New Icon Wire Stripper/Cutter/Crimper

[willf650]

I doubt most people know anything about the issues with sizing these stripper/crimpers have. I'm the only one I have seen post a critical review of these and my video is unlisted so unless someone came to this thread they think these are great. All the usual suspects came out on Youtube saying these are great. Even this thread started out that way.

I can tell you all the slot sizes I tested are off slightly compared to all my other strippers. The smaller down the tree you go the more pronounced it is. The larger sizes you can make work but the smaller sizes absolutely do not.

As far as the form of these strippers they may be distasteful for automotive work but they are decent for electrical/HVAC service work. You will strip wires 50 times more than you crimp so the stripper in the leading position would be prefered for primarily stripping. If your doing actual quantities of wiring you will have a dedicated crimper and a dedicated stripper. My bigger tool bag has 3 different wire strippers in it and a crimper.

The other Icon crimper/stripper that everyone loves I find the form factor doesn't work for electrical work, it's way too small.

 

[Steve_P]

Zoro sells those for really reasonable prices. I'd always assumed they were expensive, but the 10-22 AWG pair I bought was the same price as this thread's HF strippers. Blew my mind.
My dad hid his pair when we were kids because it was too fun to play with.

"GDit, which one of you little bastards stripped my entire 50-foot roll of 16-gauge wire? $@%!%!$"

 

[willf650]

I will throw a glitch in the matrix. I tried stripping 16 and 18 gauge tffn wire yesterday and the Icons were able to strip them.

It will not strip an 18 gauge fine strand conductor out of any 18 gauge cable assembly I've tried to date. I've since bought 2 types of Klein strippers and they will strip the 18 gauge conductors of the cable assemblies fine.

I would still give these a pass at this point as their sizing still is suspect compared to any Kleins or Channnelock brand strippers I have.

 

[dnschmidt]

I like most of ICON's stuff. But there are exceptions and these are one of them.

 

[Steel_Rain]

 

[KnurledNut]

@willf650
Looks like Catus ran into a similar stripping issue @4:55. Video above.

 

[zimman]

I do a lot of wiring. Lots. Uhaul does a lot of wiring. I like my Uhaul wire strippers and these other Gardner Bender pair.
Zim

 

[willf650]

@willf650
Looks like Catus ran into a similar stripping issue @4:55. Video above.

I’m telling you it’s more than just the one size not stripping for me.

All the sizing seems off in my opinion and I probably strip more wires than the “tool review” guys combined. Compared back to back with another brand of stripper something ain’t right.

 

[KnurledNut]

I do a lot of wiring. Lots. Uhaul does a lot of wiring. I like my Uhaul wire strippers and these other Gardner Bender pair.
Zim

By "Uhaul wire strippers" you mean those orange and black Thomas and Betts WT2000's?

 

[willf650]

I was able to return those strippers and get a refund. This was probably one of about 5 times in my life I returned a tool.

Last one clear in my mind was a set of Craftsman "Robogrips".

No sense in keeping something that is literally useless to me for the most part.


edit: Just looked and Harbor Freight does curate their reviews. I posted one and it has yet to be posted and it was over a week ago at this point. They now have reviews on this tool but mine is blatantly absent.

 

[Sbusmech]

Ok, didn't try any of the good strippers I use for work as they are in my truck but grabbed a few extras I don't really care for that were in my tool chest.


I also tried several types of wire. The Icons will strip larger wire OK but a lot of my realm is 18 gauge wire for instrumentation and they are horrendous for that.

Here is an 18 gauge wire out of a different type of cable. All my other strippers stripped it fine. The Icons only chafed the jacket.



Honestly the $20 stamped sheet metal Kleins worked better all around for me.

I used Klein products for years when I worked for AT&T. Good stuff and good memories.

 

[LOW1]

I am not at all interested if it does not have a spring which automatically opens the “business end” of the strippers when the handle is released.

 

[Sbusmech]

I am not at all interested if it does not have a spring which automatically opens the “business end” of the strippers when the handle is released.

I've always disliked the spring loaded ones, granted it takes awhile to "break in" the non spring type, then you can use them pretty quickly.

 

[willf650]

Since this popped up in my notifications since I was quoted I looked on Harbor Freights website and my review of these strippers was never posted and it should have been among the first.

I tried to submit a review again and it won't let me as I already submitted a review. Take their reviews with a grain of salt as its obvious they curate them to strip out the negative ones.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Exactly. I believe that's already been established. Not sure if it was on the wire strippers or another item, but they definitely weed out negative product reviews.

It is for that exact reason I give no credence at all to "customer reviews" at HF or Amazon.

 

[ecotec]

Oh no, this again.

I don't do a lot of electricalizing, and I despise this style of wire stripper. So not for me, no matter who makes it.

But if this sort of thing is the sort of thing that you like, I think HF is to be applauded for making it available to those of us who don't want to chase down a Snap-On man and develop a warm, loving, intimate relationship in order to perhaps someday obtain the rights to consummate our passion by paying $80 or more for pliers.

Snap-On stuff is great, yes. Expensive, sure, no problem. It's the process of laying hands on the stuff by luring the attention of an elusive man in a truck that makes it weird.

It is pretty damn big ... Icon does have this 7" wire stripper/cutter/crimper:

https://www.harborfreight.com/7-in-wire-stripper-cutter-and-crimper-70592.html

I think that I will buy a pair of those the next time they have a good coupon.

 

[bwringer]

Since this popped up in my notifications since I was quoted I looked on Harbor Freights website and my review of these strippers was never posted and it should have been among the first.

They do seem to leave a few negative reviews in place, but it doesn't seem like a lot. They probably filter these pretty heavily, or at least take out the angry ones.

Also, when you look at a product on HF's website, the reviews are sorted by "Highest Rating" by default, which I think smells a bit off.

 

[ecotec]

They do seem to leave a few negative reviews in place, but it doesn't seem like a lot. They probably filter these pretty heavily, or at least take out the angry ones.

Also, when you look at a product on HF's website, the reviews are sorted by "Highest Rating" by default, which I think smells a bit off.

So a few websites do this.

I had to go out of my way to get to the bad reviews on the m12 6.0 Milwaukee batteries.

 

[theoldwizard1]

If you are looking for PRECISION wire stripper for small gauge wire (20 AWG and smaller) the best are NO-NIK brand. These used to be manufactured by Clauss but are now sold by Ripley Miller. Mostly used on fiber optic cable. Expensive. One tool per size !