at it. They were indeed right - with the right technique you can do it with a side cutter.

The trick is the same as all the purpose built tools use - score the cover, but do not cut it all the way down to the wire. Then pull on the cover until it elongates and tears off. If you have marked the solid core, or even a single strand has come off with the cover, you've done it wrong. With enough practice, you can do this with any tool, and without the practice you can muck it up with any tool.
 
Yngmar said:
... The trick is the same as all the purpose built tools use - score the cover, but do not cut it all the way down to the wire. Then pull on the cover until it elongates and tears off. If you have marked the solid core, or even a single strand has come off with the cover, you've done it wrong. With enough practice, you can do this with any tool, and without the practice you can muck it up with any tool.
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Yes, I agree. I use one of the end-cut V-notch types with a knurled and locking adjuster. Old fashioned, perhaps, but if you're not doing large numbers of joints, or dealing with the same size cable, it doesn't take that much more time and there's much less risk of nicking the core.
 
Yngmar said:
A long long time ago, I was working as an apprentice sparky. In sparky school, they taught us which tools to use to properly strip a wire, and at the time most of them looked like this.
Click to expand...

I also use wire cutter like those posted for thicker wire i.e 1.5sqmm and above but smaller it a blunt side cutters and signal wire like NMEA is teeth.
 
Was in the electronic manufacturing industry wiring & repairing cabinets and units for over 20years and we never used strippers. Too slow keep changing tools. Decent side cutters crimped either side and then slice off works wonders.
 
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