Need tool advice...............

[RolandSWL]

Hi All,

I hope you and your families are keeping well. I need some advice on what to buy in the way of a wire stripper. I've struggled with the cheapie adjustable ones for decades but increasing arthritis in my hands demands a change. I have looked at several YouTube videos and it seems there are some good candidates. Of course, the the most expensive ones are top rated. Imagine that!
I need something that is ergonomic and can accommodate a fairly wide range of wire gauges. And also should do a decent job of stripping cloth covered wire.
What say?

Thanks, Roland...........

[KD1SH]

The Ideal Stripmaster. Not super cheap, but won't break the bank. I use one both at work and home and wouldn't be without one. It also doubles as a very handy "third hand" vise, for holding items during soldering operations.

[MikeKE0ZUinkcmo]

I agree with Bills recommendation StripMasters are the best mechanical strippers out there.

Here is an example of the "Vise" feature in action.   They get used this way a lot.   Also quite handy for holding BNC, SMA, or other small pins when Soldering wires in them.


I have three pair, one for work, and the other two cover 10-14 Ga wire, and 16-26 Gauge.

They are on the bay most all the time for not much money, which is where I got mine.   All three worked perfectly, there isn't much to wear out or go wrong with them.  

[W1ITT]

My Ideal StripMaster is well over a third of a century old , used at work and at home extensively and still works just fine.  It's been a while since I've had occasion to strip any cotton covered or, better yet, DSC, but I always manage to get one or two cloth threads that need to be snipped with scissors or small dikes.  Probably the real old timers had a workaround for this.

73 de Norm W1ITT

[KD6VXI]

I've got one of the strip masters (I believe).  Has to be late 70s, all cadmium removed so it's a real dull gray color.

Came from my grandfather when he was an electrician starting on the U2 then SR71.  It was found that the cadmium in the tool reacted with titanium in the SR and caused stress points in flight.

I found this out going to the air museum in Palmdale.  Told the guy answering questions I had a tool that was used on the SR and he asked me if it was a goofy color.  I replied it was, but I didn't know why.  He proceeded to tell me the story.

Great strippers.  They work awesome on Teflon sleeved, too.

You figure, I've used them since the late 90s, and my grandfather used them for a decade or more before....

--Shane
KD6VXI

[WBear2GCR]

They come in two types.

One with (iirc) 20/18/16/14/12/10 ga cutters.
The other is for finer gauges, like 28/24/22/20/18/16 gauge cutters.

I have one of each.

                 _-_-bear

Random example of the stripper type.

[Opcom]

I could not find out where Ideal Stripmasters are made. These were made in the USA but what about today?

There also seem to be a lot of copycat products of these too. There are two broken ones here of such makes. The blades didn't break, but the handle mechanism parts failed where they don't grab the wire strong enough to strip it.

If $40 is to be spent on a tool then quality and local manufacture is preferred so it will last for decades. Looks like 3 are needed to cover AWG #30 to #8.

[KD1SH]

Even Radio Shack got in on the act - you can still get theirs for $19.99. Don't know how good they are, but they look like a pretty close copy. The real Ideals - the standard ones, anyway - go for $40 to $50 new, usually, but they have a few super spiffy ones that sell for almost $400, even though they look pretty much the same. Don't what the deal is with those - special mil-spec blades, I think.

[RolandSWL]

Thanks for the sage advice.

Roland..........