Calling all Welding Students & Early Career Welders

[52 Ford]

If you need to strip small diameter wire, heat the insulation up with a lighter, pull the insulation off with your fingers, then go over the wire one more time to melt off any strings of melted insulation. Works well if you don't have small diameter wire strippers.

Between a lighter and a razor knife, you can get a lot done without proper wire strippers. Those Kleins are nice. One of my buddies has a pair that we used to rewire his boat trailer. I have the Harbor Freight version of them. I got them when HF still did a lot of coupons. Got them for probably $5?

My favorite pair was a set of Kleins (not Klein brand... lineman's pliers) that had wire strippers built in behind the pivot point. Lost them a few years ago. Pretty sure they're in the insulation in my attic. AKA gone for ever.

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[52 Ford]

Next pair of wire strippers I buy is probably going to be Knipex automatics like this: https://www.knipex.com/products/wire...trip16/1252195

Edit: if you're curious, they're like $135... get what you pay for, though. Plus they aren't the type of tool that'd cross over the shop threshold. Strictly bench work.

Edit 2: just found them for $80! I'm tempted.

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[John T]

Next pair of wire strippers I buy is probably going to be Knipex automatics like this: https://www.knipex.com/products/wire...trip16/1252195

Edit: if you're curious, they're like $135... get what you pay for, though. Plus they aren't the type of tool that'd cross over the shop threshold. Strictly bench work.

Edit 2: just found them for $80! I'm tempted.

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Yeah, I have a set of those and they do a nice job don't get me wrong.

But they always seem cumbersome to me.

I prefer the smaller type handheld strippers.

Also you make a good point about heating up the wire.

I never even thought about that until I saw it on YouTube
They would strip the end about an eighth of an inch and then solder the end
That would be enough to soften up the plastic where you can rip it off with your finger.

[52 Ford]

Yeah, I have a set of those and they do a nice job don't get me wrong.

But they always seem cumbersome to me.

I prefer the smaller type handheld strippers.

Also you make a good point about heating up the wire.

I never even thought about that until I saw it on YouTube
They would strip the end about an eighth of an inch and then solder the end
That would be enough to soften up the plastic where you can rip it off with your finger.

I learned that trick from my dad. Also, if you're going to tin wires and you get a little too much solder, just flick the wire while the solder is still liquid.

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[John T]

For normal size wire I prefer these light weight Kleins.
Had them for many years.

[52 Ford]

For normal size wire I prefer these light weight Kleins.
Had them for many years.

I have a bunch of different wire strippers. Recently, I've just been using the Harbor Freight ones. I had to bring some electronics stuff in the house so I can build out the "brains" of a small automated garden I'm building (automatic lights and ventilation for the green house I want to build this coming fall/winter). I have to strip both ends of probably 40 18AWG wires and a dozen or so other wires. Anything I can't get with the HF strippers, I either use a razor blade or a lighter. Gotta have a lighter out for the heat shrink, anyway (I didn't bring a torch or heat gun in)

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