Better Strippers/Cutters for Home Use?
- Thread starter Zinc2005
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donthelegend
Well-known member
Ideal stripmaster
bcradio
Well-known member
this or the klien version and you'll never look back. 1000 times better than the one pictured.
Askme42
Well-known member
ftmfw
^^The downside is the big/bulky head. You'll still need the Klein version to get into tight spaces.
dirtydogintex
Well-known member
Bluepoint offers similar.... and a lifetime warranty against wear
bcradio
Well-known member
The stripmasters are MUCH better in tight spaces actually. You don't need room to get in there and pull the casing off the wire because it does it for you.
You may find .0001% of the situations that the head can't fit in the space and in that 1 in 10,000 situation just use standard dykes.
bcradio
Well-known member
Yes and it is sold at home depot
Askme42
Well-known member
Owning two is really that big of a deal?
wild cowboy
Banned
I would stay with the Ideal Stripmaster 45-092 ($25 at Zoro) because people are not in super tight places nearly as often as they think they will be, and they work so much more foolproof than the manual Kleins in your pic.
also, there are cheaper Kleins than the 11055 in your photo that really work better, such as as the 11045 shown below:
also, there are cheaper Kleins than the 11055 in your photo that really work better, such as as the 11045 shown below:
It's not just the size of the head but the wide spread of the handles.
Everyone's usage is unique, but I have the Ideal Stripmasters and they just collect dust. If I were doing a bunch or wiring then the Stripmasters would be better but for a few random tasks I prefer the manual strippers.
The OP needs to decide what will work best for his tasks. However whatever the OP buys I'd urge him to get quality brand name strippers like Klein, Ideal etc.
Nothing worse then no name strippers that don't fully cut the insulation or end up cutting into the conductor.
Also the OP may need a second set if he ever works on electronics where small gauge wire is pretty common.
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wild cowboy
Banned
The Klein version of the Stripmaster is called the Katapult and it is about the same price. (but no longer carried by Home Depot)
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bobemmerich
Well-known member
I rarely strip stranded wires, and 90% of what I do around the house is with NM cable. I have this set, and it works great on 12/2 and 14/2. 
I also have the Klein 11045 pictured in the above post, and Craftsman 73573.
I also have a few others (kept forgetting where I put them). All told, I probably have about 5 or 6 pairs of different ones, but the C-Man ones are my go-to's I keep in my home electrical kit.
I also have the Klein 11045 pictured in the above post, and Craftsman 73573.
I also have a few others (kept forgetting where I put them). All told, I probably have about 5 or 6 pairs of different ones, but the C-Man ones are my go-to's I keep in my home electrical kit.
kctyphoon
Banned
wouldnt use these to wire outlets and such - but for other projects these are awesome.
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theoldwizard1
Well-known member
also, there are cheaper Kleins than the 11055 in your photo that really work better, such as as the 11045 shown below:
I like the Ideal T-stripper vetrsion of the above tool.
The only trick with these is if you are stripping stranded wire you have to go up one wire size. (Ideal 45-120 T Stripper for 10-18 Solid and 12-20 Stranded Wires - less than $10 on Amazon)
how do they work better?
wild cowboy
Banned
well a lot of electricians (including me) find them both more comfortable and less likely to slip out of your hand - the way your hand grips the 11045 causes you to make a more accurate cut on the wire, at least it does with me and most other electricians I know.
I tried the curved 11055 but went back to the good old 11045.
but I actually use the Stripmaster the most by far, and always on stranded wire.
wild cowboy
Banned
mickeyone
Well-known member
katapult for auto style,ideal for standard.I have kleins ,ideal ,mac,channelock,and miller.The old school millers still see occasional use.the yellow handled klein is junk,the curvrd one is way better.
Askme42
Well-known member
1950mercury
Well-known member
I do commercial const. And most electricians use the type the op posted not the fancy ones everyone os saying
shampoop
Well-known member
These seem like the classic choice. Anything else worth considering?
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I really like my Ideal 45-615 strippers. They're basically Ideals version of those strippers except they do 10-18 stranded and 8-16 solid. They have the lock switch and screw cutters also.
Those klein ones are great too, the ideals just seemed to fit my hands better and just felt right.
http://www.idealind.com/prodDetail....trippers&l2=reflex_super_t-stripper&l3=45-615
I've used the stripmasters before and don't really like them much. I can see them making sense in special situations though like if you have hand/wrist problems or maybe are just stripping a TON of #10 XHHW. (Very tough insulation, more difficult to strip)
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AE2
Well-known member
Just get the kleins. They will do everything you need. Nothing fancy to fail.
Anyone tried these?
http://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=1216&L=1&page=group_detail&parentID=1363&groupID=2036
They don't strip as many sizes but the shears seem pretty nice.
Another question for all the electricians that are responding to this: Are VDE tools just a waste of money for the majority of people? Seems like the fact that most of Klein's product line is not insulated says something..
http://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=1216&L=1&page=group_detail&parentID=1363&groupID=2036
They don't strip as many sizes but the shears seem pretty nice.
Another question for all the electricians that are responding to this: Are VDE tools just a waste of money for the majority of people? Seems like the fact that most of Klein's product line is not insulated says something..
Farmall450
Well-known member
You really can't go wrong with a simple Channellocks pair for what you want to do.
55bigblockcid
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2011
- Messages
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With this set, a good multimeter, heat gun and soldering iron you should be able to do just about anything.
Ideal strip masters - auto strippers
Craftsman pro or not - manual strippers
Channellock 377 - wire cutting
Ideal 429 - crimping
Channellock 911 - cable cutting
Ideal strip masters - auto strippers
Craftsman pro or not - manual strippers
Channellock 377 - wire cutting
Ideal 429 - crimping
Channellock 911 - cable cutting
warweapon762
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- Dec 1, 2013
- Messages
- 323
wouldnt use these to wire outlets and such - but for other projects these are awesome.
These and Titans ratcheting wire crimpers make automotive work a breeze. But definitely kleins for stripping wires in outlets, they are great.
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tlpatter
Well-known member
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0087TBQ3G?vs=1
I've got a pair of these. They're really well made and have a built in crimper for anything 10 gauge and smaller.
I've got a pair of these. They're really well made and have a built in crimper for anything 10 gauge and smaller.
shampoop
Well-known member
Even for professional electricians, there's very rarely ANY reason to ever work on anything that's live, which is the only reason you'd ever want any tools that are insulated or "VDE" rated.
Working on live circuits can kill you, so if it's going to be done, there will be a VERY GOOD reason, and a lot of safety measures will be taken.
There's never ANY reason for any non professional to ever work on anything live period.
Basstracker34
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wouldnt use these to wire outlets and such - but for other projects these are awesome.
FWIW these have more reviews on amazon than the others listed
livinloud11
Well-known member
FMC1959
Well-known member
The Klein's the OP listed are fine, as are many suggestions others posted. I think this falls into ask 10 electricians their preference and you could get 10 different answers.
I had a pair of Stripmasters for about 15 years and liked them very much, then a small part of the pulling mechanisms broke. I bought a no name look alike to the Stripmasters, complete junk. after 2 months I threw them out because of how frustratingly bad they were. Don't skimp, especially if you go for something like the stripmaster, but any of these need to be built with precision. If the cutters do not line up properly, they will be very frustrating.
I often use these Knipex long nose, they do well for common household wire.
http://www.crawfordtool.com/knipex_1301614.html
I probably have about a dozen strippers, all do the job, none are the perfect do it all (IMO).
About the only ones I haven't tried but would like to get sometime in the future are the more common in Europe ones Monte listed and probably the most common for European electricians (not brand, but style)
http://www.german-hand-tools.com/images/145-69-160.jpg
I had a pair of Stripmasters for about 15 years and liked them very much, then a small part of the pulling mechanisms broke. I bought a no name look alike to the Stripmasters, complete junk. after 2 months I threw them out because of how frustratingly bad they were. Don't skimp, especially if you go for something like the stripmaster, but any of these need to be built with precision. If the cutters do not line up properly, they will be very frustrating.
I often use these Knipex long nose, they do well for common household wire.
http://www.crawfordtool.com/knipex_1301614.html
I probably have about a dozen strippers, all do the job, none are the perfect do it all (IMO).
About the only ones I haven't tried but would like to get sometime in the future are the more common in Europe ones Monte listed and probably the most common for European electricians (not brand, but style)
http://www.german-hand-tools.com/images/145-69-160.jpg
Yeah, those look pretty interesting. Ever considered the Knipex Installation Pliers?
FMC1959
Well-known member
I have 5 drawers of cutters and pliers, many Knipex; before the link you posted earlier, I had never seen those pliers. Just from the picture, I don't see anything special about them. I would need to see them in person before I could get excited about getting those.
FMC1959
Well-known member
I was just looking at the video of these on the bottom of the link. They look very versatile, and perfect for what the show in the video, of not needing to carry a multitude of tools. Like most things Knipex, I am quite sure they perform well and are excellent quality.
For what the OP is asking about, these are very limited as strippers, most of the other choices given by posters would make better choice as a dedicated stripper.