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A "which wire strippers" and why, thread

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Nickmm

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Jun 20, 2012
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Hey fellow GJ members. Haven't really been around to chill and ask questions. Nor have I made any cool green-handled ratchets recently ( I really want to make a run again!). But I've been busy working, and now work in Iraq for a spell. Great career opportunity, surprisingly, and really fine with it this year so far.

So, I am looking at getting a new wire strippers, and one for a co-worker as well. I had a klein catapult for a while and I liked it, but its a bit bulky and not as easy as the self-adjusting units you can find. I am not really looking for a snap-on unit, as I am no longer working with my own tools professionally. I really liked the self adjusting units, but want something that can hold up to abuse for some time. Here are two I was thinking about. Anyone actually used either of the two?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CXKOEQ6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OQ21CA/?tag=atomicindus08-20
 
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kball

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I have these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WIWL8K/?tag=atomicindus08-20 at home and the blue point version at work. Been using them for over a year and they are great. I don't see the blue point ones online anymore so maybe they quit selling them but the titan ones are exactly the same. I've abused them some by stripping wire that was way bigger than the specified size and they haven't broke yet.
 
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Nickmm

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rocket1420 said:
I have the Klein ones you listed. They are okay. I've found the adjustable length stop moved on me. I put it back in my box, pulled it out a couple days later, and it was nowhere near where I set it. Maybe I didn't tighten it down right, but I was annoyed. Someone in the house also could've used it, but I doubt it.

As far as cutting, it's great. It will barely do 12 gauge speaker wire (both wires at once), but it does it. I wish it had a crimper. I wasn't paying attention when I bought it and went to crimp on a connector, uhhhhh, ****! So now I need a crimper.



I wish I got this style. I've needed to strip wires in tight spaces (car door hinge area) and I had to disconnect and pull slack. PITA
Click to expand...

There is no doubt my favorite crimper I have is a longer snap-on one. It has great leverage and makes very good crimps every time. I also have a klein version which works fairly well. I just like the snap-on more, the action is smoother, you don't have to force them open/close like some brands. They are about the same length/dimensions.

http://store.snapon.com/Crimpers-Pliers-Terminal-Crimping-Cutter-9-3-8--P709447.aspx

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006M6Y5M/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I'm looking at a lot of those snout nosed auto crimpers, and I really like them. The stripax 10 was a nice looking unit. The titan looks the lowest priced I've seen so far. Do you like the adjustments on it? It would be great to have a unit like that which I can use for harness work, setting the right depth for connectors to do over and over.

Although, I just did a harness the other day and messed up on the pins. flip-flopped a few wires on the J1939 can. Thankfully, it was an easy fix. Felt dumb for messing up a harness with only 18pins. Bleh.
 
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Ruger_556

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kball said:
I have these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WIWL8K/?tag=atomicindus08-20 at home and the blue point version at work. Been using them for over a year and they are great. I don't see the blue point ones online anymore so maybe they quit selling them but the titan ones are exactly the same. I've abused them some by stripping wire that was way bigger than the specified size and they haven't broke yet.
Click to expand...

Those are the best :rocker: I have the Ideal badged version.
 
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kball

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Nickmm said:
I'm looking at a lot of those snout nosed auto crimpers, and I really like them. The stripax 10 was a nice looking unit. The titan looks the lowest priced I've seen so far. Do you like the adjustments on it? It would be great to have a unit like that which I can use for harness work, setting the right depth for connectors to do over and over.
Click to expand...

Yes the adjuster is simple to use and stays in place. If I need longer stripped ends I just pull the wire through to the side or down past the adjuster tongue and it still strips fine.
 
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cheechi

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The only ones of that 'katapult' style that I like are the Ideal Stripmaster ones. All the ones you linked I would pass unless I couldn't get the Ideal ones.

Also, my most recent set is pretty new and USA made. So there's that.
 
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crewchief888

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SuzukiGS750EZ said:
Personally... I have automatic wire strippers but I always reach for my Milwaukee strippers. They don't have crimpers on them, but I prefer a separate crimper anyways. I do a lot of auto work with them, haven't used them in the house yet
http://www.milwaukeetool.com/hand-tools/pliers/48-22-3069
Click to expand...

^^^
these are my current "go to" strippers @ work.

they replaced a basic SO stripper i used for 20+ years.

i use seperate crimpers (channelock)as well as (knipex) cutters


:beer:
 
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quattroJoe

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OP, are you opposed to normal, manual strippers? I've got those Irwin self adjusters... I used them a few times and went back to manual strippers, they've been buried in the back of my box since. Once you get into 18awg or smaller they don't grab well, and when they do grab you have to knock the bits of insulation out of the jaws after every four or five wires. Ends up taking as long or longer than using manual strippers.

I do a lot of automotive electrical, and my go-to strippers are two pairs of Klein manual strippers covering 8awg to 22 or 24awg. I've also recently had a few pairs of Ideal, a pair of Paladin, and two pairs of Southwire. I've had the best luck with Klein, most precise/repeatable results and they were nice and sharp out of the box and have kept their edge. Haven't tried Snap On so I can't compare them.

My thoughts, and this applies to most tools but especially here, is those all-in-ones suffer from being 'jack of all trades, master of none.' The stripper/crimper/cutter combos have all been atrocious in my experience. My favorite crimpers are also Klein (and I have compared Snappy crimpers.) I spent under $100 for my two pairs of Klein strippers, Klein crimpers, and Knipex cutters. They all get used daily and I couldn't be happier.
 
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techenthusiast

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Do they make a low profile automatic stripper that fits into small places?


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Buster21

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I was never a big fan of the automatic ones. I have used the Miller 100's daily for 25 plus years. My dad has been using the same pair since the 50's. Once you get the feel for them you won't want to use anything else. They are small, lightweight and indestructible.

Miller 100.jpg
 
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jeffmoss26

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I've never been a big fan of the automatic/self adjusting wire strippers. I stick with the Klein 11055 and 11046 myself.

I do want to pick up Seatek jacket stripper that someone posted. Would make working with SO cord a hell of a lot easier!
 
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Nickmm

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Guys, You've been awesome, as usual. I noticed that you can get the matco version herefor very little money. Not too surprised.

I'm going to buy one of those above, one of the titan(Actually, OTC), and try these out. I have decided we are buying some of these for work, so we will be ordering a waytek, and the snap-on PWCSS7CF, and probably a 29cf as well for the shop, if not doubles of the last two.

I noticed from everyone we have maybe a dozen brands of what boils down to just these two strippers on mcmastercarr (thanks for the link!), and the type L looks to have better specs. Longer strip length/more durable build. http://www.mcmaster.com/#automatic-size-wire-strippers/=tmuwa8

What makes the Ideal stripmaster better than the katapult? Seems rebranded versions w/different colors and such. I do like the klein, just bulky and wrong orientation to get into tight spots. But makes a good cut almost every time. I don't think I'm going with the auto adjust version for the same reason, plus I like the waytek model a lot.

The milwaukee is only $28.00 on amazon, may add that in as well, looks nice. However, I have a red handled stripper (can't remember, maybe klein?) that's fairly old, but very sharp and smooth that I like for manual stripping. We'll see how it goes.

I have a version of the miller 100 (made by technitool) and I don't much care for it. I run into enough work where I have multiple sized wires that reseting the tool isn't for me. Though they are wicked sharp. I also have a technitool strippers with a crazy sharp cutter I used today, which was lying about in one of the toolboxes. Cut through jacketed 2x18gauge wire with no effort at all. Not a bad tool, I'll see if I can find a photo.

*Also, this has reminded me of a game me and the Girlfriend play. We add "interesting" items to the shopping cart on amazon to get a rise out of each other... Stripax brought up some of those interesting product suggestions from before... hah.
 
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Rickss96

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jeffmoss26 said:
I've never been a big fan of the automatic/self adjusting wire strippers. I stick with the Klein 11055 and 11046 myself.
Click to expand...

The Klein 11055 looks almost identical to the Williams 23533 mentioned up in post #23. Maybe Williams makes them for Klein?
 
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nanofrog

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Nickmm said:
I'm going to buy one of those above, one of the titan(Actually, OTC), and try these out.
Click to expand...
If you're going to get one of these for testing, why not get a real one from Jokari?

Best way to avoid a knock-off IMHO.

Nickmm said:
...type L looks to have better specs. Longer strip length/more durable build. http://www.mcmaster.com/#automatic-size-wire-strippers/=tmuwa8
Click to expand...
FWIW, the type L is the Pressmaster Embla you plan to purchase from Waytek.

Also, if you need a longer strip than the jaws will allow, there's a way to do that. Just angle the wire out to the side a bit (keep the end of the wire from hitting the stop). Only limit is friction of the insulation on the wire itself (get too long, and the insulation will not slide).
 
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jeffmoss26

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Rickss96 said:
The Klein 11055 looks almost identical to the Williams 23533 mentioned up in post #23. Maybe Williams makes them for Klein?
Click to expand...

Imperial/Stride is the one who makes them for most other companies, they originally made them for Klein also, but Klein now makes them in-house.
 
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cheechi

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Nickmm said:
What makes the Ideal stripmaster better than the katapult? Seems rebranded versions w/different colors and such. I do like the klein, just bulky and wrong orientation to get into tight spots. But makes a good cut almost every time. I don't think I'm going with the auto adjust version for the same reason, plus I like the waytek model a lot.
Click to expand...
I have nothing really quantitative. I have had less jams, less breaking with the Ideal than the Klien. Haven't used the Irwin one but have heard mixed reviews.

Typically I use the regular Klien 'curve handle' strippers we all know and love. I do like my strippers curvy so there you go. The autos are there but they aren't my go to. Great for speaker wire though, especially great for speaker wire.
 
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Sine Swept

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Feb 2, 2014
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With some modification's I really like my Gardner Bender crimper's.

http://www.hardwarestore.com/crimp-on-staking-tool-601530.aspx

Originally it is nearly 1/2 inch thick, but with a grinder on both sides I trimmed it down by half. I then ground down the crimping edge as to not cut into insulated terminals. These are half the weight of Channellocks and are similar in design. If you have the right technique you can strip the wires with the anvil/cutting edge. This took me some practice at first but now think nothing of it.
 
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