Cleaning the cable from the insulation tool. How to strip insulation from wires: quick ways, tips and tricks

It is extremely unlikely that a specialized tool for performing work with electrical products can be found in the household of an ordinary man in the street. Most often, for such purposes, craftsmen use a standard set with hammers and screwdrivers, however, it is hardly possible to perform the task at a high quality using these devices. After all, stripping the cable from insulation requires careful performance of this operation.

For such a case, specialists have a special tool in their arsenal for stripping insulation from wires. Although it has a simple device, it is not recommended to use improvised means instead. After all, even if the master is good at using a kitchen knife and, due to the existing experience, will be able to strip the cable from the sheath, it is unlikely that the quality of such work will be high.

Cable stripper

When unexpectedly in front of the owner the task of stripping the wire from insulation arises, many home craftsmen resort to this particular tool, with which you can perform the necessary work with wires with a fairly high quality. But the question arises: why can't you use an ordinary, well-sharpened knife for the same purposes? You may be able to strip the cable from the sheath with it, but you cannot be sure that during this operation you will not damage the core of the wire.

Working with a special knife to remove insulation, you can avoid such an unpleasant consequence, because from not intended for work with electrical accessories, it is distinguished by the presence of a rubberized handle and an unusual blade shape.

In this tool, the cutting part is made with bends, for example, in the form of a sickle. It also has increased strength characteristics, since it is made of tool steel. With all this in mind, you can be sure that using a cable cutter, you will be able to perform high-quality processing of the wire. In addition, cable knives are currently one of the most affordable similar devices.

Pliers and pliers

As you familiarize yourself with the range of devices for working with electrical wiring products, you will find that the most popular tool, which is present in almost every standard and universal set, is the pliers. But, like all other types of devices for working with insulation, they also have their own characteristics. First of all, they have several precision holes of different diameters, and in addition to them, straight blades and raised jaws. Due to these design features, the pliers not only allow you to qualitatively remove the insulation from the wires, but also do it without any special efforts.

It is noteworthy that the pliers can also be used for making bends of stripped wire, gripping and cutting the cable. In this category of tools, there is another interesting device - pliers designed to grip electrical wiring products. They will also be indispensable for the home craftsman, because one of their main features is the ability to adapt to any cable diameter, for which you do not have to perform additional manipulations. Nippers have a similar purpose, however, experts resort to them only in those cases when you need to achieve high accuracy and speed during the execution of the workflow.

Strippers

They are a kind of tool for conducting electrical work, designed to remove insulation from wires and separate cores. Manufacturers produce two types of devices:

• for processing a conventional electrical cable;
• for stripping twisted pair.

In the design of the tool for stripping the shell, two handles and jaws with holes of different diameters can be distinguished. Thus, focusing on the cross-sectional indicators, the master selects a hole suitable for him for stripping the cable.

During the execution of the working process, the handles are brought to each other, which forces the incisors to contract in the holes, and under their influence, the insulation is captured. After that, you only need to pull on the cable to completely remove the sheath from the wire.

The most primitive models of strippers have holes only on the lips. For professionals, this may not be enough. Therefore, they use a special tool, which additionally has holes between the handles, which provide the tool with more opportunities for work.

How to use

Manufacturers produce strippers in several versions:

• ordinary manual;
• semi-automatic;
• automatic.

Each of these devices has its own operating characteristics. We would like to introduce you to the most popular version of this tool - semi-automatic. Even a non-specialist can learn to handle it.

• First, you need to set the limiter to the required length, which allows you to determine the bare conductor length even before stripping the cable.
• If this length is too long, then the stopper can be lowered slightly.
• After that, the conductor is placed on the jaws of the forceps, rests against the stopper and begins to press on the handles.

On closer inspection of the tool's design, you can see the notches on one side of the jaw, which at the moment you press on the handle begin to exert increasing pressure on the insulation. It should also be noted that the jaws of the pliers have sharp-edged projections on both sides that allow a neat trimming of the insulating sheath.

At the moment when the master exerts the necessary force on the handle, the jaws move apart sharply due to the operation of a special mechanism. As a result, the insulating shell at the place of the cut is cut off and pulled out. Thanks to such a forceps device, remove insulation is possible even from the cable, which has several cores, but it will be possible to successfully cope with this task only if the thickness of the cores is small. Most modern strippers allow you to clean conductors from insulation with a cross section of 0.2 to 6 mm 2.

Varieties

The most primitive version of the forceps is made in the form of side cutters with blades, on which there are several shaped notches of various diameters. With the help of each of these recesses, it is possible to remove the sheathing from a cable of only a certain diameter. Moreover, in one working cycle, only one core can be stripped. There are also semi-automatic strippers that we have already met.

Also, manufacturers produce pliers of a more complex design - automatic. This tool differs from the above modifications by the presence of an electric drive and allows you to remove the sheath from the cable in automatic mode. In stores, you can also find special versions of automatic strippers, the capabilities of which allow you not only to remove insulation, but also to strip the conductors and twist them in the case of working with stranded conductors.

There is also a special type of forceps designed for processing twisted pair, which are made in the form of a clamp with a built-in blade. Thanks to such a device, they allow you to quite accurately and accurately cut the outer sheath of the cable. With this tool, you can prepare coaxial cables for the subsequent installation of the F-connector.

However, today manufacturers also produce their own type of stripper for coaxial cable. Of its features it should be noted the presence an additional blade and interchangeable inserts designed for cables of various diameters. One blade is needed to remove the outer sheath and the other to remove the inner one. To successfully perform stripping, it is necessary to fine-tune the tool before operation.

Also in stores you can find strippers for power cables and optical fibers. The latter option provides high accuracy of stripping the insulation, but it also costs much more than its counterparts. It is usually used by professionals to perform highly specialized tasks. It allows you to remove the thinnest layers shell with fiber optic conductor.

How to choose the right tool

Before buying pliers and in general, any tool must be remembered that each of them provides for its own peculiarities of working with it. If we talk about cable knives, then they have a wide functionality and allow you to remove insulation from conductors of any size and cross section. However, this tool must be handled with care, otherwise the structure of the metal base of the cable can be easily damaged. Pliers and pliers are best used to remove the sheath from the conductor, but they are not as versatile as they are designed to work only with conductors of a certain diameter.

For example, most of these devices are suitable for stripping conductors with a diameter of 0.4 to 4 cm. Usually this range of values ​​is sufficient for processing most electrical wires.

But if you have to deal with specialized cables, you will need an alternative stripping device. In addition to this, attention should be paid to the characteristics of the handle, as they can affect the quality and accuracy of stripping. On the handles of the wire stripping pliers, a dielectric coating must be present, which will provide protection of hands from electric shock.

Specifications

When choosing the right tool for working with certain conductive products, you need to remember that manufacturers produce them in a large number of options, each of which has their own technical characteristics. Let us dwell in more detail on the operating parameters possessed by a semi-automatic stripper, which is most often used in domestic conditions.

When getting to know him, first of all, you need to pay attention to such a characteristic as the wire cross-section, which for most models has an indicator of 0.2-6 mm 2. If the model is equipped with a crimping option, then the description must contain information about the size of the sleeves and tips. For the considered version of the tool, the maximum value of the cross-section of the sleeves will also be 6 mm 2. The situation is similar with the nippers that are provided in this tool. They are also designed to work with a conductor of the same size.

How the stripper differs from the crimper

In terms of its structure, a crimper is not much different from pliers. Its main difference is related to its functional purpose - it is designed to perform exactly the opposite work than the tool used to strip the cable. Crimper is used when you need to crimp wires for their subsequent connection and installation.

The use of this stripper is not recommended, but in combination with a stripper, it can help in solving the following tasks - stripping and crimping wires. In other words, thanks to the stripper and crimper, you can perform the main types of work that most often occur when installing electrical products, namely, remove the sheath from the conductors and fasten them together. These devices are equipped with two functional zones on which the crimp grooves and jaws are located.

Summing up

In the process of installing various electrical devices and connecting household appliances, it is necessary to pre-process electrical conductors ... Very important so that this work can be done properly without damaging the cable cores. This can only be done using a specialized stripping tool. Most often, a stripper is used, with which you can gently remove the insulation, keeping the protective sheath of the conductor intact.

However, for the high-quality performance of this operation, it is necessary to choose the right stripper, since not all of them are universal. First of all, it is necessary to take into account the type of cable with which you have to work, as well as its diameter. Safety should not be forgotten either. The selected tool for removing the insulating sheath must be equipped with handles with a dielectric coating, which will protect the master from electric shock during work.

After choosing the wire cross-section, drawing up an electrical wiring diagram and purchasing installation products, you can proceed with the installation of electrical wiring in the house. The reliability of the wiring depends not only on the reliability of the wire connections with the installation products. Correct stripping of the wire ends is equally important.

How to properly remove insulation from wires
universal tool

Usually, plastic insulation is removed mechanically (with a knife or side cutters) or by melting. The enamel insulation is removed mechanically (scraped off with a knife or emery paper) or chemically.

How to properly remove insulation from a wire using a knife

It is wrong when, to remove the insulation, it is cut in a circle with a knife blade oriented perpendicular to the wire while still applying considerable force.

As a result, a notch of the copper core occurs, and the wire at this point can easily break. This is especially true when stripping thin wires with a diameter of 0.6-0.8 mm. After such stripping, they break off after a few minor bends.

It is necessary that the blade is almost in the same plane with the axis of the wire. The insulation is cut along the conductor, the remaining on the wire is pulled to the side and also cut off.

How to properly remove insulation from a wire using side cutters

The second mistake is often made when stripping insulation with side cutters. Usually pick up the tool as needed, regardless of the orientation of the cutting edges.

If the side of the sharpening is directed towards the movement of the side cutters, then a significant clamping force has to be applied. The wire can easily break off along with the insulation.

And it is necessary that the sides of the sharpening of the cutting edges of the side cutters look in the direction opposite to the movement of the tool, as shown in the photo. As a result, the cutting edges, even with a slight touch to the insulation, cut into it, and the insulation with a tube without notching the wire can be easily removed.

Reflow stripping of plastic insulation

Insulation of modern wires for electrical wiring is usually made of PVC or polyethylene, the melting point of which is in the range of 105-140 ° C. Therefore, using a soldering iron or other heating device, you can easily and safely remove the insulation from the wire. To do this, it is enough to hold the end of the soldering iron tip, pressing along the circumference of the insulation in the right place. The insulation will heat up, melt and can be easily removed by hand.

As you can see, the insulation was removed perfectly without harming the copper conductor.

If you need to strip a lot of wires from plastic insulation, then it is advisable to use a special device. Burning wood is very suitable for these purposes. Previously, these were produced under the name "Pattern".

The method of removing insulation by flashing is indispensable in cases of work with old electrical wiring. Over time, plastic will age and become very tough, like bone. A piece of wire only 3 cm long protrudes in the junction box in the wall. You cannot get to the insulation with a knife or nippers. In this situation, only reflow will help to solve the problem. You can soften the insulation by heating it with a match or a gas lighter, then remove it.

With a conductor diameter of more than 0.2 mm, the most convenient is the mechanical method of stripping the insulation using sandpaper or scraping the enamel with a knife.

In order to remove with sandpaper, you need to bend a small sheet of fine sandpaper in half, bring the end of the wire inside between the bent halves of the sheet and pull the wire through without squeezing the wire with your fingers. And so repeat this operation by turning the wire until all the enamel is removed.

To remove the enamel with a knife, you need to put the end of the wire on any hard surface and, turning the wire in a circle, scrape off the enamel until the end of the wire is completely clear of varnish.

If the insulation is removed from a wire with a diameter of less than 0.2 mm, it is difficult to mechanically remove the enamel without damaging or breaking the conductor.

But it is easy to remove the enamel by a thermochemical method, using a soldering iron and a piece of PVC insulation. To do this, you need to stretch the end of the wire between the tip of the soldering iron, pressed against the PVC. Chlorine released from heating will clean the wire from enamel.

This method is indispensable for removing enamel from a wire of the lizendrat type, which is widely used in radio communications for winding high-frequency inductors. Litsendrat is a lot of thin enamelled wires twisted into one conductor.

With success, the enamel is removed and with the help of aspirin, put the wires on the tablet and press it with a soldering iron, and then pull the wire. In this case, the wire is immediately tinned.

Removing fluoroplastic insulation

Fluoroplastic is a chemically obtained polymer that is resistant to organic solvents and is not wetted with water. It is characterized by high electrical strength and is resistant up to an exposure temperature of 300 ° C. Ideal insulating material, but expensive. Therefore, it is used only in technically justified cases. In everyday life, PTFE wire is used by radio amateurs, since it does not melt when soldering with a soldering iron, takes up little space and has an aesthetic appearance.

PTFE insulation is a thin narrow tape tightly wound around a twisted stranded thin copper wire. It is possible to release such a wire from insulation only physically.

It is best to use a knife for this purpose. Pressing the wire to the site, the PTFE is scraped off with a knife to the required length.

After the wire is bare, it is bent to the side and the remaining unnecessary fluoroplastic is cut off. The result is a conductor that is neatly stripped of fluoroplastic insulation and ready for soldering.

Insulation made from rubber, fabric and other insulating materials is removed using one of the above described mechanical methods. The main rule is to avoid notches on the wires.

Wire stripper
Automatic stripper model WS-04

Manual wire stripping is time consuming, requires a lot of experience and accuracy, especially when stripping small stranded wires. For the partial automation of the stripping operation, there is a special hand tool called a stripper.

Among my set of tools there is a WS-04 stripper from the German manufacturer KBT. I bought a stripper for a long time, and I am very pleased with the purchase. I strongly recommend to professional electricians to purchase a sniper, you will not regret it.

Main technical characteristics and working principle
stripper model WS-04

The stripper allows you to bite and remove without adjustment the insulation from wires with a diameter of 0.5 to 2.7 mm (cross-section 0.2–6.0 mm 2). When adjusting with a micrometer screw, it is possible to remove insulation from wires with a diameter of 0.25 to 0.5 mm. Also, using a stripper, you can crimp on wires simple connectors without insulation, insulated and automobile connectors for double crimping with a diameter of 0.8 to 2.7 mm.

The stripper is a pliers with cams installed at the ends of the levers. One of the pair of cams is fixed stationary, and the second, the upper one, is movable. The left pair is used for clamping the wire, and the right one for cutting the insulation and removing it. At the first moment of bringing the stripper handles together, the left movable cam clamps the wire, and the right movable one cuts into the insulation with a sharp edge at the end. As the levers continue to pull together, the insulation is pulled off the wire. The whole process of stripping the insulation takes no more than a second.

For crimping wires in round terminals, there are combs of a given profile on the inner sides of the handles. It is enough to insert the connector into a place suitable for its size and bring the handles together. The wire will be securely clamped in the ferrule.

Examples of working with stripper WS-04

It is difficult to describe the work with a stripper in words, it is much more clear to demonstrate its capabilities by examples of stripping insulation from wires of different types.

For example, there is a piece of double installation wire for laying apartment wiring, and you need to shorten it, and then strip the insulation to a given length.

To do this, it is enough to wind a wire between the cutting knives located on the inner sides of the handle and bring them together. Interestingly, the cut is obtained without deforming the ends of the wires. If cut with pliers, the ends are usually flattened, slightly tapering.

Further, the end of the wire is wound between the movable and fixed jaws and the insulation is removed by squeezing the handles. No notches of the wire cores are observed, which guarantees the reliability of further connection. The blue movable stop allows you to precisely set the length of the stripped insulation.

The insulation can be easily removed from the stranded wire, which is often used to supply voltage in low-voltage circuits. For example, wires going to products from adapters and power supplies.

With the help of a stripper, you can easily remove the insulation from a two-core double-insulated cord wire, however, in two steps. For the first step, the first layer of insulation is removed - the PVC tube.

For the second step, the insulation is removed simultaneously from two cores of the wires. The time for removing insulation from such a wire is no more than 5 seconds.

The stripper is a great help to prepare before pressing into the RJ-11 connector and the telephone wire connecting the landline phone to the communication line. In the case of connection using a screw connection, you can also remove the insulation from the wire cores with one more movement.

Stripping shielded wires is difficult, especially if the wire is thin. With the help of a stripper, first remove the insulation from the braided shield.

The braid is then unraveled with a needle or sharp awl to expose the center wire. It remains to make one more movement, and the wire is freed from insulation. Removing the insulation from the shielded wire manually, using an ordinary knife, without damaging the wires, is laborious and time-consuming.

I tried to remove the insulation from a thin stranded wire covered with fluoroplastic insulation. To my surprise, the stripper easily coped with this task.

To test the capabilities of the stripper, I stripped the insulation from copper and aluminum wires, single-core and multi-core, with insulation from different dielectrics, and the result was always pleasing. The stripper did the job flawlessly.

It happened to crimp insulated car terminals for double crimping with a stripper. They crimped pretty well without much difficulty.

Feedback on the work of the WS-04 model stripper

If you have to remove the insulation from the wires once a month, or even less often, then replenishing your arsenal of tools with a stripper costing about $ 20 is probably inappropriate. But if you have to remove the insulation from the wires more often, then I suppose you need to have a stripper on hand.

I bring to your attention a short video demonstrating the work of the WS-04 stripper.

The practice of working with the WS-04 stripper has confirmed its compliance with the technical characteristics declared by the manufacturer, so if there is a need, you can safely purchase a stripper of this model, you will not regret it.

Preparing the ends of conductors
for connection with electrical appliances

After freeing the wires from insulation, it is required to prepare their ends for connection to electrical appliances, since in the overwhelming number of cases a mechanical method of fastening is used with screws, clamping in terminal blocks, crimping and twisting. Plugs, sockets, sockets, circuit breakers and other similar devices are usually connected with screws.

To connect conductors to electrical appliances, where currents of less than 1 A flow, it is quite enough to insert a straight piece of a 5-10 mm long wire stripped of insulation under the screw head and clamp it. In this way, I have fixed the conductors in all the switches, since there are LED lamps in the chandeliers, and the current flowing through the contacts of the switches does not exceed 0.25 A.

The main thing is to prevent the conductor from slipping out from under the screw head. As you can see in the above photo, the contact in the switch (enlarged for clarity), to which the wire is connected, is bent with a corner. When screwing in the screw, the wire rests against this corner, which prevents it from slipping out. If the limiter is not provided, then it is imperative to twist the end of the wire into a ring. For connections where high currents flow, a connection without twisting the end of the conductor into a ring will be extremely unreliable.

The easiest way is to twist the wire into a ring using round nose pliers. Of course, you can form a ring by wrapping a wire around, for example, a screwdriver tip or a drill of a suitable diameter. For ease of forming a ring of the required diameter, markings of 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm and 4.5 mm should be applied on the jaws of the round-nose pliers. If you need to make a ring for the M3 screw from a single-core wire, then I form rings on the 3.5 mm mark so that the screw can easily enter. In the case of a stranded conductor and subsequent tinning - 4 mm.

It is not necessary to tin the wires, but it is desirable, especially if the product will be used in conditions of high humidity, for example, in a bathroom or shower room, damp basements, in winter in an unheated country house.

These are the rings, one for the M3 screw, and the other for the M4. Stranded wire rings are formed in a slightly different way. First, the conductor is wrapped around the cone of round-nose pliers, and then around itself at the point where it comes out of the insulation.

It is advisable to pluck the formed rings and flatten them a little with light blows of a small hammer. Then the contact area of ​​the contacts will increase and the reliability of the future connection will be much higher.

When installing a stranded wire, rings can be made and not closed. To do this, after removing the insulation, tin the wire with a soldering iron, and then form the rings using the technology of forming a single-core wire.

Strictly observing the simple technology described above for preparing wires for connection, you will never have to repair electrical wiring.

A good electrician has a wide variety of tools in his arsenal. After all, a high-quality wiring installation often depends not only on knowledge and skills, but also on the availability of certain devices, as well as skills on how to handle them.

Even a seemingly simple question of how to strip a wire from insulation requires a certain set of tools. An experienced electrician has a tool for high-quality stripping of wires of any type and size.

The importance of proper stripping

For a high-quality and reliable electrical connection, it is important not only to correctly twist or solder. It is equally important to carefully clean the insulation from the conductor. In a hurry or improper use of the tool, it is easy to damage (cut) the conductor itself. This leads to a decrease in the cross-section of the wire and a faster failure of the connection point: breakage or burning. As a rule, wires and cables used in everyday life have a single-core or multi-core structure. Depending on this, a variety of tools and techniques can be used to strip a conductor from insulation. Consider the most commonly used ones used by household and professional electricians to strip insulation.

Professional tool

Professional electricians use a special device called a stripper (CSI). Such a tool can be of three types:

1. Manual;
2. Semi-automatic;
3. Auto.

Let's consider their device in more detail.

Hand stripper

The handheld device is perhaps the most common stripper option. Several positive factors play a role here:

• Low weight;
• Compact size;
• Several additional features make this tool more versatile.

Such a stripper has several (usually up to seven) fixed gaps that allow you to quickly strip wire with a cross section of 0.25 to 2.5 mm. Of the additional features, the most useful are the cable scissors and the lug crimp function.

One of the varieties of the hand stripper, allows you to remove insulation from wires with a cross section of 0.6 mm to 2.6 mm

Semi-automatic CSI

This tool also has a number of holes where you need to insert the wire to strip it off. After that, it is enough to squeeze the handles: the jaws will close and will hold the wire, and the knife will cut the insulation. As a result, the stripper will open, removing the insulation.

The advantage of such a tool is its simplicity of design and ease of use. The disadvantages include some cumbersomeness and impracticality: no additional functions are provided. That is why such a device has not been widely used even by professionals.

Semi-automatic stripping pliers KBT WS-03A

CSI machine

Deserved popularity among electricians, who have to make a large number of different connections every day, are automatic strippers. Such a tool is extremely easy to use: just bring the wire into the working area and squeeze the handles. The device will neatly remove the braid from the wire, automatically detecting the cross-section of the core.

Without adjustment, such a tool works with a wire with a cross section of 0.2 to 6 mm2. It is worth noting that modern strippers have an adjusting screw that allows you to adjust the device to work with a smaller diameter wire.

Pliers KBT WS-03A automatically determine the wire size

In addition, the popular WS-04 stripper model has many additional features:

• Combs on the inner side of the handles allow crimping the cores in round terminals;
• Cable knives are installed next to the combs, allowing you to quickly cut the ends of the wire;
• If necessary, you can set the stripping stop, for example, 2 cm.

The multifunctional automatic stripper is designed for stripping both single and double insulation. But it is worth noting that one braid layer is removed in one operation. That is, in order to remove double insulation, it is necessary to perform two manipulations.

Improvised means

But not everyone needs to strip dozens of wires every day. In addition, a high-quality professional tool costs a lot of money. Therefore, in everyday life, when it is necessary to clean up several ends, it is quite possible to get by with improvised means and tools that any owner has.

Cleaning with a knife

The most popular tool for one-time cleaning of insulation is a conventional knife. But its use is fraught with damage to the cable core. Therefore, the knife should not be held straight, but at an acute angle to the wire and the insulating layer should be “cut off”. Care should be taken when using a knife as it can cut easily. A clerical knife is also often used, but it is even more inconvenient for them to work, and it breaks easily if the braid is very hard.

A hook-shaped knife is often used to cut the cables. This knife has a wider blade and is designed to cut insulation along the cable.

Hook-shaped knife for stripping KNIPPEX KN-1220165SB is used for longitudinal cutting of insulation

A knife is also available in the form of a special clamp. The wire is inserted under the clamping bar where the blade is mounted. Pressing the bar with your thumb, the knife is passed along the braid, cutting it, after which the insulation is easily removed. Such a knife costs about 200 rubles and is a fairly versatile tool.

This knife is often used to strip UTP cables. Also on this device there is a device for clamping the UTP cable into sockets and cross-panels

Side cutters

It is very convenient to use nippers, which are also called side cutters. In order to quickly strip the wire from insulation, the wire cutters must be correctly taken in hand. It is better to take the pliers with the reverse side: so that the cutting edges are directed against the stroke. This will allow the blades to easily cut into the sheath without breaking the core. This method is easy to implement, and every owner has a pair of pliers. Therefore, this method of stripping wires has found wide application.

Side cutters are an essential tool for any electrician

Reflow method

The insulation reflow method is most suitable for cleaning old wiring. The fact is that over time, the winding loses its elasticity, becomes rigid and at the same time fragile. If you use a mechanical tool such as wire cutters or a stripper, the sheath can crack anywhere.

In this case, you can use a soldering iron or a woodburner. With a heated soldering iron, the braid is melted in a circle, after which it can be easily removed with pliers or pliers.

The advantages of this method include the ability to strip very thin wires without risk of damage. Of the minuses, we note the presence of pungent smoke during reflow and, of course, electricity is required.

It is highly discouraged to use teeth to remove insulation. This not only damages the tooth enamel, but can also cause damage from static electricity accumulated during the wiring process. It is not lethal, but very unpleasant.

How to strip some types of wire

Sometimes there is a need to connect not an ordinary soft-braided wire, but a conductive core with a specific coating. Removing this isolation requires unconventional approaches. Let's take a look at some options.

Enameled wire

To strip such insulation, two methods are used:

1. Mechanical method. For this method, it is best to use fine sandpaper. A piece of paper is folded in half, then the wire is wound inside the sheet. Squeezing the sandpaper lightly with your fingers, the wire is pulled over the free end. Such manipulations should be continued until the enamel is completely erased. This method is suitable for enameled wire with a cross section of more than 0.2 mm2;
2. The thermochemical method is often used by radio amateurs to clean enamel from wires with a cross section of less than 0.2 mm2. Its essence lies in the use of a soldering iron and PVC material (ordinary insulating tape with such a coating will do). A piece of tape lies on a flat surface, a piece of wire is laid on top. A heated soldering iron must be slowly drawn along the wire. The chlorine released during this perfectly removes the enamel coating from the wire.

PTFE Coated Wire

Fluoroplastic is a polymer material, for the protective coating of wires it is produced in the form of a narrow tape, which is tightly wound on a conductive core. Such insulation has high thermal stability (up to 300 ° C), does not allow moisture to pass through and is suitable for use in various difficult operating conditions.

This braid can only be removed mechanically. To do this, on one side along the wire, the insulation is carefully scraped off with a knife so as not to damage the core. As soon as the wire is exposed, the insulation is pulled to the side and cut to the required length.

Coaxial cable

This cable is used to connect cable or satellite TV using the F-connector. Care should be taken when stripping the insulation from this conductor: the conductors are very thin and fragile, they are very easily damaged. You can connect the connector in the following sequence:

1. The first layer of the winding is cut with a knife at a distance of 15 mm from the edge;
2. The notched sheath is removed from the cable with rotating movements;
3. Aluminum or foil winding is bent over the wire;
4. Then the insulation is removed from the central core at a distance of 10 mm from the edge;
5. After that, the connector is screwed onto the cable until it stops;
6. The center conductor should protrude 2 mm from the connector.

Summing up

In conclusion, we note that it is impossible to name the most correct way to strip the wire. It is important here that the insulation is removed without damaging the conductor. Each of the methods has the right to be used in certain situations.

Separately, it is worth paying attention to the importance of working with relieved stress. If it is not possible to de-energize the wiring, all work is carried out with rubber gloves and an insulated tool.

Wire stripping tools

When wiring of any complexity, there is almost always a need to strip the wires. Some people try to do it with their teeth, but there is no need to talk about the absurdity of this method - it is necessary to use at least minimally suitable devices for these purposes - a knife, pliers, nippers or professional tools.

Electrician's knife for cutting the cable

As electrical engineering has advanced, many methods have emerged for stripping conductors. The most obvious is cutting or notching the insulating sheath with a knife and then peeling it off.

Many electricians still use this method if they do not have a specialized tool at hand. An electrician's knife can be both homemade and industrially produced for electrical installation.

It takes practice and care when stripping wires, especially stranded wires, with these cutting tools. Since this is a rather troublesome process, professional electricians rarely use them for these purposes, but an electrical knife is almost indispensable when cutting cables, that is, when removing the top layer of insulation.

removing the top layer of insulation

Particularly popular is the knife with a pointed heel that slides over the inner insulated conductors of the cable, cutting through the outer insulating layer.

This heel is carefully inserted into the end of the cable and pushed away from you or towards yourself, as it is more convenient, by cutting the upper protective coating with a sharp cutting edge.

To make it easier to insert the heel, the cable is squeezed with pliers.

For safety reasons, in order to avoid injury, it is recommended to always hold the cable with pliers during this manipulation.

Wire stripping methods

The insulation cover is removed from the cable cores using various methods and tools that are most suitable for a particular type of insulation.

Since conductors with PVC insulation are most often used for the installation of household electrical wiring, we will only talk about tools suitable for this work, but first it is worth mentioning some artisanal ways of removing the insulating protective cover. In the absence of the best tools, knives of various designs are most often used.

Often the insulating layer of PVC is melted with a soldering iron, after which the insulation is removed using pliers.

A significant disadvantage is the poisonous evaporation and corrosion of the soldering iron tip. A similar heat treatment is also carried out using a lighter or a heated nichrome thread.

Another method is to squeeze the wire with wire cutters and pull off the insulation, with a verified compression force, which is difficult to control - by pressing a little harder, you can easily bite into the metal core.

These methods are suitable for one-time stripping of several wires, but in professional activities you need an appropriate tool for stripping the insulation.

Principles of stripping current-carrying conductors

There are two principles of stripping the protective cover from cable conductors used in professional tools - cutting and breaking the insulation.

When cutting, the cutting edge, without damaging the current-carrying core, cuts the protective layer in a circle, after which the resulting cut tube is removed from the conductor with some effort. This principle is used in a simple stripping knife.

The wire is inserted into a semicircle of a suitable radius located on the pressure plate, after which the tool is rotated several times around the core and the insulating layer pressed against the blade is cut in a circle. A similar method is used in another trimming tool - here the clamping force on the blade and the diameter of the wire to be cleaned are manually adjusted by pressing.

Other modifications:

The disadvantage of these devices is the operation time and the possibility of damage to the metal core.

Breaking and stripping of insulation

This principle can be compared to the method of stripping wires with teeth, where a piece of clamped insulation is pulled from the rest of the coating when force is applied along the conductor.

Such professional tools are called strippers, they allow you to remove insulation very quickly, with one touch of the handle, which makes them very beneficial for large volumes of electrical installation.

Stripper (striper, a derivative of the verb to strip - to strip) is designed in such a way that it simultaneously performs three functions:

• Fixation of the wire to be cleaned;
• Compression (biting) of the insulating layer;
• Tearing and pulling force on the insulation.

The retention jaws are notched so that they can firmly hold the cable core. The tearing jaws are equipped with grips that bite the plastic layer, partially damaging it when pressed, due to which the insulation breaks exactly at this point.

This stripper is equipped with a stopper against which the wire rests, so all wires will be cleaned to the same distance that can be adjusted.

The push-through force on the insulation is adjusted by means of the adjusting screw.

A similar principle for cleaning wires was used in the Soviet stripper, only there was no limiter in it, and it was necessary to insert the wire into the corresponding semicircles.

Stripper using scoring blades

The principle of cutting the insulation and then stripping it is used in the Knipex stripper.

Here, the same functions are used as in the above-described tool, only instead of squeezing the PVC layer, it is notched, but structurally this stripper is made of reinforced carbon fiber.

The algorithm for stripping the insulation is as follows - inserting the wire, fixing it, cutting and stripping the cover.

This tool also has an adjustable stripped length and cutting depth of the blades.

This tool has the ability to strip cables.

In addition, with this stripper, you can cut wires. Regardless of the method, fixture or stripper used, when stripping the insulation, be very careful and adjust the stripping tool correctly so as not to damage the conductor, which can then break off.

infoelectrik.ru

Wire and cable insulation stripper

Wiring of any complexity, almost always accompanied by stripping the ends of the wire. For these purposes, a variety of devices are used. The article will tell you how to choose a tool for stripping wire insulation, and how to work with it.

Wire thickness and current

When the value of the current passing through the conductor exceeds the calculated nominal values, the balance in the operation of the power grid is disturbed, which leads to overheating of the insulation layer, and at critical values ​​- to the melting of the metal elements of the wires. Electric welding machines work on this principle.

Reducing the thickness of the conductor leads to an increase in its electrical resistance, a decrease in performance. Such a wire will not withstand the required current loads, but at lower values ​​it can work for a long time. In addition, the mechanical properties are further reduced.

How the cross section of a conductor affects the amount of current passed through it can be determined using Ohm's law.

Scheme of the influence of the cross-section of the wire on the current value

It can be seen from the figure: if you apply a lot of force on the knife, cutting through the insulation layer, then the blade, after entering the metal, will violate the cross-sectional area and structure of the wire. How the metal is cut through is clearly seen in the photo.

Reducing wire size

Tip: When removing a layer of insulation from a wire, you must monitor the condition of the metal core, avoid scratches and cuts on it. Even with their insignificant depth, over time, a significant decrease in the cross-sectional area can occur, which will cause failures and malfunctions of the equipment.

The principle of stripping wires from insulation

Professional tools use two principles for removing the protective coating from the cable:

• The gap. This method can be compared to stripping wires with teeth, when a piece of insulation, sandwiched between the teeth, is pulled from the rest of the coating layer with a force directed along the wire.
• Cutting. In this case, the cutting edge cuts through the protective layer in a circle without damaging the current-carrying core. Then, part of the cut tube is removed from the conductor with little effort.

Professional tools for stripping wire insulation are:

• Manual.
• Semi-automatic.
• Automatic.

To work with a small number of wires at home, you can use simple methods of stripping the ends.

Simple ways to strip wires

There are two ways to strip cable ends:

• Heat exposure. In this case, the core is heated to the melting temperature of the insulation. This is done:

1. Melting the PVC insulating layer with a soldering iron, and then removing the coating with pliers. A big drawback is the presence of poisonous evaporation and corrosion on the soldering iron tip.
2. Lighter.
3. Heated nichrome thread.

Thermal stripping

Such techniques are best used for thin, low-power conductors that are used in electronics, communication devices, audio equipment with stranded soft conductors operating in circuits where the voltage is about 5 volts.

Tip: These methods should be used only for one-time stripping of a small number of wires.

• Mechanical cutting. The method is based on the removal of the protective layer by the cutting edges of the tool. At home, for these purposes it is best to use a knife to strip the insulation from the wires.

Electricians often make their own knife. For this:

1. Take a piece from a hacksaw blade for metal with a small blade.
2. Sharpen it on an emery machine to shape the tool into a sharp, thin wedge.
3. The handle is performed by tightly winding the wire, on which several layers of electrical tape are applied.

With such a blade, a layer of polyvinyl chloride is perfectly cut off, but improper work with a knife easily damages copper or aluminum metal, which is close to the insulation.

Tip: When using such a homemade product, the blade sharpening plane should be very carefully directed at an acute angle to the cut off layer of insulation, which will allow, when the tool touches the metal core, to slide along it and not cut into it.

How to quickly remove insulation from a copper wire at home, the video will tell you.

Professional Tools

Professional tools

A professional wire stripping tool is:

• Forceps.
• Pliers.
• Ticks.
• Knives.

The table introduces some of them:

Tool name	Peculiarities
	The design does not allow for a large amount of work, but they are indispensable for urgent repairs. The tool, using a screw, can be adjusted to a wire thickness up to 5 mm in diameter. Pliers are suitable for stripping a large number of wires of the same diameter in one place.
	Such a multifunctional device for stripping the insulation from wires allows you to cut the cable, precisely remove the insulation with a shaped knife.
	This multifunctional tool can be used to strip insulation from round and coaxial cables, especially large diameters. Do-it-yourself removal of the insulation on the cable is performed in the following sequence: A wire is placed in the drop-down handle, slightly clamped and rotated to form a circular cut. The notched part is intercepted by the same edges. The insulation at the end of the cable is pulled together.
	There are knives of various shapes that can be used for longitudinal and transverse cuts in the insulation. The most popular tools are those with a hook-shaped blade, as shown.
	The presence of a screw allows you to adjust the pliers for stripping the insulation from wires to different diameters. To do this, the wire is slightly bite and twisted, and then the incised sheath is pulled together. They are more convenient to work in hard-to-reach places.
	For a professional, it is the fastest tool that does not allow damage to the core, where high precision stripping and high speed of operations are required.
Self-adjusting stripper	Mechanical stripper, adjusts independently for any cable diameter, and then strips the insulation from it, without damaging the core. The price of the product is quite high, but both a professional and a beginner can use the tool. In this case, there is no need to adjust for the required wire diameter, the stripper carefully removes insulation from any wire with diameters up to 6 mm.

How to use a stripper

Wire stripper

The principle of operation of the device is as follows:

• The sponges are initially cut into the insulation.
• Grip the wires from both sides. On the lips there are special deep notches located at a certain angle.
• After crimping the insulation, the sponges work like a plow, make a forward movement, which leads to a deepening of the cut and keeping the notches in the insulation.
• With a sharp jerk, the sponges diverge to the sides. As a result, the insulation breaks, which can be easily removed.

Tip: To break the insulation, it is necessary to make a jerk, and not evenly spreading the stripper jaws.

Removing insulation with a stripper

• The back metal plate on the instrument, covered with plastic caps, is responsible for such a sharp jerk. There is a hole on it where a small tapered metal pin fits.
• When you press down on the handles of the tool with some force, a slight bend occurs at the base of the metal plate. As a result, it loses its engagement with the pin, which leads to a sharp divergence of the jaws.
• The jerk force is adjusted with a micro-adjustment screw, by changing the length of the pin.

This wire stripper is equipped with two pairs of jaws. During operation, the ends of the cable to be stripped are placed in the working area of ​​the tool, the insulation is notched by closing the blade handles, and removed from the core with sponges.

For example, instructions for removing insulation with an automatic stripper from a wire with a cross section of 2.5 mm² are given:

• The wire is laid all the way between the jaws.
• The handles are slightly compressed, causing the jaws to pinch the wire.
• By pressing the handles all the way, the insulation is removed.

Stripper for stripping wires of different diameters

Such a device for stripping insulation from wires is additionally equipped with wire cutters and protrusions for crimping the terminals. This is very convenient when you need to urgently squeeze the tip, and there is no normal crimper nearby.

However, it is not very convenient to use it. There is also a limiter for the length of the insulation that needs to be stripped.

To avoid problems when stripping wires, several rules should be followed:

• To strip a coaxial cable, the process must be broken down into two steps:

1. Remove the outer shell with a soldering iron, while the sting must be passed in the longitudinal direction.

Removing the outer sheath of the wire

1. Remove the top braid to reach the polyethylene insulation located on the center conductor. This insulation can be easily removed with a knife or other tool.

The upper braid is removed

• It is better to clean the insulating layer of the enameled wire with a knife, with a conductor cross-section of more than 0.2 mm², or with a soldering iron, for a smaller cross-section. The enamel can be gently removed with sandpaper in a forward motion.
• It is better to remove the rubber cover with a special tool to remove the insulation from the wire.
• It is best to use an electrician's knife to clean the sheath in the middle of a long cable.
• Paper insulation from the cable, easier to peel off with a knife.

Removing insulation from wires is a crucial moment. A reliable electrical circuit system depends on the quality of the tool used and the qualifications of its owner.

elektrik-a.su

Instruments. Strippers - wire stripping tools - DRIVE2

The most important thing when removing insulation from wires is not to damage the conductor itself and not damage the insulation where it should remain. And also - it is important that it is fast, convenient and safe.

I have a couple of strippers and decided to do a little overview:

Various strippers

The most ancient and proven option, which has been used by all electricians since ancient times, is these pliers for removing insulation:

Stripping pliers, screw adjustable, handles are insulated up to 1000V

The principle of operation is very simple - the pliers are adjusted with a screw to the required diameter of the conductor (with a small margin so that the conductor itself is not scratched during the removal of the insulation), then the wire is wrapped around, you can turn the pliers around the wire (to cut the insulation in a circle):

Then you just pull the pliers towards you - the insulation can be easily removed:

Insulation can be easily removed

Such pliers come with non-insulated handles (they are cheaper), and there are insulated ones (red or red and yellow handles, inscriptions that there is insulation up to 1000V).

I have a model with insulated handles, and this is at the same time my simplest and at the same time the most expensive stripper - either 1200r or 1400r it cost (despite the fact that the same looks can be found for 600 and even 300r).

The fact is that this one is made in Germany, each one is tested in a bath under voltage. The Chinese can lie about the insulation, and if it turns out to be of poor quality and you work under electricity, you can be killed. And of course, the hardness of the steel and the sharpening are also very good - you can clean the thinnest wires without any problems.

Disadvantages - if you work with different wire diameters, then all the time you need to either reconfigure the screw, or have several such pincers and get confused in them. In addition, the stripping length cannot be adjusted.

Pros - reliability, indestructibility, the ability to remove insulation in hard-to-reach places where other strippers will not crawl, and this is the only stripper that I know how to work under voltage.

He once helped me out a lot, when at the dacha, at the entrance to the house, a fig-made contact burned out (the twisting of copper and aluminum oxidized), and our electrician had just quit. I climbed the stairs myself, and using these insulated pliers, as well as insulated pliers, wire cutters and a screwdriver, I was able to bite off, clean and restore contact, and be with the light until a real electrician arrived.)

And one of its advantages was also revealed: It turns out that this stripper is capable of stripping incredibly thin leashes, which the rest of the strippers from this review simply tear (the diameter of the wire with insulation is less than a millimeter)!

Let me remind you that this stripper is the most expensive of those in this review, and it is made in Germany - perhaps it is very carefully made, and its cheap counterparts are not capable of this, but nevertheless.

Here is another stripper designed specifically for stripping the Outer sheath of round cables:

A very good and handy tool, and it is simply irreplaceable for the NYM type cable!

The only thing is, there are two types of them - with an additional knife (covered with a white translucent cap in the photo) and without it. So, this additional knife is absolutely not needed, in my opinion the days when the wires were shredded with knives are gone, so it only gets in the way, it is better to choose a model without it.

How this stripper works - it has a built-in thin and very sharp blade, the release of which is adjustable with a screw:

The screw is adjusted so that the blade cuts through the insulation but does not touch the wires in the cable. The device is put on the cable, clamped, twisted around, and pulled to the end, cutting through the insulation.

Here is a video of a similar stripper working:

I ended up with a small piece of excellent cable with a bunch of top-notch copper wires:

With this stripper, I easily freed them by removing the insulation:

The released blade can be seen to cut through all the insulation.

Now I am provided with wires for radio installation for a long time!)

My precious! So much joy for 1000r!)

These strippers are produced under different brands, I have seen such under the LUX brand, Weicon Super No. 5, KBT and some others. They cost about 1000r 1800r - the golden mean. There are similar-looking cheap, black with black blades - complete shit, money down the drain. There is the same design, expensive professional ones for 3-5 thousand rubles, with a huge resource for those who do nothing but remove insulation from wires all day long - this is useless for the house.

This stripper works very simply - set the length of the insulation to be removed (on many terminals, sockets, switches, etc., they write how long to remove the insulation for them:

The terminal says that for it you need to set the length of the insulation to be removed to 10 mm - set to 10 mm)

After that, we insert the wire inside to the limiter and remove the insulation in one motion. You do not need to adjust anything except the length of the withdrawal at all.

Here is a video of his work:

The only negative is that sometimes the remnants of the removed insulation get stuck in this stripper and you have to take them out. This happens if you slowly squeeze and unclench the handles, but if you clean it with a quick movement, the insulation immediately flies off and does not get stuck.

Probably, strippers for 4-7 thousand rubles are devoid of such a disadvantage, but this is important only for professional installers who remove insulation from wires day and night.)

But he can strip the insulation from the thinnest and most delicate wires, even remove the outer shell from them first, and then the insulation from the wires inside.

There are built-in wire cutters up to 2 mm.

This is my favorite stripper, especially good for stranded wires.

The handles are very easy to squeeze - much easier than the next type of stripper I will consider.

The next view is a stripper like this:

Stripper KBT is the workhorse of a Sovdep electrician)

A very common and far from new stripper design.

Here is a video of his work:

Why is he so good that millions choose him?

Firstly, by its versatility - it can strip wires of different diameters, automatically adjusting itself.

Secondly, it is the most convenient stripper for working with our popular flat wire:

Flat wire

This is probably the only stripper that can carefully remove the external insulation from such a wire, as well as remove the insulation from two or three of its wires AT THE SAME TIME!)

Unfortunately, I did not have a VVG-type wire at hand for demonstration, I had to take which one was.

Usually, the insulation of a flat wire is removed with a knife or such a thing:

Usually a flat cable is cut with a knife or even such a thing.

Which is inconvenient, because at the end you get this:

The remains of the insulation have to be cut off with nippers

Remnants of the insulation stick out, so that they do not interfere, you need to cut them off with pliers.

But! If using the correct stripper, this is not required!)

The right tool does the job easily, quickly and accurately)

The result is fast, accurate, safe:

The outer insulation was removed from the flat wire neatly and quickly, without immobilizing movement

This stripper can also strip two or three wires at the same time.

Unfortunately, I did not have a suitable three-core wire at hand, but I think the principle is clear:

Simultaneous stripping of insulation from 2 wires. NOBODY can do this anymore!))

Very handy stripper for 3-core cable.)

I also really liked it - although at first it seemed rude to me, but this is for thin wiring, and for 220 volt electrics, especially flat VVGs and the like, he cleans just gorgeous!)

As a bonus, it has built-in nippers and some kind of crimper (crimping tool) for insulated and non-insulated tips. It is inconvenient to use, but if there is no normal crimper at hand, but you need to squeeze the tip, this is salvation.

There is also a limiter for the length of the stripped insulation, which is usually removed all at once.)

Like this. There will be an opportunity to supplement the article, write more about a stripper for coaxial cable, about a stripper-crimper for telephone and Internet cables, as well as about crimpers (tools for crimping cable lugs and sleeves).

I will only say that after removing the insulation, stranded wires cannot be clamped under a screw immediately without preparation, since it easily destroys individual veins.

It is necessary to crimp stranded wires with insulated or non-insulated terminals:

insulated and non-insulated tip

You can see the already crimped tip above, in the photo with the first pliers, it's just that I have already reached the limit of photos.)

NSHVI (insulated pin sleeve tip) such a thing seems to be called, it is sold everywhere, if you need to clamp 2 wires into one such tip, you need to buy tips with a wider plastic part - NSHVI2.

UPDATE: filmed a video of some strippers work + showed crimping pliers for sleeves:

To remove insulation from wires, several types of tools are used: these are all kinds of knives, pliers, strippers, pliers (including automatic ones) and a number of others. How do they differ, how do they work and how convenient is it to use?

Hand tools

Hand tools for stripping wires are usually all kinds of pliers, pliers and pliers, which are simple in design and have a number of corresponding cutting edges.

Mechanical stripper

The cheapest and most common tools are simple hand crimper strippers, which combine pliers for stripping wire ends of different diameters, as well as crimping and crimping pliers.

The stripper shown above also has a tool for shearing off studs and bolts. The main disadvantage of such tools is low quality due to their low price. In the store, before buying, it would be good to hold a specific copy in your hands in order to make sure that this is not a one-time Chinese handicraft.

Price - from 120 rubles.

Stripping pliers

By its purpose and functionality, this tool is completely similar to the above-described stripper. But it is a little compact and handy.

However, his price is also higher. When buying, you should pay attention to its functionality. They differ from model to model. It happens that everything is limited only to cleaning the ends of the wires from insulation.

Price - from 700 rubles.

A very common tool. With the help of a screw, it adapts to wires of different diameters.

To strip the insulation, bite and twist the wire slightly, and then pull off the cut sheath. However, many people find this type of strippers uncomfortable, although it is more convenient for them to work in hard-to-reach places.

Price - from 300 rubles.

This multifunctional tool is focused on stripping round and coaxial cables.

Despite its unusual shape, it is comfortable to work with. Especially with cables of large diameters. To remove the insulation, the cable is placed in a drop-down handle, slightly clamped and rotated slightly to make a circular cut. Then, with the same cutting edges, the incised part of the insulation is intercepted and pulled together.

Price - from 800 rubles.

There are a variety of knives of various shapes designed for longitudinal and transverse cutting of insulation.

The most popular ones are with a hook-shaped blade. The knife in the photo above also has legs that make it difficult for it to slip out of the cut shell.

Price - from 700 rubles.

This knife has a small, retractable, adjustable blade, which, thanks to the swivel mechanism, allows you to cut cable sheaths in any direction (lengthwise, across).

Not all tools of this type are the same in terms of their convenience, so it would be good to first take a closer look at the items you like in the store.

Price - from 200 rubles.

Semi-automatic tools

Semi-automatic wire stripping tools make the whole process much easier and faster at the same time.

Tongs of this design are the most affordable option on the market and will undoubtedly come in handy in the household. They are not designed to work with wires with a cross section of more than 6 mm 2.

Choosing a cheap model, you should personally check its performance. Alas, the quality of Chinese goods is not high, therefore in half of the cases a copy can be obtained that will either squeeze the wire too much, cutting the wires, or, on the contrary, slip along the insulation. In addition, the durability of cheap models is also a big question. Nevertheless, for one-time work - it is quite suitable.

Price - from 180 rubles.

However, there are expensive proprietary tools that are devoid of most of the listed disadvantages. But their price is appropriate - 10 thousand rubles is not the limit.

This is the most versatile tool that is designed to strip insulation from wires of different types and cross-sections, to which it adjusts automatically. Although some models also have manual adjustment for better performance.

With their help, it is convenient not only to remove the insulation from the ends, but also to expose arbitrary areas. They can also cope with different types of wires, including flat stranded, twisted pair, etc.

Price - from 800 rubles.

And this is an outdated type of pliers, although it is still popular due to its low price and simpler design.

Among the disadvantages is the small number of functions. For example, they cannot be used to crimp wires.

Price - from 300 rubles.

Well, if the store is far from you now, then this idea of ​​making a stripper with your own hands will surely seem to you not only funny, but also useful.

Living comfortably in a home and a sustainable production process are similar in one thing: they require a stable power supply. For this, there are various systems for delivering electrical energy to the consumer. For successful operation, each connection requires a reliable contact, which is achieved by high-quality stripping and pulling of the conductors. For large volumes of work, a tool is used to remove insulation from wires.

Dielectric Removal Methods

In electrical installation, working with radio equipment and electronics, such a process as exposing a cable core cannot be avoided. It is produced mechanically, without focusing on the technique, in the following ways:

• Heating the stripping site to the melting point of the vinyl sheath. This is done with a sting of a heated soldering iron, a lighter, a specially made device with a thread made of a refractory metal, for example, nichrome. Not the most pleasant method because of the pungent smell. And there is also a plaque on the spade, reminiscent of this process for weeks. It is better to use this method not on wires of small thickness and quantity.
• The mechanical method relies on the contact of the pointed planes and the insulating coating. The simplest option is to use a knife. A regular cutter is used, or purchase a special cutter.

Due to the fact that cable products are produced with two types of cores, each has its own type of wire stripper:

• The round blade assembly knife is used to cut round wires. The sharpened round cuts into the shell and cuts through it with light sliding without damaging the metal.
• The flat cable cutter has a hook-shaped recess at the tip. It pries off the insulation layer, and due to the sharp sharpening, resting on the core with the blunt end, it rips the tube without touching the live part.

The use of these devices requires only skill when working with piercing and cutting objects and should be performed on a rigid base, but not on the knee. Torn off by accident, the point can leave a deep cut.

Many people make their own knives from a hacksaw blade. The correct angle of the sharpened part and a reliable handle are important here.

Professional stripping methods

These tools are characterized by two methods of stripping insulation. In a breaking action, the force is directed horizontally between two fixed points.

The cutting technique consists in cutting the shell in a circle and pulling it off the core. Both of these methods are combined in professional cable stripping tools.

They are divided into three groups:

• manual;
• automatic;
• semi-automatic.

In addition to this division, there is a classification by type of instrument:

Stripper capabilities

It is the most common cable stripping tool and comes in a variety of modifications.

With its help, without unnecessary effort, the following are cleaned:

• Separate vein.
• Twisted pair of network cable.
• Coaxial cords.
• Fiber optic wire.

Hand tools

To use such a device, a number of manipulations are performed. Hence the second name - a mechanical stripper for stripping wire insulation. It has an external resemblance to pliers: the same two handles with a dielectric and jaws. Only these planes have special pointed grooves, calibrated for the standard cross-section of cables of different sizes.

The pressing power is limited by the force of the user's hands, therefore the maximum area of ​​the core is limited, as a rule, to six square millimeters. The tool is quite versatile. Many varieties represent a whole harvester. Here and crimping tips, cutting wire, as well as small fasteners, making ring contacts.

The algorithm for using a stripper for stripping wires is simple:

• Insert the core according to the cross-section and the desired length of the exposed part.
• Press down on the biting handles.
• Rotate in a circle.
• Remove the instrument along with the vinyl tube.

The main requirement is the correct choice of the hole. Otherwise, the core will be damaged or the dielectric layer will not be cut.

Device - semi-automatic

For a large volume of work, it is more convenient to use this device. In appearance, such a stripper resembles a mechanical modification, only a little more complicated. To remove the insulation, nothing is required except placing the core in the desired socket and pressing the handles.

The peculiarity of the semi-automatic equipment consists in fixing the length of the strip to be cleaned. This is convenient for a large number of connections of the same type, for example, in control cabinets or relay protection.

Automatic device

Like the entire family of similar accessories, this stripper has the same shape as other modifications. But here the user is freed from the need to select the right socket for the wire. The tool itself determines the strength of the impact on the insulation. This device is able to remove not only the protection from the cable core, but also the primary sheath of both round and flat sections.

As with most of these devices, an automatic stripper performs many actions associated with manipulating cable products.

In order to avoid additional problems when performing this type of electrical installation, there is some helpful tips:

• When working with a coaxial cable, you must first remove the top protection with a soldering iron. Then remove the copper shield until the second dielectric layer appears. This step is best done with a knife.
• A wire of small cross-section (0.2 square millimeters or less) is more efficient to clean with a soldering iron or knife. It is also necessary to do the same with a dielectric made of paper.
• The enamel coating is removed with sandpaper.
• If the cable is not stripped from the edge, then the use of strippers is not possible. It remains to resort again to the help of a knife.

What equipment to choose

It is difficult to surprise someone with a technical novelty these days. Equipment of all kinds, prices and quality is sold at every step. So it is with an electrical tool. The assortment is huge. If you need a stripper for several operations, there is no point in looking at expensive models. A simple tool for 200-400 rubles will do. For a better and better equipped device, you will have to pay from a thousand to one and a half thousand rubles.

A professional model with knives made of good steel, excellent sharpening and proven insulation is unlikely to be bought for less than 2,500 rubles. In this case, there is no need to rush. It is necessary to weigh the pros and cons, consult with specialists. Only in this case it is possible to buy such a rather expensive instrument without sacrificing quality and wallet.