Regardless of the tool, you intend to use, stripping wire insulation is a tasking chore. It’s also prone to domestic hazards. That’s why there are recommended tools for it. These tools lessen the risk that comes with this activity.
Many people prefer to use the traditional knife to strip the wire of its insulation. The downside of this is that it may damage not only the naked wires but also injure the person handling them. Instead of this high-risk option, one should opt for a high-quality wire stripper that can easily slice through the insulation without harming you or the wires?
Stripping wire insulation or cables can be executed using various machines or tools designed for it. First, there’s the manual cable stripper, which you can buy at the nearest hardware store for a very affordable price. On the other hand, mechanical cable insulation strippers are quite expensive. They will cost you thousands of dollars to acquire.
Using wire strippers such as Slice® 10550 Manual Utility Knife will reduce the likelihood of injury to self. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of traditional blades, which may strip off part of your skin with the cable with one tiny slip. When this happens, you’ll end up with a puncture or laceration injury.
Common Characteristics of Wire Strippers
The below characteristics are the difference between a cable stripping blade and a traditional blade:
- Non-conductive properties
- Non-magnetic properties
- Non-sparking properties
The Best Wire Insulation Strippers
Whether you’re a professional electrician or a handy amateur with a basic knowledge of electrical wiring, investing in cable or wire insulation stripping tools is a significant step to take. You wouldn’t want something to go wrong while splicing wires, wiring outlets, or setting up lights.
Of course, you can’t buy every cable stripper on the market in the name of safety. Having a reliable wire stripper is all you need to enhance the safety of stripping your wire insulation.
Cable stripping tools come in different sizes and types. Regardless of the size or type (which is based on the user’s preference), ensure you get any of the listed wire insulation stripping tools below:
- Ceramic scissors (can easily slice thin copper wire gauges)
- 10568 Ceramic scalpel (a tool with other applications aside from wire insulation stripping. It’s great for use if you’re working with wires at awkward angles or in tight spaces)
- Craft blades
- 10532 Corner-stripping blades
- 10537 Straight-Edge Pointed Tip Blades
- 10519 Pointed-Tip Seam Ripper Blades
- 10562 Folding Utility Knife
- 10559 Manual Industrial Knife
- 10513 Manual Pen Cutter
These are some of the best cable strippers on the market. Fortunately, they are also affordable. In addition, the non-conductive qualities of these blades lessen the risk of electrocution. For instance, if these blades come in contact with a live wire, the current won’t be transferred to you the way it would’ve been if it was a traditional metal blade, which is highly conductive.
The last three blades on the list above provide you with the option of selecting your preferred cutting depth and handle while stripping cables or wire insulation.