Romex Strippers

[purplezr2]

Looking for suggestions for wire strippers for doing household electrical.

I wired my whole garage and a few other projects with a cheap GB set from Menards, and they are finally showing their age.

They build in stripper for the external sheath, along with strippers for the wire gauges and bolt cutters in them.

 

[rlitman]

I'm curious what everyone else does, but here's my technique.

Cut the NM-B with linesman's pliers. Get a firm grip on the jacket and pinch the ground with the corner of my pliers, pulling it out through the side of the jacket. Once it's down far enough for me to have something to hold onto (maybe 1/2"), I hold the jacket with the two insulated wires in my fingers, and pull the ground further, ripping through the jacket. When I get to where I want, I pull the jacket and all the paper to one side and clip it off. Stripping is done by pinching the insulation in the cutting jaw, and rotate the pliers 90 degrees. Then grab the insulation in the tip of your pliers and pull, so the insulation snaps where you scored it (you shouldn't need to touch the copper).

Now if anyone has any tips for working in UF, I'd LOVE to know those, because working with UF is a total bear for me.

 

[Wamsutta]

Klein makes a pair for stripping 14/2 and 12/2 Romex.

 

[BrandonV]

I like these.

 

[lardy1]

I have Klein's and have used them quite a bit. I like stripping the sheath easily but after using them for other things like cutting and stripping the ends I feel that the pivot won't hold up to continual stress so I try to train myself to only use them for the sheath. Then they're just something else to carry and keep track of.

 

[RedRambler]

I have used the Klein ones on quite a few household wiring projects. They work well for me, but I am not using them daily. I have used them more in the automotive setting as they make short work of stripping stranded wire and its clean.




I have also used the Klein Katapult ones and they work just as good. I feel the Katapult ones have a sharper blade and cut a little easier.

 

[snorvet]

I used one of these 30 some years ago when I built my house. Used it to cut the sheath. Then wire strippers like the Klein Tools one above for stripping the wire ends.

 

[dnschmidt]

The Klein are the answer!

 

[Wiz02]

Beat me to it:

I use an ancient version of these

Klein-Kurve® Dual NM Cable Stripper/Cutter - K1412 | Klein Tools

The Klein-Kurve Dual NM Cable Stripper/Cutter allows you to cleanly remove the outer jacket of 12/2 and 14/2 Type NM-B non-metallic sheathed cable. Stripping holes easily remove the insulation on 12 and 14 AWG solid wire. Precision shear-type blades provide square clean cuts on solid copper...

www.kleintools.com

 

[RTM]

I used one of these 30 some years ago when I built my house. Used it to cut the sheath. Then wire strippers like the Klein Tools one above for stripping the wire ends.

This is what I grew up with in the 70-80s, dad had one remodeling the house.

 

[NoahG]

Rack-a-tiers Crocs

 

[PBCampbell]

I have those Kleins, they work well. I also have a pair of Craftsman that are for 10gauge. I have no idea who made them though.

 

[snorvet]

This is what I grew up with in the 70-80s, dad had one remodeling the house.

Yep. perfect for stripping the outer sheath. Cut it down the middle never cutting the insulation on the conductors. I had one in the 80's. Used it until the mid 90's. Haven't seen it since. I was surprised to find them for sale online.

 

[lardy1]

I used to rough wire houses in the 80's and those stamped rippers, combination pliers and a utility knife was about all I used.

 

[Bert_]

I've never really cared for the romex strippers. It seems just as fast with my utility knife. Then a pair of the regular klien wire strippers.

 

[Rusted Nut]

Another vote foe the Klien 1412’s.

 

[Steve_P]

The klein are the answer. The POS ones that look like a finger splint are junk in comparison. I have both.

 

[kbuhagiar]

This is what I grew up with in the 70-80s, dad had one remodeling the house.

Same here!

 

[KnurledNut]

The 90° angled tip are a personal favorite but they have been discontinued for some time now. They pop up on ebay occasionally but usually fetch a premium especially the 12 ga. I like them for working in old existing work gang boxes.
If I just needed a dedicated pair for new wiring, id go for the shorter Klein 1012s or comparable.

@rlitman above nailed the simplest way and thats how I do it too. Especially works great for scrapping old wiring.

 

[cgrutt]

I have a lot of wire strippers but keep coming back to the basic style with multiple holes for various sized wire gauges and a pair of linesman pliers. I still have a few of the stamped sheathing rippers pictured above but find they don't work as well on the newer wire which seems much thinner then the older stuff. I just use a razor to cut down the center/ground and pull it back along with the paper. Cut that with the razor. I've also been using a crimper to mechanically bond the grounds for past several years prior to that I'd just twist them together in a tight spiral and be done with it. I prefer Klein tools for electrical work.

ETA I've also gotten into the habit of using pigtails if more than one wire is coming into box. Prefer just having a single wire (of each type, hot/common/ground etc) going to fixture with branch circuits being tied together with a wire nut.

 

[ohhimark]

Used to use a utility knife and wire strippers or diagonal pliers. Bought Armstrong 67-912, they do the same job but much cleaner.

 

[PMD1966]

I used one of these 30 some years ago when I built my house. Used it to cut the sheath. Then wire strippers like the Klein Tools one above for stripping the wire ends.

I still have two of these. They have worked for over 40 years.