Table of Contents
Why do electricians use wire strippers?
Wire Stripper and Cutter These beefy pliers have cutting edges that electricians can use to cut the wire to length. Because these pliers are sturdy, electricians also will use them to punch through knockouts on electrical boxes and secure screw-down wire entries.
What is a wire stripper made of?
steel
Wire strippers are available in various shapes and sizes and are usually made of steel. They usually have serrated teeth, which comes handy while stripping wires. The handles can be either straight or curved and, in most cases, are covered with rubber coating to provide a secure grip.
What’s the best tool to strip wire?
Here are the best wire strippers:
- Best overall: Klein Tools Katapult Wire Stripper and Cutter.
- Best self-adjusting wire stripper: Irwin Tools Vise-Grip Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper.
- Best on a budget: Dowell 10-22 AWG Wire Stripper.
- Best commercial grade wire stripper: StripMeister Automatic Wire Stripping Machine.
Is stripping wire safe?
Wire strippers are designed for safety. You can strip smaller wires with a sharp knife, but as a specialist tool, wire strippers are much safer and minimise the risk of injury. Safety considerations vary according to the type of wire you are working with.
What are crimpers?
Crimpers are tools used to make cold weld joints between two wires or a wire and aconnector, such as lugs. Ideally, the electrical and mechanical properties of the weld joint are as strong as the parent materials. Crimping tools are sized according to the wire gauges (using AWG – American Wire Gauge) they can accept.
What is the purpose of pliers?
Pliers are made in various shapes and sizes and for many uses. Some are used for gripping something round like a pipe or rod, some are used for twisting wires, and others are designed to be used for a combination of tasks including cutting wire.
What does AWG stand for?
American Wire Gauge
AWG (American Wire Gauge) is a U.S. standard set of non-ferrous wire conductor sizes.
Can needle nose pliers strip wires?
When stripping insulation from wiring, you might be tempted to use the cutting jaws on lineman’s pliers, needle-nose pliers or even diagonal cutters. Don’t do it! The sharp cutters on those jaws can create a score line around the copper wire, making a weak point where the wire can snap off.
What is a Cable Ripper?
Cable ripper. The Commercial Electric Cable Ripper slits the outer covering from non-metallic sheathed cable, such as Romex, to expose the inner insulated wires. The ripper creates end or mid-run slits and features wire gauging holes for ease of use.