Those who had to do repairs in the apartment or repair broken appliances, probably more than once faced the need to strip the insulation, tidy up damaged wires, etc. Amateurs in this case put into operation an ordinary kitchen knife. As a result, not only the coating was removed from the wires, but also the skin from the fingers, and the wires, if they were thin, spoiled and cut. And professionals used special tools and got quite a positive result.
Tools for working with cable and wire sheaths
Currently, the stripping tool is by no means a table knife, but a stripper. This is what the types of devices for stripping wires from insulating coatings are called. These tools are produced both by domestic manufacturers and foreign, and are presented in a fairly wide range. All of them meet such general requirements as multifunctionality, ease of use, good performance and practical safety. Let's consider some models:
- A convenient and fairly versatile tool for stripping insulation - the so-called cable knife. Its important advantage over the usual knife is an eccentric blade built into the handle and capable of turning. With this knife, you can quickly and accurately, without risk of injury, strip the insulation on a round cable, the diameter of which is 4-28 mm. The internal rotary blade can be set in advance to the parameters of the depth of cut - for this the knife has a special mechanism for stepless adjustment. In addition, this removal tool insulation equipped with another rotary blade, spare. It is hidden inside the device. And the external cutting blade has a hook for “hooking” the cable cover.
- Another device that does not hurt to have not only in the home workshop, but also in the traveling bag of an electrician, is a universal automatic stripper. They are produced by different models for wires of different sections and different types of strokes. It is suitable for stripping insulation on rigid or flexible wires with a diameter of 0.2 to 6.0 mm. The smart mechanism of the device adapts to wires with different core cross-sections, and the maximum removal length is from 5 to 12 mm. The stripper has a built-in cutter. With it, a stripping tool can process a cable with a total diameter of about 2 mm. As spare parts, an additional removable block of exciting “jaws” and trimmed knives is attached to the device. Handles such a stripping tool It is ergonomic to make it easier to use. And inserts made of soft rubber increase the comfort of girth of the device with your hands and perform a current-insulating function.
- Insulating pliers. This is a special kind of tool. They differ from ordinary "flat" by the presence of special precision holes of different diameters, embossed ends, "sponges" and straight blades. Such pliers can not only remove the insulation, but also cut the cable, including thick, stranded, as well as bend the wire.
- Another professional tool is pliers for stripping insulation. Their advantage is the ability to adjust the blades to the diameter of the wires with literally two or three hand movements. In the hands of professionals, such a tool ensures the speed and accuracy of operations.
General tips and clarifications
Typically, on the reverse side of the package, manufacturers place instructions for use on the device. It must be indicated there, with which cable sizes it is more convenient for them to work, and for which - use other tools. Of course, the most multifunctional in this regard is a cable knife, because It is, in fact, suitable for working with wires of any diameter and any shape. Ticks and pliers have a narrower specialization, this must be taken into account when choosing a device for work in each specific case.
The master will definitely pay attention to the handle of the device. It is good when it has a dielectric coating that protects against voltage within 1000 V. This is especially convenient if you have to work with high voltage power cables.