Automatic Wire Strippers - your opinions and thoughts please

Max Rasa · Jun 2, 2015

Hi all

I am a novice DIYer and a guitarist, so I have in the past tried to make my own audio leads, etc. About six months ago, I had an electrician doing work in the house and he whipped out some of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-FMHT0-96230-FatMax-Stripping-Plier/dp/B00CD24EAK

I was amazed! Up until then I had always used a really crap set of strippers that were so bad that I usually resorted to a blade. Blades usually meant cutting strands of wire unintentionally, which usually left me with just my teeth!

So after a bit of reading, I saw that the CK strippers got rave reviews. These ones:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002NZMM...m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1P2TXDB4B595D6N9MDE7

I ended up getting those from eBay at a good price. They were new.

When I finally got around to using them I was very disappointed. They don't seem to strip very well at all. When I try to strip the outer sheath/jacket of Van Damme audio cable like this:

Van Damme - Specifications - Pro Grade Classic XKE instrument cable

it doesn't make a clean strip at all. A lot of the times it just pulls the jacket without actually cutting it.

Am I doing something wrong? Is it possible I have a dub pair or fakes? Should I have got the Stanley ones which I saw my sparky use? I have noticed that the blade on mine is very blunt... How sharp should it be?

One other point of interest... I've read in some places that the cheap ones you see for around a fiver are exactly the same as the expensive CK/Stanley type ones. The argument goes that they all come from the same factory (which is why they look identical). Firms like CK and Stanley just jazz them up with the logos and styling. I wondered what people think to that argument?

Cheers

Max

shanky887614 · Jun 2, 2015

Max Rasa said:
Hi all

I am a novice DIYer and a guitarist, so I have in the past tried to make my own audio leads, etc. About six months ago, I had an electrician doing work in the house and he whipped out some of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-FMHT0-96230-FatMax-Stripping-Plier/dp/B00CD24EAK

I was amazed! Up until then I had always used a really crap set of strippers that were so bad that I usually resorted to a blade. Blades usually meant cutting strands of wire unintentionally, which usually left me with just my teeth!

So after a bit of reading, I saw that the CK strippers got rave reviews. These ones:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002NZMM...m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1P2TXDB4B595D6N9MDE7

I ended up getting those from eBay at a good price. They were new.

When I finally got around to using them I was very disappointed. They don't seem to strip very well at all. When I try to strip the outer sheath/jacket of Van Damme audio cable like this:

Van Damme - Specifications - Pro Grade Classic XKE instrument cable

it doesn't make a clean strip at all. A lot of the times it just pulls the jacket without actually cutting it.

Am I doing something wrong? Is it possible I have a dub pair or fakes? Should I have got the Stanley ones which I saw my sparky use? I have noticed that the blade on mine is very blunt... How sharp should it be?

One other point of interest... I've read in some places that the cheap ones you see for around a fiver are exactly the same as the expensive CK/Stanley type ones. The argument goes that they all come from the same factory (which is why they look identical). Firms like CK and Stanley just jazz them up with the logos and styling. I wondered what people think to that argument?

Cheers

Max

you would be better with a ringing tool.

then snap it where you have scored it

Max Rasa · Jun 2, 2015

Thanks for your reply. And so quickly too!

Unfortunately I'm not sure what it means.... Sorry for being slow!

shanky887614 · Jun 2, 2015

Max Rasa said:
Thanks for your reply. And so quickly too!

Unfortunately I'm not sure what it means.... Sorry for being slow!

similar to this

[ElectriciansForums.net] Automatic Wire Strippers - your opinions and thoughts please

IzzyS · Jun 2, 2015

Try here https://www.jokari.de/en/Cable-database.htm - and see what they recommended. I have no connection with the company but have a few different products from them, which all work as intended.

I suspect the overall sheath on your cable is too soft for the stripper which you bought, so is just stretched. Those sort of tools work best with conventional flexible "mains" PVC cables - they're not very good for rubber covered flex for example.

amlu · Jun 2, 2015

i have this one for general work with electronics in my workshop.
Weicon Professional Wire Stripper No. 5 | Rapid Online
works nice most of the time.
been doing some studio leads from van damme instrumment cable, found that gently scoring outer sheath with a sharp stanley knife works the best.
hold the knife still, align the cable perpendicular to the blade, push gently with your thumb, turn the cable around. job done.

gavin.sibley · Jun 2, 2015

The problem you may find is that with standard electrical cable the sheath or outer pvc is quite hard and rigid so it will cut through, with audio cable the sheath is rubbery so it just stretches it rather than cuts and breaks it.

newtothis · Jun 2, 2015

I have the CK stripper, maybe I haven't adjusted the thing right.
It leaves marks on the cables, See my snaps below. It doesn't seem to expose the copper.
But it made me feel uneasy enough to get out of the habit of using this thing and go with side cutters.

1.5 mm2 T&E

4mm2 T&E

telectrix · Jun 2, 2015

this is what you need. the ool has 4 different size holes. select the right one according to the cable size.

newtothis · Jun 2, 2015

telectrix said:
this is what you need. the ool has 4 different size holes. select the right one according to the cable size.

View attachment 29265

Interesting :smile5: , what make is that ?

telectrix · Jun 3, 2015

newtothis said:
Interesting :smile5: , what make is that ?

no tsure. you can find them on ebay.

newtothis · Jun 3, 2015

ah Ha found it !

Ideal 45-097 Stripmaster.
£55 from amazon

edexlab · Jun 3, 2015

You can get cheaper versions of that tool , £55 ........and if it doesn't suit your purposes, I've seen them for around £15.
Another item possibly made in the same asian factory for several brands!

Jackc · Jun 3, 2015

newtothis said:
I have the CK stripper, maybe I haven't adjusted the thing right.
It leaves marks on the cables, See my snaps below. It doesn't seem to expose the copper.
But it made me feel uneasy enough to get out of the habit of using this thing and go with side cutters.

1.5 mm2 T&E
View attachment 29263
4mm2 T&E
View attachment 29264

i have had this same problem with them, just use my side cutters now

shanky887614 · Jun 3, 2015

score with a knife and snap is how you want to do it.

if you like use a pair of side cutters to help slide the insulation off after you have snapped it

there are ringing tools that have an adjustable cutting depth which might interest you if you dont trust yourself with a knife

Automatic Wire Strippers - your opinions and thoughts please

Max Rasa

-

shanky887614

-

Max Rasa

-

shanky887614

-

IzzyS

-

amlu

-

gavin.sibley

newtothis

telectrix

-

newtothis

telectrix

-

newtothis

edexlab

-

Jackc

shanky887614

-

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