Tool for stripping wire and cable insulation. Various wire stripping tools Strip the insulation from a trapezoidal cable

Doing small things repair work in the house, you often have to deal not only with wires, but also with cables. This raises the question: how to properly strip the insulation from a wire? There are differences between a wire and a cable, for example, a wire is one conductor, which may not even provide for the possibility of removing the insulation (bare wire), while a cable is a whole network of non-contacting current carriers, covered with a common layer - an insulating sheath. Essentially, there are always several wires inside the cable. Stripping sometimes requires both individual conductors and all conductors in a cable. Often you have to remove a long piece of the top shell (insulation). That's why you can't do it with your hands alone.

The types and arrangement of wires and cables have already been repeatedly discussed in articles devoted to this topic. For example: "", "", "", etc.
Typically, a wire is a conductor (rigid or flexible) coated with PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or rubber insulation. There can be one layer of insulation, or maybe several. Sometimes silk braiding acts as additional insulation, sometimes the conductor part is coated with insulating varnish.
How the cable works is already written a little higher. What is technically considered a cable is often colloquially referred to as a wire, and a stranded wire may be called a cable. Polyvinyl chloride, rubber and other non-flammable dielectrics are used as insulation for wires and cables. They protect wires from short circuits, human contact, and fire.
Sometimes the conductors of a stranded wire are enveloped in a rather dense layer of insulation, which can cause difficulties when stripping.
According to the type of conductor cross-section, wires are divided into two types:

1. Single-wire (rigid). They are a conductor consisting of one solid conductor.
2. Stranded (flexible). They consist of several very thin wires intertwined with each other.

To successfully remove insulation, you must use quality tool and follow the rules and sequence of work, otherwise the wiring will quickly fail.

Tools needed to strip wires

To properly and safely strip the insulation from the live part of the wire, the following tools may be useful:

• Side cutters.
• Assembly, construction, stationery or household knife.
• Electric burner.
• Pliers.
• Special cutters for thick cables or metal scissors.
• Vise or other fixing device.

Stripper: its purpose and model variations

A stripper is a special device for stripping wires. Simple models The operating principle of this tool is similar to conventional side cutters. The blades are equipped with recesses of different radii, designed for conductors of different sections.
The semi-automatic manual stripper is equipped with two pairs of jaws with blades. When using it, the end of the cable must be placed in work area, close the blade handles and cut the insulation. The sponges remove it from the vein. A stripper of this model is equipped adjustable stop, which allows you to precisely adjust the section of the placed wire. In Russia this tool is called KSI (insulation stripping pliers).


Some types of strippers perform several functions simultaneously:

• Trimmed
• Cleaning up
• The veins are twisted

A twisted pair stripper is a clip with a built-in blade that looks like the blade of a utility knife.

After equipment repair or electrical network, make sure that there is no bare area left.

Company "Knipex"

The tool for stripping and cutting wires must be of high quality, in accordance with the requirements of state standards. The German company Knipex produces time-tested, reliable tools designed for stripping wires. Some of them are tested at 10,000 volts at +70 and -25 degrees. Therefore, there is no doubt about the reliability of this company’s products. Among other tools used to cut wires, the main ones can be identified:

• Combination pliers
• Knitting pliers
• Clamping pliers
• Wire cutters
• Tweezers
• Forceps
• Cable knives

Founded back in 1882, Knipex is today one of the most famous manufacturers electrical installation tool. Every day, 45 thousand units of this company's products are sold. About a hundred countries around the world cooperate with it. And in our region, getting a Knipex tool will not be difficult.

The process of stripping a wire or cable

Most often, wire stripping is done using side cutters. Sometimes cutting wires is accompanied by improper use of side cutters, which complicates the work and leads to damage to the live part of the wire. To remove insulation, it is important that the cutting parts are directed in the direction opposite to the movement of the tool. This way the knives will be able to cut into the insulation even with slight pressure.

If you don’t have side cutters or other special devices at hand, you can take a knife, lightly press the cutting part of the knife onto the wire insulation and draw it in a circle. Repeat if necessary until protective layer the insulation will not cut through and the tip will not reach the core. You can make the cut not across. and along the wire, then stretch the edges to the sides and cut off the sheath. This method is even considered by many to be better and safer.


When cutting, you can easily cut your hands, so be extremely careful.

How to Cut External Insulation Using a Heel Knife Video

When removing the outer layer of insulation, be careful not to cut it using a forward motion (similar to sawing). You just need to press it with the sharp side of the knife and turn it slowly. You shouldn't use force. When the work is completed, inspect the stripped ends of the conductor. There may be cuts or breaks in the live part of the wire. This end of the wire is not suitable for further use. It needs to be cut off and the work done again. If you do not give this due importance, over time it may create dangerous situation. As a rule, the damaged part of the wire strand breaks off later during operation. In the future, you will need to look for the place where the cable is damaged, and this place, as a rule, will be hidden with insulating tape.
Sometimes it is not clear how to strip the wire, especially when it is too thin and multi-core. There is one trick.

1. Take an old razor blade.
2. We break it and take one half of the blade.
3. We fix the wire using a vice or clamps. You can use the clamp of a table lamp.
4. We cut the insulation along the conductor.
5. We make neat cuts across the section, trying not to touch the conductor with the blade.
6. Bend the cable so that the cut edges move slightly apart.
7. We grab the cut with our fingernail and pull the insulation off the core.

Stripping wires is a painstaking job that requires patience.
Errors often occur when stripping wires. Typical errors in stripped wires are visible in the figure:

Thin wires break very easily. Therefore, you need to strip the insulation from them very carefully.

Stripping the insulation of thin or winding wires

With a conductor thickness of 0.2 mm, in the best possible way stripping, there will be a mechanical option. To do this we need a knife or sandpaper, preferably a fine grain.
The paper needs to be bent inward with the abrasive and insert the wire into the bent sheet, lightly pulling it and pressing it with your fingers. The procedure must be repeated until the enamel is completely cleaned off.
When using a knife, you need to place part of the cable on a hard surface and scrape off the varnish by turning the wire in a circle until the enamel is scraped off the conductor. So, cutting a wire is not a complicated process and does not require an electrician’s diploma.
If the cross-section is thinner than 0.2 mm, another method will be required, since the mechanical method will not give results and will only damage the wire. In this case, it is worth mastering the thermochemical stripping method. We will need a soldering iron and vinyl chloride insulation.
Place vinyl chloride on the table and heat the soldering iron. When hot, we run it over the insulation. When heated, chlorine will be produced, separating the enamel.
To tin a wire during thermochemical treatment, you can take an aspirin tablet, lay the wire on it and run a soldering iron over it in the same way.
In addition to the fact that the cross-section of the wire is so thin, inside it there are many cores twisted into one conductor. Therefore use this method requires precision and skill.

Stripping power cable insulation

Power cables are used mainly for laying conductors to powerful equipment and to switchboards. How to remove the outer layer of cable insulation?

1. Slowly cut the insulating layer from the end along the cable, but not very deeply.
2. Using pliers, pull out one core at a time located inside.
3. Cut off the remaining piece from the outer insulation.
4. We cut the wires.

Before you begin this work, carefully consider how much insulation you will need to remove. It is better to cut with a small margin. If you expose a piece that is too long, you can always cut off the excess. Use a cambric to better position the cable inside the device.

When working with electricity, never neglect to exercise caution. Even if you have stripped the wires many times, remember that any cut in the insulating layer is a potential threat to the cable and wire.

And finally. Various tools for stripping wire insulation and how to use them video.

Even those who like to lie on the sofa often have to work with electrical wires in an apartment, garage or car. How can this seemingly simple operation be performed: kitchen knife, scissors, blunt wire cutters, a lighter, and some even with teeth.

The braid turns out torn, many thin copper wires are lost, which violates their standard conductivity and electrical resistance. They connect worse to each other, to contact terminals and groups. And a failure in a certain wiring diagram will occur precisely in this weakened link. Therefore, you simply need a wire stripper.

How to properly remove insulation without defects?

Protective coating of any stranded copper wire must be dual-functional: strong and at the same time elastic. In other words, do not allow moisture on the copper and subsequent oxidation of the wire and easily allow for partial necessary removal from the core. Our step-by-step instructions will help you on how to properly strip wires.

What kind of damage can be expected from unprofessional stripping of a wire end?

• reducing the cross-section of the conductor;
• fractures of part of the copper threads in the core and a drop in strength characteristics;
• hidden defects when using blunt stripping devices - from stretching and bending;
• loss of part of the copper threads in the multistrand;
• contamination with residual insulation of the conductor.

We clean it correctly

All of the above is the result of the activities of amateurs in electrical engineering. Professionals can only laugh at how a man tears the braid with his already fragile teeth or hardly pulls it off the end with rusty wire cutters. This can be seen in numerous Internet photos of wire stripping.

Experienced electricians know all the secrets of working with wires and use one or more tools to expose the wires. And not only multi-filament ones, but also single and thick ones - copper or aluminum, for internal wiring and street.

Below is a proven method of electrical engineers and craftsmen on how to strip a wire of insulation with your own hands quickly and efficiently. First, about simplicity for dummies.

Using a regular knife

A well-sharpened blade is easily protected by a braid of polyvinyl chloride and rubber protection. The first is the most widely used sheath today for copper and other wires with a cross-section from half a millimeter to four. They pressed the blade onto the shell and pulled sharply. More often than not, a piece of wrapper comes off nicely and efficiently. But sometimes the braid does not yield to the knife.

This occurs at a cross section larger than 2.5 millimeters. Then use the same knife to ring the protective surface, being careful not to reach the copper threads of the wire. It is better to perform this procedure on a board, rolling the knife around the circumference. Another method is transverse dissection. Bend the wire and easily make a notch at the top of the bend. It will be easy to remove further.

Longitudinal notch. Run the tip of a sharp blade along the length of the intended braid removal. Try not to reach copper wires. You bend it and cut it off. This method is suitable for braiding with two or three layers of different protection.

Forceps

There are many factory tools for removing braid. Assortment by price - from budget to exclusive. The usual one has two devices: the first one uses a gauge to remove the braid, and the other hole protects the copper wires.

The pliers are well suited for working with used wire where the copper is slightly burnt. After cleaning the core, you can use the wire a second time in electrical wiring.

Thermal remedy

PVC melts and burns well. Many electricians use this outside the workshop when it is urgent to remove part of the braid on a wire. A lighter or matches will do. But you need to follow safety rules, for example, this. Before burning the braid, keep a wet cloth near the fire on the wire, it will also clean the soot from the copper threads.

But don’t overdo it with fire for the second reason: thin copper or aluminum wires They will simply melt, especially on a gas lighter. And remember: PVC is toxic when burned.

Electric thermocouple

Such a wire heater will not set fire to the entire braid and will not melt the thin wires in the cable core. And around such a cut a ring sealed thermal growth appears, which will not let moisture into the core, and the copper will not corrode. Effective method only on polyvinyl chloride winding, and not on rubber or fluoroplastic.

Don't cheap out on KSI

Insulation stripping complex - this is the abbreviation of this manual semi-automatic device. The stripper gently cuts the braid around the circumference, leaving a minimal gap.

The second device can be easily removed PVC residues. He's at different manufacturers differs in price range, so first understand the instructions so that the stripper suits your needs. Explore the model line of Khipex, or AMD, Jokari and several others.

Photo of stripping wires from insulation

The first question asked by those who previously made do with ordinary construction or even office knives is whether an electrician’s knife with a heel is really necessary to such an extent that electrical installation work cannot be performed without it? Many specialists have worked and are working without it for decades and at the same time competently perform all electrical work.

For example, some even specifically use a non-sharpened knife to longitudinally cut the insulation between the cores. This method may be suitable for cables with a soft rubber or vinyl sheath.

The heel does not provide significant savings in operating speed. Of course, the cleaning process is a little faster, but it’s impossible to say that the work is done 2 times faster, in the same amount of time. The most important factor here is the skill of the performer and his experience. A professional should be able to clean with anything, be it a construction knife or side cutters. At the same time, do it efficiently and quickly.

Another question is that a professional must to have such a dielectric tool in your kit, but what does it give to the common man?

The most important advantages of this knife:

• comfort at work
• reliable insulation of the handle, in case someone accidentally turns on the machine and voltage appears on the cable (up to 1000 Volts)
• safe removal of insulation without “jambs”, cuts and scuffs, even if you are an amateur and are using it for the first time in your life

This knife is equally suitable for those who do both clean electrical installation work, so complex repairs, without sufficient experience in cable cutting.

Stripping GOST and TU cables

Another point that should not be forgotten is that the knife with a heel is intended primarily for flat cables of the VVGng-P type. Of course, craftsmen can clean anything with them, but the amenities there will be completely different.

When stripping a round cable, using such a device is dangerous. For brands like NYM, there are more convenient and specially designed tools for this purpose.

Moreover, when using a cable made according to technical specifications(TU), and not according to GOST, the insulation will be removed faster and easier. The insulation of the cable according to GOST is much thicker, it fits more tightly to the cores and is more difficult to work with.

Be sure to wear gloves when working here; without them, it could result in injury.

Therefore, if a knife with a heel does not remove insulation well, do not rush to be disappointed in it, maybe you just happen to have a high-quality cable.

By the way, in a similar indirect way you can find out what kind of TU or GOST cable you have. Unless, of course, you are sure that the knife is not dull, and you have tested it before on other wires.

Let's take a closer look at the main manufacturers. They are not much different from each other, but still have their pros and cons.

Chinese red knife LS-55

Previously, this knife was not produced under any brand - KVT, aka a replica of the first generation Knipex, Shtok and others. Today, a similar tool can be bought at bazaars and Chinese online stores AliExpress. Other companies switched to a different design. True, some are sure that KVT and “China” are still the same thing, only KVT is twice as expensive.

Many other tools still have the shape of the handle of this knife. It is completely plastic and does not have rubberized inserts. There is a slot at the end of the handle for installing and storing a protective cover.

This is a very original and convenient solution so as not to lose it during work and not look for it later. Other more expensive brands lack this.

If you have a large palm, then the knife may be really small, since it has the shortest handle length among other copies. However, when working in small cabinets, this can be a significant advantage.

The blade is not straight and there is a slight slope. The heel is made quite well:

• teardrop-shaped
• not big
• edges are neatly processed
• good welding

One of the significant drawbacks is that you can often end up with a dull blade. With such a blade it is very difficult to make the first cut. The insulation is crumpled more than it is cut. To facilitate this process, you can use pliers, or even better, thin-nose pliers.

Crimp the end of the cable with pliers and place the heel under the outer sheath.

The main thing is to make the initial cut, and then the knife goes faster. It’s easier and safer to make a cut “on your own.” But when working “for himself”, he usually chews insulation. To make it easier, try bending the cable a little, making a small arc.

Of course, it is better to purchase such a knife in person, from a real seller. At the same time, immediately check on the spot how he removes the insulation, taking a piece of cable with him.
If you get a dull specimen, you can try to sharpen it yourself. It is not recommended to sharpen electrician's knives with a heel using an engraver or a drill with an attachment.

You can easily damage the tool and overheat the edge, especially at high speeds. It is better to use diamond files and sharpen them on sharpening stones. Of course, sharpening near the heel is not very convenient, but with skill it will work out.

The blade from the outside, which you use to cut away from you, is sharpened with any piece of wood like a chisel. And the internal one - with the help of triangular ones. If you really have no options, then you can get by with automotive sandpaper with a grit of 2500-3000. The whole thing is completed with a belt and goyim paste.

In a similar way, you can correct and sharpen more expensive brands, the same Knipex, if it has become dull over time.

The most important advantage of this knife is its favorable ratio price quality. It is the cheapest and if you only do electrical work in your apartment or home, then this the best choice. He will work out his money 100%. The main thing is to check the sharpening. Many professionals still use such knives and have no plans to switch to knipex knives.

KVT NMI-01

Here it must be said right away that you can find a lot of knives with a similar design and handle shape. In fact, they are produced by the same plant, although they have different brand names:

Therefore, if you are thinking about buying such a knife, then you need to choose the cheapest one. The heel, blade, handle are practically no different here.

The heel itself is very big size not very convenient when stripping cables with minimum cross-sections - 2*1.5; 3*1.5; 2*2.5. The stripping speed also suffers from this.

For such small wires you even have to resort to the services of a simple construction knife. The insulation is cut at the very beginning of the cable, and only then, in order not to damage the cores, it is simply torn with the effort of one hand. But the question is, why did you buy such a knife?

Moreover, not every cable can be easily broken. For example, with TU-shny, where the insulation is something like heat shrinkage, such a trick may not succeed.

It is also very important to check the quality of the weld on the heel. When stripping a rigid cable with hardened insulation, it can actually break off.

This can happen if your heel gets caught in the cable, the knife itself tilts to the side at an angle, and you still try to remove the insulation with force. Welding it back will be problematic due to the material of the blade.

Often there is a defect in the form of asymmetry relative to the tip of the blade. It can actually be shifted to the right or left.

Most problems with the heel are solved by grinding it down to smaller sizes and giving it a teardrop shape. Just make sure the welding is secure before doing this.
The inscription on the handle of the KVT knife is erased very quickly, which indicates the possibility of applying any name at all to this tool.

Knipex is one of the most expensive specimens. In terms of functionality, it differs little from its cheaper counterparts, but it has one thing for which you actually overpay - its branding.

When buying any of the knives, at first glance it is not immediately possible to distinguish which brand is in front of you. When purchasing Knipex, you will immediately understand that this is the one in front of you. The style and design makes itself felt and is difficult to confuse with others.

This tool has very little defects and you can work with such a knife long years. You cannot find the grossest defects inherent in other manufacturers. The heel is always welded evenly and securely.

Convenient teardrop shape. It is to its size and shape that all other brands are adjusted when they are going to modify them. Even if any mistakes are discovered, it is easiest to exchange the Knipex tool from official suppliers.

The only inconvenience may be caused by the blade, which will eventually become dull. Especially if you use it to cut insulation like construction knives.

You can fix it using the methods described above. After which, he will again serve you faithfully.

True, certain problems may arise due to the shape of the knife. Initially, the bead on the handle will interfere, but if desired, it can be ground off a little.

But the most difficult thing is the plastic blade protection, which is located on top and makes it difficult to maintain the factory angle. If you need this protection, you will have to change the angle a little. This will not stop the knife from cutting, the main thing is that the blade is sharp. If you want to keep the “factory settings”, you can grind off a couple of millimeters of plastic.

Most often, the outer side of the blade deteriorates, the one that is intended for stripping away from itself. This is due to the fact that if you work carelessly inside electrical panels, the knife can break off and hit some obstacle with this side.

Well, in general, this best knife electrician from all presented, especially for stripping rigid and GOST cables.

The design shape is very similar to the KVT NMI-01, but slightly smaller in size. When buying not in person in a store, but through the mail by parcel, you may encounter problems:

Therefore, with this brand you need to rely more on luck. There are no guarantees whether you will be lucky or not with quality. And the price is twice as high as that of a red Chinese knife.

The main difference here is the original handle. Namely, its curved shape and special indentations for fingers. If you have worked with other brands before, you will feel discomfort at first. It's a matter of habit here.

The handle is quite long and it is not very convenient to use it in narrow and compact cabinets. Unfortunately, there are no company inscriptions indicating the manufacturer's brand. You can easily run into some kind of fake, where any Chinese will write Made in Germany.

The heel, like the Knipex knife, has a slope and is small in size. This makes it easier to work with small cross-section cables. But the quality of the steel raises questions. Jagged edges may appear if the blade hits the copper core of the cable during the stripping process.

But for the money, taking into account the German manufacturer, this is not a bad choice for a quality knife.

The knife has a simple and uncomplicated shape. This type of handle is very common in Weicon, Haupa and some NWS. Made of homogeneous material, without comfortable rubberized inserts.

Has a huge cap protecting the blade. The heel is of an original shape and medium in size, and also has a slope. It is boat-shaped and raised at the ends.

Made so that it can be cut into the insulation right from the middle of the cable. Sometimes this is simply necessary.

It removes insulation similarly to other knives and at the same time has a price tag that is several times more expensive, often even more than that of Knipex. It's up to you to decide whether it's worth paying extra money. When you have a choice, you can look at more attractive design models.

COMPARISON TABLE

• For everyday work, choose Knipex. Although its price is higher than many others, if used as intended, it will last you quite a long time. The main thing is not to dull the blade due to any extraneous stripping.

• The middle option between the two above is KVT. When you are afraid to buy at random through Chinese internet store, the main advantage of this brand is that it is easy to find on sale in many of our cities and, as they say, you can try everything with your own hands.

The wire stripping tool is a professional equipment and if you are not a professional electrician, you are unlikely to need it. If you need to connect one socket or switch, a sharp knife and straight hands will be enough.

Why only a special tool?

Modern apartment in 100 square meters– this is 100 sockets and 20-30 switches. In total, this is about 300 contacts, not counting junction boxes, shields, additional connections and lighting fixtures. In total, the number of contacts from which it is necessary to remove insulation will reach 1.5-2 thousand. Carrying out such work without a tool for removing insulation is simply a waste of time and effort.

Even if you always do everything carefully, cutting the insulation on the wire with a knife for the thousandth time will still touch the core and damage its integrity. Subsequently, this may affect the quality of the contact connection; the core will break off or begin to heat up excessively in the damaged area.

Many items, such as the Legrand socket or other devices with automatic terminals, require the contacts to be stripped to a certain length. Should you measure 5-6 mm each time before cutting with a knife? Please note that there will be hundreds of such outlets for one apartment!

If you come to a customer to install electrical wiring and you don’t have a professional tool for removing insulation, no one will take you seriously!

What's on the market

The undisputed leader in this regard is the German company Knipex. The range of special devices for stripping insulation is quite wide, we will focus on the best:

The specified tool is best combination price/quality. Or rather, it's simple best quality hand tools for removing insulation, which is. The cost of analogues from China or made in Russia is significantly, ten or even twenty times lower. For example, the Russian insulation stripping tool KVT WS 04B will cost you 22$ and similar crafts from China can be ordered at 10$ per kilogram.

KVT WS 04B is a Russian instrument. Works great. Not for long.

This whole tool will do an excellent job of removing insulation as well as Knipex. but only 2-3 months, after which the knives become dull, the mechanism becomes loose, you have to apply more and more force, the accuracy of the work becomes worse and worse. Eventually you start using your wire stripper again.

A professional tool is worth the money, because... allows you to earn faster, easier and more

Video review of strippers from different manufacturers

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When you lay electrical wiring, one of the most basic and critical steps is stripping the insulation from the wires. And it will not matter at all what kind of material you process - copper, with plastic or coated with enamel, because... in each of these cases, compliance with stripping technology is required. If you ignore tips and tricks on how to remove insulation from a wire, you will end up specifications all electrical system will not be high. In this article we will look at several ways to remove materials various types, as well as equipment for this work.

Wire structure

All wiring can be divided into two types:

1. Single-core;

2. Stranded.

Single-core - this means that its cross-section is formed by one core or wire. Stranded ones are those in which the cross-section is formed by the presence of several thin ones that are intertwined with each other. For firmness and elasticity, they have a thread reminiscent of nylon woven into them. If you take this feature into account, the removal technology may vary for each individual case.

How to remove insulation with a knife

Let's see how to quickly remove insulation using a knife. If you decide to use this method, then under no circumstances should you trim in a circle in a perpendicular position, because By doing this you can cause notching of the copper wires. As a result, even with a slight bend, the wires can quickly and easily break exactly at the point of the cut. This is especially undesirable when working with a cross section of 0.6-0.8 mm. So, bending several times, it will break completely. When you remove it with a knife, the blade must be kept almost in the same plane with the plane and axis. First of all, you need to cut along the veins, and after that it, already cut along, is moved away from the veins and cut off.

However, we draw your attention to the fact that if you decide to remove the insulation in this way, then be careful, because... You can easily cut your hands.

Application of side cutters

Most novice electricians, when they decide to work with side cutters, do not use them correctly. So, most often, this tool for removing insulation from wires is picked up at random and no attention is paid to the position of the cutting edges. But, by the way, if you took the side cutters incorrectly, then you will have to apply more force. In addition, there is a high risk of breaking or taking a bite.

The technology for working with side cutters is as follows: The cutting edges are directed in the opposite direction to the movement of the tool. This is because with this arrangement the blade will cut even with minimal effort. As a result, you get the sheath removed by the tube and an undamaged wire.

Remove insulation by melting

If you need to remove insulating material and you have a soldering iron on hand, then you can use the thermal method. To do this, simply heat up the soldering iron and run the tip along the plastic insulation. Naturally, after heating, you can easily remove the melted sheath from a copper wire or any other. Using this method will not compromise its integrity in any way. But if you need to strip a large number of conductors with a similar winding, you can use a special device. For example, a wood burner, formerly known as “Pattern,” is perfect.

Using this method is relevant for old material. When it is used for too long, the winding becomes brittle and rigid. Moreover, most often, the wires protrude from the junction box only a couple of centimeters, so that neither a knife nor wire cutters can remove them. But if you just use a lighter or a soldering iron, then you can easily remove what you have in mind.

Removal from enamel version

If you need to strip the insulation from a wire having a thickness of 0.2 mm, then the best option There will be mechanical processing with a knife or sandpaper.

• To process a cable with a thin coating, you can use fine sandpaper. It needs to be bent in half with the working surface facing inward. After this, wrap the conductor in this bent sheet and, pressing a little, pull it through. This must be done until the enamel is completely removed.
• If you work with a knife, then the part of the cable to be stripped must be laid on a solid base. Then start scraping the enamel, turning the guide while doing so, until everything is clean.

However, with a diameter less than 0.2 mm, this mechanical method It won't be possible to use it, because You won’t completely remove the enamel, but you can break the wire itself in no time. In such situations, you can use a thermochemical stripping method using vinyl chloride insulation and a soldering iron. The sequence will be as follows: heat the soldering iron, place the vinyl chloride sheath on the table, and the conductor to be stripped on it, and move the soldering iron along it. As a result, under the influence of temperature, chlorine is released, which will cleanse the enamel.

Basically, such options are used in radio communication devices and are wound on inductive coils. It's called a licendrate. Externally, it looks like this: a large number of thin wires twisted into a single whole covered with enamel.

Pay attention to one more interesting way remove the enamel coating. For this you need to purchase aspirin tablets. Then place the material on the tablet and move the soldering iron over it in the same way. As a result, you will get a bare result, and a tinned one at that.

Stripping fluoroplastic insulation

PTFE insulation is a polymer produced chemically. Has a number of positive properties. For example, it does not get wet in water and is highly resistant to various organic matter. Its parameters allow it to be resistant to temperatures up to 300 °C. Is ideal option electrical dielectric. However, there is one main drawback - cost. It is precisely because of its high price that it is used only in exceptional cases. In everyday life, radio amateurs fell in love with it, because... after soldering it has an aesthetic appearance, does not melt, and takes up little space.

The fluoroplastic itself appears in the form of a narrow thin strip, which is tightly wound around a stranded core. The fluoroplastic version can only be removed with a knife. It is scraped down to the length you need. After it is exposed, the shell is taken aside and the remains are cut off.

Please pay attention! Fabric or rubber insulation can be removed using any of the methods described above. The main task is to prevent cuts in the main core.

Using an automatic stripper

All methods described above are manual. They take a lot of time and your attention, and this is not to mention the experience of such work. If you have to remove insulation quite often, then it is better to automate the whole process a little. For this purpose, a special tool for stripping insulation from wires, called a stripper, has long been developed. For example, let's look at the WS-04 stripper model. In my own way appearance it resembles pliers with cams at their ends. The upper ones are movable, and the lower ones are stationary. The left pair is used to clamp the cable, and the right pair is used to trim and remove it. During the first bringing together of the handles, the left part clamps, and the right part cuts into the shell with sharp edges. When the handles are brought together, the cutting part gradually clears. All stripping work with a stripper takes just a couple of seconds.

With the help of a stripper, you can remove insulation from wires with one touch of your hand. For example, let's look at how to remove insulation from a wire with a stripper.

1. The wire must be inserted between the cutting knives located on inside pens. After this they need to be brought together. As a result, the cut comes out without any deformation. To help you understand the difference, when cutting with wire cutters, the end always becomes slightly sharper and flattened.
2. The next step is to insert one end between the fixed and movable sponge. Pressing the handles will remove the coating. During such stripping there will be no marks.
3. You can use the blue limiter to adjust the exact removal length.
4. Two-core wires are stripped with a stripper in two passes: first, the vinyl chloride tube is removed; the second is simultaneous removal from 2 elements.

In addition, the stripper can be used for stripping telephone cables before pressing them and shielded versions. True, when working with them this will be a difficult task, especially if the conductor is of small diameter. However, despite this, we will tell you the technology of work. First, you need to remove the sheath from the braided shielding. To expose the central core, you need to unravel the braid using an awl or needle. After this, perform the already known movement with the stripper and it will be exposed. Remember that cleaning it with a knife is labor-intensive work, and besides, you can easily damage it.

Coaxial cable processing

It is quite possible to remove insulation from wires on the coaxial version on your own. Although all the equipment for this procedure is not too expensive, we will show you how to do it with a knife and wire cutters. Typically, such models are used to connect television antennas.

Below is the sequence of actions to clean the coaxial model:

1. The wire must be taken vertically;
2. Using a utility knife, press firmly on the cable at a right angle at a distance of 2.5 cm from the end. Do not press with the end of the blade, otherwise there is a risk of it breaking and rebounding into your eyes.
3. Next you need to cut through the outer shell, braid, foil and dielectric foam ( white). It is precisely these layers that this option has. As you press down on the knife blade, you will feel some resistance. Once the blade has penetrated halfway through the cable, the pressure must be reduced slightly to avoid damaging the central core.
4. Then work your way around the cable while cutting. In this case, it is advisable to do everything carefully so as not to leave nicks on the central core.
5. After trimming, twist and pull the edge. This will remove the cut end.
6. If there are wires under the shell, simply cut them off with wire cutters so that they do not protrude beyond the boundary of the shell. Check for combs on the center core. If they are present, everything will have to be repeated.
7. Dielectric foam may remain on the central core. It can simply be removed with a fingernail
8. To connect the cable to the F connector, you must first remove a small part of the outer sheath.
9. Measure 8 mm from the previous cutting point. Make a cut in the outer shell. Everything is exactly the same as before - perpendicular to the core. Be careful not to remove the braid. However, for connecting some F connectors, removal of the braid is necessary, but for others it is not. As a result, you should get a core in dielectric foam, wrapped in a winding (in the form of foil).
10. When you have not yet decided whether you need braiding, it is better to leave it for a while. It is located around dielectric foam.
11. The braid must be wrapped over the outer shell. After this, the white foam is exposed. Here you already need to decide on the type of your F connector and the shape of the bare wire.
12. Please note that there should be no conductors between the central conductor and the braid. It will be visible.
13. The F connector is placed on the end of the cable.
14. After the connector is seated, the dielectric should be at its bottom. It is unacceptable that it does not reach the bottom of the connector or peeks out.
15. Please note that the F connector must not be allowed to come into contact with the tip.
16. That's it, the coaxial cable is ready for use.