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Best Wire Strippers for small AWG Electronic Repair in 2022?

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tooki:
Oh yeah, one last small fully automatic stripper: the WEICON 51000002. It’s a cute little thing that works much like a tiny Stripax. Very small and easy to use. The big downside, and the only reason I don’t love it, is that the minimum strip length is much too long (5mm) for my applications. But if that’s fine for your needs, it could be an option.

Someone:

--- Quote from: tooki on July 12, 2022, 10:17:54 pm ---Oh yeah, one last small fully automatic stripper: the WEICON 51000002. It’s a cute little thing that works much nothing like a tiny Stripax.
--- End quote ---
Straight blade rotary stripper, yep completely nothing at all like a stripax and at the opposite end of the stripping method table I suggested. Definitely not "automatic" when it needs so many hand movements.


--- Quote from: tooki on July 12, 2022, 10:06:59 pm ---For the wire range you gave, the best full-automatic stripper I’ve used is the Knipex 12 52 195. (It’s like a Stripax, just a bit more optimized for smaller wires.) I have one of these at work and plan on getting one for at home.
--- End quote ---
Pictured below, its a u/v blade stripper with a tension adjustment. They claim a much wider working range than the stripax competitors, but don't offer the "magic" stripax model: segmented blades with tension adjustment and free placing of (multiple) wires to strip simultaneously.

bflores:

--- Quote from: tooki on July 12, 2022, 10:06:59 pm ---
--- Quote from: bflores on July 11, 2022, 05:53:02 pm ---Just doing a bump for 2022.  I need to buy a new wire stripper.  What's your favorite or recommend Wire Stripper in 2022? ...for smaller gauge stranded wire (i.e. 22awg to 30awg). 

I purchased the WEICON Wire Stripper No. 5, as a test, since it was so cheap ($24).   But, not sure if the $100+ Knipex MultiStrip 10, Weidmüller STRIPAX, are worth the coin.

--- End quote ---
All these answers so far, yet nobody stopped to ask you what your requirements are!

For the wire range you gave, the best full-automatic stripper I’ve used is the Knipex 12 52 195. (It’s like a Stripax, just a bit more optimized for smaller wires.) I have one of these at work and plan on getting one for at home.

But it really depends on your needs. In particular, the strip length and cleanness of the insulation incision vary a lot. In particular, if you need to crimp to small contacts like JST XH or smaller, you need a precision stripper if you want uniform wire lengths. Small contacts like that can have a strip range of, for example, 1.7-2.3mm. The minimum strip length of 5mm ±1mm or so of fully automatic strippers like Stripax simply isn’t useful for those contacts. (Additionally, fully automatic strippers don’t generally cut super cleanly. Totally fine for most things, but not for really small contacts.)

The kind I have been using for short, precise stripping lengths are the CK precision ones like the one in the attached photo. They come both in a few ranges of adjustable (with the 330013 covering exactly the range you want) or single fixed wire gauges. (Note that the mm sizes on those are diameter, not cross sectional area, and that the AWG numbers are for solid wire. Stranded wire is 2 gauges larger in terms of stripping size, e.g. a 22AWG stranded wire is the same diameter as 20AWG solid, so use a 20AWG stripper.) What I love about these is that the strip depth stop can be set extremely small, and without fixed steps (like Stripax and co, which are in 1mm steps). The downside is that it’s not automatic, and that they’re in extremely short supply right now. I ordered one in November and it finally came in April. They are sold under many other brand names, some with better availability, but at higher prices.

Thermal is super gentle on the conductors, but can leave slight bulges on the end of the wire which may not work with some crimp contacts.

As for the manual pliers-style strippers, I highly recommend the Klein-Kurve series from Klein Tools. The 11057 (photo also attached) perfectly matches your range of wire sizes. They’re very well made, the blades are very precisely ground, and both laser-marked and stamped with both solid and stranded sizes. And they are comfy.

Another kind of automatic stripper is the military style ones like the Ideal Stripmaster. They use precision dies and cut very cleanly, but are very expensive, and only cover a few gauges per unit. Also, you can’t be sloppy when using them, in that you have to squeeze them all the way before releasing, otherwise the mechanism can’t properly release the wire before they close again, resulting in bent wire.

--- End quote ---

Tooki you are AMAZING!! Thank you!! This may be exactly the perfect tool! I had no idea these existed.  I just ordered the C.K Tools 330011 (20-30awg) from Newark.com (AVNET). They have them in stock.  Looking forward to testing all of these cable strippers.  Using the search term "PRECISION cable strippers" will keep me occupied for a couple of days online.. for sure..  THANK YOU!

bflores:
I also threw the Ideal-Tek WS3620 in the cart as well, based on Adafruit youtube video.



tooki:

--- Quote from: Someone on July 12, 2022, 11:08:44 pm ---
--- Quote from: tooki on July 12, 2022, 10:17:54 pm ---Oh yeah, one last small fully automatic stripper: the WEICON 51000002. It’s a cute little thing that works much nothing like a tiny Stripax.
--- End quote ---
Straight blade rotary stripper, yep completely nothing at all like a stripax and at the opposite end of the stripping method table I suggested. Definitely not "automatic" when it needs so many hand movements.

--- End quote ---
Yeah, you’re right. It’s been quite a while since I tried out the one we got at work. (I abandoned it very quickly since the 5mm minimum strip length makes it useless for the small contacts I needed it for.)

As for the Knipex, lemme double check the model number tomorrow when I’m at work, because I don’t think that jaw looks like what I remember. 

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