Stripping Wires With Side Cutters

[MeggerHertz_NW]

Hi guys

Have some trouble here.

So I'm doing terminations at work and using side cutters, usually on 1.5mm or 2.5mm. Seems to happen more with stranded.

I'm squeezing the cutters a bit and turning the side cutters around the wire and often the insulation bags up against the side cutters and just turns with the cutters as I turn them around the cable, without cutting all the way around the insulation, so I can't pull it off easily.

If I go gentler, I have to turn the cutters several times more than my colleagues in order to get the insulation thin enough to pull it off and it just feels like they're rubbing the insulation at all.

Its slowing me down and it's got to the point where I'm concerned it's one of two things.

The cutters I'm using are my first pair and are knipex vde side cutters, the usual short ones.

Either the side cutters I've bought aren't sharp enough or my technique is just wrong. I've heard that recent knipex side cutters aren't what they used to be, people moaning they aren't sharp, I ignored that and bought a pair anyway, but now I'm starting to think they might be too blunt from my own personal experience, but because I've not tried a load of types out, I can't be sure. But I'm also aware I've not got years of experience to back it up and I'm still on my first pair of cutters so I'm probably just inexperienced and I'm sure that's playing a part.

Any tips and any ideas on what you think the problem might be? My colleagues are all using CK side cutters that seem to have a sharper angle on the blades and they do one twist and pull the insulation off with very little force. I'm doing several twists and pulling way harder and not getting it off and sometimes I open the cutters to see they've simply just pressed in to the insulation, gripped it and have twisted it around the conductor. As a side note, I'm a fairly strong lad so this isn't a lack of minerals.

If I'm patient and do more twists and spend more time, I get through the insulation and I can feel the sheath give so I stop there and it pings off fine, but it's taking longer than it should.

If you think it's my technique, I'd appreciate some tips on what you do.

The way I see it, things like this can add up to big time savings as I obviously can't compromise on quality, just trying to be the best I can so helpful answers are appreciated.

Note: I'm not damaging the conductor. All the testing of my circuits have been fine and the sparks checking my work are happy with it, I'm just frustrated with the time and obvious difference in effectiveness when stripping the ends of cables for termination.

 

[MJPD29]

Get yourself a pair of decent knipex ones. Stripping cable will come with experience. There is no right way to do it just whatever you are comfortable with.

 

[Midwest]

I've used side cutters for years for stripping wires, admittedly I didn't do a very good job to start with, and this was before dedicated wires strippers were easily available. Bit like on here where some say torque screwdrivers are a waste of time.

Nowdays I use side Combi cutters for your 1-2.5mm cables, as its just plain quicker. I also somehow acquired those strippers that @littlespark mentioned, dream to use I must say.

@MeggerHertz_NW I would recommend carry on training stripping small cables with side cutters, its a basic skill you should have. But eventually, you'll find using a dedicated stripper just less complicated.

 

[Strima]

Auto wire strippers for small cables and T&E sheath. Notched cutters if doing 1.2/2.5 and shears for bigger stranded cables.

 

[Andyw90]

I am also a trainee. (3rd year) I also had a problem stripping to begin with.

my personal view is you should persevere with using the side cutters or pliers. You are currently learning your trade and you should take full advantage that your not on a price.

yes wire stripping tools is a quick and easy fix and could make you quicker short term. however in the long term learning to do it with one tool will eventually make you a better spark

 

[GBDamo]

For the smaller stuff CK Auto strippers for me, one tool to reliably, neatly and swiftly strip and prep cable for termination.

 

[freddo]

Wire in left hand, cutters in right. Grip insulation with cutters but not enough to cut into copper. Use thumb of left hand to push cutters away from end of cable while maintaining the same gentle grip with the right hand. Insulation comes off with no effort and no scratching, or scoring of the copper below.

If the conductor needs folding over I always use pointy pliers.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Yes, if I'm going to use cutters, that's how I do it. Depending on the cable type I'll sonetimes give a quick pinch, then move 90 degrees around the cable before the main squeeze. Works best for mid size cables.

 

[freddo]

OP mentioned 1.5 and 2.5mm wires so I stopped there.

 

[Megawatt]

Hi guys

Have some trouble here.

So I'm doing terminations at work and using side cutters, usually on 1.5mm or 2.5mm. Seems to happen more with stranded.

I'm squeezing the cutters a bit and turning the side cutters around the wire and often the insulation bags up against the side cutters and just turns with the cutters as I turn them around the cable, without cutting all the way around the insulation, so I can't pull it off easily.

If I go gentler, I have to turn the cutters several times more than my colleagues in order to get the insulation thin enough to pull it off and it just feels like they're rubbing the insulation at all.

Its slowing me down and it's got to the point where I'm concerned it's one of two things.

The cutters I'm using are my first pair and are knipex vde side cutters, the usual short ones.

Either the side cutters I've bought aren't sharp enough or my technique is just wrong. I've heard that recent knipex side cutters aren't what they used to be, people moaning they aren't sharp, I ignored that and bought a pair anyway, but now I'm starting to think they might be too blunt from my own personal experience, but because I've not tried a load of types out, I can't be sure. But I'm also aware I've not got years of experience to back it up and I'm still on my first pair of cutters so I'm probably just inexperienced and I'm sure that's playing a part.

Any tips and any ideas on what you think the problem might be? My colleagues are all using CK side cutters that seem to have a sharper angle on the blades and they do one twist and pull the insulation off with very little force. I'm doing several twists and pulling way harder and not getting it off and sometimes I open the cutters to see they've simply just pressed in to the insulation, gripped it and have twisted it around the conductor. As a side note, I'm a fairly strong lad so this isn't a lack of minerals.

If I'm patient and do more twists and spend more time, I get through the insulation and I can feel the sheath give so I stop there and it pings off fine, but it's taking longer than it should.

If you think it's my technique, I'd appreciate some tips on what you do.

The way I see it, things like this can add up to big time savings as I obviously can't compromise on quality, just trying to be the best I can so helpful answers are appreciated.

Note: I'm not damaging the conductor. All the testing of my circuits have been fine and the sparks checking my work are happy with it, I'm just frustrated with the time and obvious difference in effectiveness when stripping the ends of cables for termination.

Klein side cutters and practice practice practice

 

[telectrix]

nobody here use their teeth then?

 

[Midwest]

nobody here use their teeth then?

We can use yours; are they on the sideboard?

 

[edexlab]

In the OP you say you don't know if it's you or your side cutters that are the problem

Use another pair borrowed from a colleague and get him to try yours

If you still can't strip the cable more efficiently than with yours it's your technique

Your Electrician mate will tell you if your cutters are blunt

I used to work with T+E and found it was the technique wasn't right by trial and error
I did have side cutters of all common makes and found some were sharper than others of the same brand

I ended up scoring with a knife pulling the cpc and snapping of neatly
I work in controls now and still use the knife but I do use US style wire strippers for the cores

 

[telectrix]

We can use yours; are they on the sideboard?

i may be missing a few, but what i've got are all my own.

 

[MeggerHertz_NW]

Hi guys, just an update on this.

On the advice of others:
I asked to try out my colleagues cutters and asked them to try mine.
I also looked in to getting some Strippers, but they were £20 a dance so I borrowed some installation pliers and they weren't quite as much fun, but they did the job.

So I tried some colleagues cutters:

• Knipex X-cut
• Another pair of knipex diagonal cutters the same as mine.
• CK sidecutters
• CK combicutters
• Knipex Installation snips

Outcome of conversation and comparison:

When I asked, they asked me what was up and I told them straight. 2 immediately lit up and agreed with me and pulled out their Knipex cutters they'd replaced due to the same issue. One being a fully qualified approved electrician and another being an experienced improver who is nearly ready for his AM2.

It turns out we all found the same issue with the Knipex diagonal cutters and knipex x cut that didn't exist in the other cutters.

The X-cut and second pair of knipex diagonal cutters were owned by electricians who had stopped using them because they weren't doing the job properly and have them as spares.

They described their problem as the same, it was squeezing the insulation not scoring it and it meant they had to press harder than they wanted to, it slowed them down, compressed the conductor and they didn't like that.

I tried the C.K. cutters, they were way sharper and it was effortless to score the insulation and strip it.

Another spark has a pair of C.K. cutters that are normal cutters, but have 2 notches for 1.5 and 2.5mm, an anvil for bending and have pattress screw cutters built in behind the pivot point.

The C.K. cutters of both types did the job in my hands twice as fast, more reliably and without having to put as much effort in, in spite of their age. They also cut with far less force as well so when I'm grabbing a few cores to cut them down roughly, I can get through the entire lot with ease.

Now we were all talking and whipped our cutters out in front of each other and were comparing size, angle, sharpness, how we hold them, hahaha!

Anyway, the Knipex cutters we were frustrated with, even my newer pair, simply weren't cut at as sharp an angle as the installation pliers (which have shears) or the C.K. cutters/combicutters which have a sharper cut and also a more open face for clearing discarded sheaths from and we could all feel the force and estimated it as requiring double the effort to cut anything significant and a lot longer to strip anything.

I now own a new pair of C.K.'s the boss gifted me (he weighed in and disliked the snips I had as well and offered to sort me out) as his own personal recommendation which are absolutely fantastic. They've got 1.5mm and 2.5mm strippers in and cut whatever I want like butter. The only thing I miss is the handles on the Knipex, which are marginally chunkier, but were a less comfortable shape.

Thanks for giving me the tips ladies and gents, in part, I'm sure I'd have got faster with the knipex anyway but they were slowing my work and that isn't on. Ultimately, they were a significant part of the problem and I'll continue to train and learn but with the new C.K.'s in hand as a significant improvement and I'll save my knipex as spare. I asked a couple of the older ones to look at my technique and show me theirs and they said it was fine and told me my cutters were garbage...which suprised me.

Merry christmas guys and girls, any follow up questions on my findings, let me know and again, thank you all for the tips.

 

[Lister1987]

I use these as my go-to

Draper Expert Ergo Plus 7 in 1 VDE Pliers 185mm | Toolstation

7 feature DIN standard ergonomic design, individually certified to EN 60900:2004. 7 features include flat cutter on tip of the head, strips 1.5 / 2.5mm wire, diagonal cutter suitable for medium hard wire (3.5mm), hard wire (2.5mm) and piano wire (2mm), Crimper for terminals 1.5 and 2.5mm...

www.toolstation.com

These are my others for when I need long nose

Draper 05048 220mm Expert Ergo Plus Fully Insulated High Leverage VDE Long Nose Pliers View: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005DMVSHY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_5397DbCZVMTPA