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Hello, dear readers and guests of the Electrician's Notes website.

First I would like to clarify the terminology.

Pliers for removing insulation, abbreviated as KSI. But now it is customary to refer to "bourgeois" names, so these same ticks are called strippers, i.e. from the English word "strip", which translates as to undress, expose or remove, which characterizes the purpose of this tool, i.e. strip or remove insulation from wires.

I became the owner of these ticks not so long ago, though I had already thoroughly tested them in my work.

At work, I have to cut and strip power and control cables with a core cross section of 0.5 to 4 sq. mm.

Until now, I have used simpler KSIs: fairly reliable MB-1M tongs, a good Chinese stripper (no name) and even ordinary Metallist-type mounting knives, etc.

I was once given a gift in the form of Sparta pliers, although I don’t use them at all, because. they just simply don't work - don't buy them for anything. Read my detailed article about what is so bad.

I will return to the listed tools for removing isolation in my next articles - subscribe to the site's newsletter so as not to miss the most interesting.

So, back to Knipex 12 40 200.

Packaging and appearance.

Their cost (at the time of this writing) is about 6500 rubles. I would say that this is not exactly a cheap tool. Naturally, for home craftsmen, the acquisition of this tool will be redundant and inappropriate, but for professionals who have to clean more than one hundred veins per day, this will be a good acquisition.

Why Knipex?

I read a lot of reviews and recommendations on the Internet about strippers for stripping insulation from different manufacturers, and yet I chose Knipex 12 40 200. Basically, all the reviews about them are only positive: the tool has been tested for long-term operation, there is a clear and trouble-free operation, convenience and ease. Well, what do you want - it's Germany.

I also have a positive opinion about the products of the company KBT, tk. I purchased PKVk-6 press pliers from them for NShVI-type sleeve lugs, PK-16u press pliers for copper lugs and sleeves, and NS-32 sector shears (Nuks) for cutting cables and insulated lugs for my own. Their prices are quite reasonable.

Appointment and arrangement of ticks

Knipex pliers 12 40 200 are multifunctional tools and are designed for:

• for stripping solid and stranded wires from 0.03 to 10 mm2 (or AWG 32-7 US gauge)
• for removing the outer sheath from flat cables and wires with a width of not more than 10 (mm)
• for cutting solid wires up to 6 sq. mm and stranded wires up to 10 sq. mm

Ticks consist of:

• stripping knives
• notched plastic sponges
• limit stop
• adjusting screw
• knife for cutting cores of wires and cables (cutter)
• handles

The body of the pliers is made of plastic reinforced with fiberglass. Accordingly, they are lightweight - only 200 grams.

The length of the pliers is 200 (mm).

When worn, the stripping blades can be replaced.

Plastic sponges, as they wear out, can also be replaced. They are quite easy to remove with a small screwdriver, and you can install new ones in their place.

Spare parts can be found and ordered in online stores of official Knipex representatives.

Knife for cutting conductors of wires and cables (cutter) is made of special hardened tool steel.

How to use a Knipex stripper

1. Removal of insulation from cores of wires and cables

As I said just above, using the Knipex 12 40 200 stripper, you can remove PVC or rubber insulation from solid and stranded wires with a cross section of 0.03 to 10 sq. mm.

These pliers are not intended for stripping multi-layer and reinforced insulation, as well as highly flexible insulation.

A distinctive feature of these pliers is that they themselves adjust to different sections of the stripped wires. This is very convenient - you do not need to get into the precision holes of the pliers each time, as, for example, in the same MB-1M pliers.

So, how does isolation work?

First you need to select the length of the insulation to be stripped using the limit stop. To adjust the length, you need to squeeze and move the stop to the required distance on the scale. The length adjustment range is from 3 to 18 (mm).

With the help of the adjusting screw, you can adjust the cutting depth of the knives depending on the insulation (PVC, rubber) of the stripped wire.

After adjusting the stripping length and cutting depth of the knives, insert the wire into the pliers until it stops.

We press the handles - the sponges clamp the wire.

The knives cut through the wire insulation and pull it together.

Done - the insulation is removed.

Another feature of these pliers is that the principle of their operation is not based on breaking the core insulation, as in many KSI models, but on a neat and even cut. The insulation is cut with knives in the places marked in red.

Thus, violation and damage to the current-carrying core is completely excluded. It is very important!

When removing insulation with knives, side cutters, etc. tools, there is a high probability of damaging the current-carrying core, especially for wires of small cross sections. As a result of inaccurate actions, a notch can be made on the core and, literally, after a few minor bends, the wire in this place can easily break off.

In addition, the work with such a tool takes much more time.

For this reason, the wire connections to each other (read the article about everything) or to electrical installation products (, etc.) are of poor quality.

Also, when using the listed tools (knives, side cutters, etc.), the length of the stripped wires is not respected, so to speak - everything is done by eye. And if you carelessly work with a knife, you can completely injure your hand.

So, when using the Knipex 12 40 200 stripper, this will never happen to you.

2. Removing the outer sheath from flat cables

Everything is similar, only instead of core insulation, you can remove the outer sheath of a cable or wire, though with a width of not more than 10 (mm). For this, common cables are just suitable, for example, VVG-Png (3x2.5) or VVG-Png (3x1.5).

Everything is the same here, we adjust the cutting depth of the knives and the length of the stripping. Then we insert the VVG-Png cable to the limit stop.

We press the handles of the pliers - the sponges clamp the cable.

The knives cut through the outer sheath of the cable and tighten it.

The outer sheath of the cable has been removed.

Personally, I do not use this function, because. the shell is removed to a length of only 18 (mm), and this is very small. For such purposes, I use a fitter's knife or other special tools.

3. Wire cutting

This stripper can cut solid wires up to 6 sq. mm and stranded wires up to 10 sq. mm.

So far, I have tried cutting wires up to 4 sq. mm - it cuts perfectly.

Regularly lubricating the hinges, linkage, sliding surfaces, and using the pliers only according to the manufacturer's instructions will only increase the life of the tool.

I want to draw your attention to the fact that the manufacturer slightly overestimated the capabilities of these pliers. The fact is that removing insulation from a copper wire with a cross section of more than 4 sq. mm is not so easy for ticks - it is felt that they “crunch” in the truest sense of the word, though they clean it anyway. Therefore, to increase the service life of the pliers, I still recommend that you use them with sections up to 4 sq. mm inclusive.

In conclusion of my review, I would like to note that the mechanics of the Knipex 12 40 200 stripper for stripping insulation has an unusually “easy” and smooth running. With the help of pincers, high labor productivity is achieved. They are very convenient and fast to work with.

If you already use these ticks, then I would like to hear your opinion and impressions about them.

P.S. In addition to the above, watch the video where I show how to remove the insulation and outer sheath from different brands of cables.

The work of an electrician is often associated with the use of different devices. To perform a common operation in the form of stripping wire and other electrical devices, stripping tools are needed. The most convenient tools are special pullers and strippers.

But, if you need to strip two or three cables, then you can use a simple kitchen knife. If you plan to work on laying electrical wiring in a house or apartment, then an ordinary knife will not be enough for such a task. The kitchen knife has an awkward blade, and the handle may not be made of dielectric.

Types and arrangement of electrician's knives

A knife adapted for work on connecting electrical appliances has a special blade shape. Often on the wires it is necessary to make circular cuts in the insulation, which is more convenient to make with a curved blade. Many will say that you can remove the insulation with a simple knife, but if the knife does not meet certain conditions, then it is easy to damage the conductive core, especially the thin one.

For the convenience of making circular cuts in the insulation, the blade may have recesses for wires of various diameters. Having placed the wire in this recess, the braid is cut in a circular motion, without fear of damaging the current-carrying core.

Knife with heel

This knife belongs to electrical types, and has another name for a "plow" knife. It is convenient for them to remove the insulating sheath, as it has a curved short blade with a special “heel”. It is designed to limit the depth of the sheath cut when it is necessary to remove the outer layer without touching the inner layers of the insulation.

We must not forget to check the absence of voltage in the wiring before stripping the insulation.

The platform at the end of the blade reduces the friction of the longitudinal sliding of the knife during the removal of the outer sheath, and does not allow the blade to touch the internal wires. It is convenient to strip hard cables with a knife, and it is worse to work with soft sheaths, as they make it difficult to slide the “heel”. In general, stripping tools like a heeled knife are useful for electricians to use.

Hook knife

This electrician's knife is a professional tool. This knife has a straight and short blade with a hook. There is no sharp edge on the blade, except for a sharpened hook. The same models are available with an extra sharp edge on the other side of the blade. This model is well suited for stripping insulation on many.

It is especially convenient to cut the insulation along the wire with such a blade. There are also similar models equipped with devices for making circular pre-cuts.

Knife with a beak

Such stripping tools have a specific blade shape, which is why many electricians do not use it. A knife with a "beak" may be convenient only for experienced electricians, its blade is a bit like the previous design, with the difference that there is no "heel" at the end, and the bend is smoother.

Such a beak-like curved inner point makes it more convenient to cut the wire sheath in a circular manner. This knife can also be used by electricians for longitudinal cuts, but if this work is done carelessly, the core can be damaged, due to the fact that there is no limiter. For novice electricians, such a knife is inconvenient due to manual adjustment of the cutting depth.

Requirements for electrical knives

• The handle of the knife must be made of dielectric material of sufficient strength: carbon fiber or special plastic, to prevent electric shock.
• The blade must be made of durable steel to maintain its sharpness for a long time.
• The shape of the handle should allow the electrician to feel the beginning of the blade by touch.
• The sharp edge should be straight to make it easier to cut double insulated cables.
• The knife should be chosen small, which makes it possible to work in a small space, for example, in a cabinet or shield. The blade should also not be too large, so as not to accidentally damage the insulation of adjacent wires in the wiring harness, and also for the convenience of stripping thin conductors.
• An electrician does not need a knife with a pointed end of the blade to work. When working in dark and cramped places, you can accidentally touch the sharp end with your hands and get injured. When working with a wiring harness, the sharp end of the blade easily damages adjacent conductors.
• When removing the insulation, the blade must be held at an acute angle to the wire so as not to damage the current-carrying core. The shell should be cut carefully away from you, in pieces, according to the principle of sharpening a pencil.
• A factory-made quality knife should have a designation of permissible voltage on the handle.
• If a homemade knife is used, then its handle must be wrapped with insulating tape or other dielectric material.

Pullers

There are special tools for stripping wires from insulation. They are a versatile tool for stripping conductors, and can be equipped with several cutting elements of various lengths and configurations. But the main element is a special clamp, with which a circular cut of the insulation is made.

These stripping tools are the most convenient. They allow you to manually select the wire diameter without fear of damaging the core. It is not difficult to work with such a device, it is enough to fix the wire in the clamp, and make one turn of the rotational movement around the wire with the puller.

Strippers

Strippers have become the most common type of equipment for stripping the insulating sheath of cables among professionals. With their help, it is much easier to strip the insulation, especially from wires that have many cores. The cutting depth is adjustable, which makes it possible to use the stripper for any cable diameter.

There are several types of strippers that differ in their design, but their principle of operation is the same: cutting the insulating sheath and removing it from the cable.

Manual strippers

These stripping tools work simply. The design is similar to pliers, with the difference that the jaws have nests with cutting edges for different sections of the cores. This type of tool is suitable for stripping wire insulation no more than 6 mm 2.

Some models are capable of crimping tips. To remove the insulation, you need to place the wire in the socket, press the handles and perform a circular rotation.

Semi-automatic strippers

This tool is even easier to use. Its device has been improved in comparison with the previous model. No need to rotate the stripper around the cable, just fix the wire in the appropriate socket and press the handles. Many models of semi-automatic strippers are capable of crimping ferrules and cutting cables.

Automatic stripper

Such stripping tools are professional types of strippers. It differs from the previous model in that it independently determines the thickness of the conductor. Therefore, all the work is to install the wire in the right socket and apply force to the handles.

Automatic wire strippers are expensive products, can strip multiple conductors at once, and also strip the wire in the middle. There are also automatic strippers for stripping flat wires, and for many other purposes when doing electrical work.

How to choose stripping tools

For domestic work on connecting electrical wiring, it is advisable to purchase a manual stripper for stripping insulation, which is capable of stripping wires up to 6 mm 2. Manual stripping tools are inexpensive and have enough functionality for home craftsmen.

For professional electricians who are constantly laying lines of wires and connecting them to various devices, it is better to purchase an automatic stripper, or at least a semi-automatic model. Their cost is correspondingly higher, but the electrical installation of the wiring is greatly simplified.

How to use the stripper

Let's consider this question on a Chinese semi-automatic stripper, which has been working properly for several years.

The cutting part is two plates with cutouts for different wire sections.

When placing the conductor in the grip, you should leave part of the wire for stripping behind the knives.

We squeeze the stripper handles, holding the conductor with our hands. In this case, the knives are compressed, cutting the sheath, and the sponges pull the conductor back. As a result, the wire sheath is removed.

A feature of working with a stripper is the correct choice of the size of the cut. If you choose its diameter incorrectly, then the conductive core will be damaged or even break off. You should not capture too much length of the shell, it is better to remove it in several passes. With sufficient skill with the stripper, the insulating sheath is removed in less than a second, and the job goes faster. Therefore, the purchase of such a tool saves working time, finances and the strength of the employee.

Crimping tips with a stripper

If there is no special tool used for crimping wires (crimper), then this work can be done with a stripper. This work is quite simple. First you need to strip the wire from the insulating sheath to the required length. Next, install the ferrule on the wire and place it in the appropriate connector of the stripper. Then you need to squeeze the handles, getting a crimped wire in the tip. Then you should cut off the excess end of the core.

Advantages of strippers

• In addition to stripping, they can be used instead of press tongs or wire cutters to crimp the wire.
• These stripping tools can be used to strip very thin wires.
• It is allowed to use strippers to remove the sheath from conductors with any type of insulation.
• During operation, they do not damage the conductive core, even made of soft metal.
• Simple and clear usage.
• Low cost.

Stripping the insulation with a soldering iron

If there was no special tool or knife at hand, then you can strip the cable or wire with a simple one. To do this, it is heated to operating temperature, then a conductor is leaned against the sting and rotated around its axis, melting the insulation.

Now the insulating sheath can be easily removed, and the core will not be damaged. The disadvantage of this method is the release of harmful and unpleasant smoke by the melting insulation, as well as the impossibility of using a soldering iron to strip the rubber wire, since the rubber will burn.

Second-hand non-ferrous cable scrap is a highly demanded and expensive recyclable material. It can be removed independently from old power, fiber optic, telephone, installation, and other wiring. What tools and fixtures will be needed to remove the winding? How to quickly clean the cable for the delivery of scrap, spending a minimum of time and effort?

Popular stripping methods

When handing over the cable, the metal core of the conductors is of value. Before going to the reception point, you need to strip the cable from the insulating winding. There are several ways to do it yourself:

• manual cleaning with a knife, hammer - a laborious and long process, suitable if the batch of scrap is small;
• roasting and flashing - a fast process, but harmful to the environment, not recommended for thin-stranded scrap, the metal burns out along with the winding;
• the use of special equipment is the fastest and safest method; in the course of work, a tool is used.

Cleaning with a knife, hammer

For stripping wires, a construction, stationery knife or pullers with hooks, adjusting screws, etc. are suitable. When working, the winding is carefully cut along the core, then it is taken to the side and cut off.

When working with a hammer, they hit the cable with force until the insulation separates from the metal.

Firing and reflow

You can burn raw materials at the stake, but the method justifies itself for a large amount of raw materials. Perform work outdoors, observing safety precautions.

Melting the cable with a soldering iron is one of the ways to remove insulation from thin, thick wires, loops. Before work, the wire is laid on a flat horizontal surface. Then the soldering iron is heated and applied vertically to the winding. As the insulation melts, the cable is rotated around its axis. After firing, the plastic is easily removed with pliers, tweezers, pliers.

Important! Work in a well ventilated area. When the insulation is melted, toxins are released, and there is a strong smell of plastic.

Using the side cutter and tipper

How to quickly clean the cable for scrap delivery and mechanize the process? Special tools will help:

• side cutter;
• stripper.

A side cutter is called wire cutters or tweezers for cutting wires. Wielding it, the free end of the wire is clamped between the blades, then gently turned and pulled. The insulation can be easily removed.

Note! The cutting edges are directed in the direction of movement of the tool so that the blades cut into the winding without much effort. If the side cutter is not handled correctly, the cable will break off along with the insulation.

A stripper will help automate the process of cleaning the cable. There are different types of instrument. Models differ in the number of additional functions.

Stipper and work with him

The principle of operation of all strippers is the same:

• the end of the cable is inserted into the hole of the tool;
• hand clamp the stripper handles to bite the windings;
• then the conductor is pulled out, freeing from insulation.

Important! The tool is good because it is simple and straightforward to use, it is inexpensive. It rarely damages the cable, reduces the time to remove the winding, and is suitable for working with solid stranded conductors.

Special equipment

If there is a lot of scrap, special equipment for stripping insulation will help simplify the preparation of raw materials. It can be rented directly from the centralized reception point.

Recycling points

Scrap receivers buy the following waste cable and wire products:

a) factory marriage, warehouse illiquid assets;

b) used cable lines, remnants of production;

c) old uncleaned cable;

d) dismantled communications;

e) installation waste.

Acceptance is carried out according to several criteria, which form the price per kg of scrap. The length of the conductor pieces, the percentage of scrap to insulation, and foreign impurities are taken into account.

By the way! To determine the weight of the metal without winding, the acceptance specialist cuts off a prototype conductor, strips and weighs.

Average price per kg of copper scrap for 2018-2019

When wiring any complexity, there is almost always a need to strip the wires. Some try to do this with their teeth, but there is no need to even talk about the absurdity of this method - you must use at least the minimum suitable devices for this purpose - a knife, pliers, wire cutters or professional tools.

Electrician's knife for cutting cables

With the development of electrical engineering, many methods have appeared for removing the insulating coating from conductors. The most obvious is cutting or cutting with a knife of the insulating sheath and then removing it.

Many electricians still use this method if a specialized tool is not at hand. An electrician's knife can be either homemade or 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.

Especially popular is a knife with a heel on the tip, which slides along the inner insulated cores of the cable, cutting the outer insulating layer.

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

To make it convenient to insert the heel, the cable is compressed with pliers.

For safety reasons, in order not to get hurt, it is recommended to always hold the cable with pliers during these manipulations.

Wire stripping methods

The insulating cover is removed from the cable cores by various methods and tools that are most suitable for a certain type of insulating cover.

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 methods for removing the insulating protective cover. For lack of better tools, knives of various designs are most often used.

Often, the PVC insulating layer is melted with a soldering iron, after which the insulation is removed with 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 way is to compress the wire with wire cutters and tighten the insulation, with a verified compression force, which is difficult to control - by pressing a little harder, you can easily bite through 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.

Principles of stripping current-carrying cores

There are two principles for removing the protective cover from cable cores used in professional tools - this is cutting and breaking the insulation.

When cutting, the cutting edge, without damaging the current-carrying core, cuts through 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 cutting tool - here the clamping force on the blade and the diameter of the wire to be peeled are manually adjusted by pressure.

Other modifications:

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

Rupture and stripping

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

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

The stripper (striper, a derivative of the verb to strip - bare) is designed in such a way that three functions are simultaneously performed in it:

• Fixing the wire to be cleaned;
• Compression (biting) of the insulating layer;
• Pulling and pulling force.

The fixing jaws are notched so that they can hold the cable core firmly. The tearing jaws are equipped with grippers that bite the plastic layer, partially damaging it when pressed, due to which the insulation is torn precisely in this place.

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

The force that pushes through the insulation is adjusted using the adjustment screw.

A similar principle of wire cleaning was used in the Soviet stripper, only it did not have a limiter, and it was necessary to insert the wire into the corresponding semicircles.

Stripper using scoring blades

The principle of cutting insulation, followed by its removal, is used in the Knipex stripper.

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

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

This tool also has an adjustment for the length of stripped insulation and the depth of cut of the blades.

This tool has the ability to cut cables.

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

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

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

Cable stripper

When suddenly in front of the owner the task arises of stripping the wire from insulation, many home craftsmen resort to this particular tool, with which you can quite efficiently perform the necessary work with wires. 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 for stripping insulation, you can avoid such an unpleasant consequence, because from unintended 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 wire processing. In addition, cable knives are currently one of the most affordable of these devices.

Pliers and pincers

Getting acquainted with the range of devices for working with electrical products, you can find that the most popular tool that is present in almost every standard and universal set is 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 embossed sponges. Due to these design features, pliers not only allow you to remove insulation from wires with high quality, but also do it without much effort.

It is noteworthy that pliers can also be used to bend bare wire, grab and cut cable. In this category of tool there is another interesting device - pliers designed to grip electrical products. They will also be indispensable for the home master, 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, specialists resort to them only in cases where when high precision is required and speed in the execution of the workflow.

Strippers

They are a kind of tool for 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 shell stripping tool, two handles and jaws with holes of various diameters can be distinguished. Thus, focusing on the cross-sectional indicators, the master selects for himself a well suitable for stripping the cable.

During the work process, the handles are brought together, which causes the cutters to shrink in the holes, and under their influence, the insulation is captured. After that, you only need to pull on the cable to completely clear the wire from the sheath.

The most primitive models of strippers have holes only on the sponges. 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:

• conventional manual;
• semi-automatic;
• automatic.

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

• First you need to set the limiter to the required length, which allows you to determine the bare length of the conductor even before stripping the cable.
• If this length is too large, then the limiter can be slightly lowered.
• After that, the conductor is placed on the jaws of the tongs, rest against the limiter and begin to put pressure on the handles.

When carefully considering the design of the tool, you can see the notches on one side of the sponge, which, at the moment the handle is pressed, begin to exert more and more pressure on the insulation. It should also be noted that the jaws of the tongs have protrusions with sharp edges on both sides, which allow you to accurately trim the insulating sheath.

At the moment when the master exerts the necessary force on the handles, the jaws move apart sharply due to the operation of a special mechanism. As a result, the insulating sheath breaks off at the place of the incision and is pulled out. Thanks to a similar forceps device, remove insulation is possible even from the cable having several veins, however, it will be possible to successfully cope with this task only if the thickness of the veins 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 curly notches of various diameters. With each of these recesses, it is possible to remove the sheath 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, which we have already met.

Manufacturers also produce tongs 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 strip the insulation, but also to strip the wires and twist them when working with stranded conductors.

There is also a special type of pliers designed for processing twisted pair, which are made in the form of a clamp with a built-in blade. Thanks to this 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. From its features it should be noted that there an additional blade and interchangeable inserts designed for cables of various diameters. One blade is needed for removing the outer shell, and the other for the inner one. For successful stripping, it is necessary to fine-tune the tool before work.

Also in stores you can find strippers for power cables and optical fibers. The latter option provides high accuracy in stripping 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 sheath with fiber optic conductor.

How to choose the right tool

Before buying pliers and in general of any tool, you need to remember that each of them provides for its own characteristics of working with it. If we talk about cable knives, they have wide functionality and allow you to remove insulation from conductors of any size and cross section. However, this tool requires careful handling, otherwise you can easily break the structure of the metal base of the cable. It is best to use pliers and pliers 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 ​​\u200b\u200bis sufficient to process most electrical wires.

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

Specifications

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

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 the crimping option, then the description should contain information about the size of the sleeves and tips. For the considered version of the tool, the maximum value of the section of the sleeves will also be 6 mm 2. The situation is similar with the wire cutters that are provided in this tool. They are also designed to work with a conductor of the same size.

What is the difference between a stripper and a crimper

According to its device, the 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. The crimper is used when it is necessary to crimp the wires for their subsequent connection and installation.

The use of this wire stripper is not recommended, but in combination with a stripper, it can help with 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 two functional zones, on which the crimping grooves and jaws are located.

Summing up

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

However, for the qualitative 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. We should not forget about safety. The selected tool for removing the insulating sheath must be equipped with handles with a dielectric coating, which will protect the master during work from electric shock.