Wire stripper

From Team 449 Wiki

Wire Stripper
Klein wire strippers, open.jpg
Wire stripper with various size capabilities.
Tool Information
Material: Cast iron, steel, plastic
Uses: Remove insulation from wires

Wire strippers are used to remove the plastic outer layer of a wire without damaging the wires inside. This is necessary for crimping as well as inserting wires in certain parts.

How to Use

  1. Determine the size of the wire (should be written as the wire as AWG _ ). A larger number means a thinner wire.
  2. Find a wire stripper with the corresponding size.
  3. Place the wire in the correct slot with the amount you want sticking out on one end.
  4. Squeeze the handles and wiggle the wire until the coating comes off.

Katapult Stripper

As with a normal stripper, the wire is placed in the correct slot for its size. However, the end to be stripped needs to be sticking out of the side without the wire size numbers. The handle is squeezed and the wire is stripped.

General Tips and Advice

Depending on its use, different amounts of a wire will be stripped. People generally tend to strip too much rather than too little. Around 1/4" is normally enough.

In general, wire strippers can also be used to cut wire. Many of them will have a sharp edge slightly below the slots for stripping wires that can be squeezed around a wire to cut it.

Cutting wire that has already been stripped is not advised as it makes a mess. If too much wire has been stripped, cut off a little bit of the coating and re-strip.