Metric Wire Strippers

[Joe Piro]

I've learned this much in life.

Buy Metric Strippers and Crimpers if you work on European/Japanese vehicles. I'm guessing most USA vehicles that use European electronics from Bosch/Siemens etc. Will probably be Metric by now.

My question is: Knipex (and others) make wire strippers that specify AWG sizes and different strippers that specify metric sizes (usually in wire area, or millimeters squared).
However Knipex explains in their complete catalog, that some of their metric devices also work on AWG wire.
DO the metric strippers really work for AWG wire???
For example (see photos- I included photos of the stripping blades; a square symbol at the top of the blade means "metric wire area; AWG obviously means AWG. ): I think its only the second photo "Chart Detail" that has good information on this post. I just got carried away with the others. Everybody always says "Show photos."
So:
Knipex Stripper 12 12 02 is precisely for metric .03 through 2.08 square mm but suggested it works for AWG 32-14.
Knipex Stripper 12 12 06 is precisely for metric .14 through 6.0 square mm but suggested it works for AWG 26-10.
Knipex Stripper 12 12 10 is precisely for metric 2.5/ 4/ 6/ 10 square mm but suggested it works for AWG 13 - 7.
Knipex Stripper 12 12 13 (and 12 12 14 also) are precisely for AWG and not suggested for metric.

I tried to calculate and compare the different wire sizes and the stripper knife hole sizes, but I finally quit trying because of so many variables such as solid wire versus more than one pattern of multi-strand wire. However it seemed to me that even with a precise AWG device, there were anywhere from 5 to 10 thousandths clearance between the blade and the wire, on each side of the wire, depending on the wire size.

So... bottom line... if you want good results and you don't want to Knick the wire, is there enough clearance between the stripper blades and the wire and does it work to use a metric stripper on AWG wire or vice versa;
OR do we really need twice as many stripping pliers.

BTW I know some of you will respond "Just get the Weicon No. 5... it works on anything."
AND I have that and I use it for house wiring, 120 and 240 volt wiring, receptacles, panels, etc.
However someone else always says "This is Garage Journal." Get both!

Whichever you believe, the question remains: Do Knipex metric strippers work for AWG wire as claimed?

 

[Rc_Guy]

I didn’t think it mattered on wire.

Maybe that left handed hammer I saw is really a thing also.

 

[Wamsutta]

That falls into the same category as a metric adjustable wrench.

 

[RPH]

I didn’t think it mattered on wire.

Maybe that left handed hammer I saw is really a thing also.

This is true! When I went to use the left handed hammer in my right hand and it was upside down. Strange!

 

[richfinn]

My question is: Knipex (and others) make wire strippers that specify AWG sizes and different strippers that specify metric sizes (usually in wire area, or millimeters squared).
However Knipex explains in their complete catalog, that some of their metric devices also work on AWG wire.
DO the metric strippers really work for AWG wire???
For example (see photos- I included photos of the stripping blades; a square symbol at the top of the blade means "metric wire area; AWG obviously means AWG. ): I think its only the second photo "Chart Detail" that has good information on this post. I just got carried away with the others. Everybody always says "Show photos."
So:
Knipex Stripper 12 12 02 is precisely for metric .03 through 2.08 square mm but suggested it works for AWG 32-14.
Knipex Stripper 12 12 06 is precisely for metric .14 through 6.0 square mm but suggested it works for AWG 26-10.
Knipex Stripper 12 12 10 is precisely for metric 2.5/ 4/ 6/ 10 square mm but suggested it works for AWG 13 - 7.
Knipex Stripper 12 12 13 (and 12 12 14 also) are precisely for AWG and not suggested for metric.

I tried to calculate and compare the different wire sizes and the stripper knife hole sizes, but I finally quit trying because of so many variables such as solid wire versus more than one pattern of multi-strand wire. However it seemed to me that even with a precise AWG device, there were anywhere from 5 to 10 thousandths clearance between the blade and the wire, on each side of the wire, depending on the wire size.

So... bottom line... if you want good results and you don't want to Knick the wire, is there enough clearance between the stripper blades and the wire and does it work to use a metric stripper on AWG wire or vice versa;
OR do we really need twice as many stripping pliers.

BTW I know some of you will respond "Just get the Weicon No. 5... it works on anything."
AND I have that and I use it for house wiring, 120 and 240 volt wiring, receptacles, panels, etc.
However someone else always says "This is Garage Journal." Get both!

Whichever you believe, the question remains: Do Knipex metric strippers work for AWG wire as claimed?

Hit & Miss, if you are using dedicated wire strippers "Get Both", if your using Weicon number 5 "your good"

 

[dnschmidt]

As richfinn said: buy these and you can strip anything. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NUMVHQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Joe Piro]

I didn’t think it mattered on wire.

Maybe that left handed hammer I saw is really a thing also.

I think it does matter on wire, maybe more on some sizes than others.
This reminds me of the joke about "Do you know the difference between toilet paper and (fill in another word here).
If you don't know the difference between wire and a hammer, don't ask to borrow my wire.
(Hope you can take a joke.)

 

[Joe Piro]

That falls into the same category as a metric adjustable wrench.

I appreciate the humor, but I don't think so.... not really.

 

[Joe Piro]

if your using Weicon number 5 "your good"

Not really. It covers everything from 24 to 10 AWG (.2 to 6.0 sq mm).

That leaves a lot remaining... for example:
The Knipex 12 12 02 strips 32 to 14 AWG and the Knipex 12 12 10 maybe does 8 AWG, IF I'm reading the catalog correctly.
I appreciate the humor, but does anyone actually know the answer to the question?
Or as I often read on Garage Journal, "That's not what the OP asked."
Like I said, I already have the Weicon No. 5 and its a great tool and it has its place. I use it for receptacles, panels etc.

But it doesn't do everything. If it did they wouldn't need to make this:

So does anyone actually know the answer to the question that the OP (me) asked?
So maybe I need both AWG and metric, but does anyone actually know?
I don't like dealing with tiny wires and I often wonder if "they" could use something bigger. But I guess "they" save a few dollars on a million cars or a million computers or whatever.

 

[BTL-A4]

AWG and metric are different sizes. There will be some that are the same, but it will be hard to tell. Get the metric wire strippers to add to your AWG ones if you are looking for precision. However, it may not be necessary since, as you have seen, the sizes are close enough that in practice either tool will strip either wire.

 

[BTL-A4]

I thought it might be interesting for us to see this:

 

[richfinn]

Not really. It covers everything from 24 to 10 AWG (.2 to 6.0 sq mm).

That leaves a lot remaining... for example:
The Knipex 12 12 02 strips 32 to 14 AWG and the Knipex 12 12 10 maybe does 8 AWG, IF I'm reading the catalog correctly.
I appreciate the humor, but does anyone actually know the answer to the question?
Or as I often read on Garage Journal, "That's not what the OP asked."
Like I said, I already have the Weicon No. 5 and its a great tool and it has its place. I use it for receptacles, panels etc.

But it doesn't do everything. If it did they wouldn't need to make this:

So does anyone actually know the answer to the question that the OP (me) asked?
So maybe I need both AWG and metric, but does anyone actually know?
I don't like dealing with tiny wires and I often wonder if "they" could use something bigger. But I guess "they" save a few dollars on a million cars or a million computers or whatever.

To answer your question from an automotive point of view, I do have an AWG sized wire stripper (Snap-On) and multiple metric versions. Mostly though a Weicon covers everything I ever need to do.

It's rare I work on anything American/SAE but my Snap-On strippers definitely perform worse on European vehicles than dedicated Metric wire strippers.

I guess it's easy in my trade as you automatically know what you're dealing with depending on country of manufacture.

If you deal with a mixture of Metric/AWG get both (plus the automatic Weicon 5)

 

[nadogail]

A Utility Knife doesn't care if it strips Metric or AWG sized wires.

 

[Joe Piro]

A Utility Knife doesn't care if it strips Metric or AWG sized wires.

I agree. That is what I have been using on the small stuff, like AWG 24 or smaller (and sometimes the really big stuff which works out ok) But sometimes I nick it and lose some strands and have to start over. Also my hands are not as steady nor my eyes as good as they were, but I still have a lifetime of projects to do.

 

[Joe Piro]

To answer your question from an automotive point of view, I do have an AWG sized wire stripper (Snap-On) and multiple metric versions. Mostly though a Weicon covers everything I ever need to do.

It's rare I work on anything American/SAE but my Snap-On strippers definitely perform worse on European vehicles than dedicated Metric wire strippers.

I guess it's easy in my trade as you automatically know what you're dealing with depending on country of manufacture.

If you deal with a mixture of Metric/AWG get both (plus the automatic Weicon 5)

Thanks for a really considered answer. So I get a mixture of American, German and Japanese cars and motorcycles so far ...between me, my girl friend and my other friends that hang out and need help on a regular basis. So I suppose in the world economy now audio and video and IT are mixed use as well... I prefer metric and have had metric hand tools since my first Volkswagon. Now I just have to get used to metric everywhere else.
Thank you....

 

[dchawk81]

I have Klein grab and tugs and they don't care about metric vs AWG.