2021: Self-adjusting/auto wire stripper for wire-wrap / fine gauge wire? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: bitslip
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2021, 09:20:49 am
content: Hey all,I'm hoping for feedback / reccomendations on a high quality self-adjusting wire stripper that will primarily be used for "blue wire" type re-work with wire-wrap / 30GA fine wires.Before making this post, I spent a decent amount reading old threads here and watching YouTube videos and have narrowed my list down to three. Would appreciate feedback if one will be particularly best suited for the job or if I've missed any other contendors.I'm tired of the manual approach, I often end up with kinks the wire, cutting the wire, overstripping or ripping the jacketing right off the wire (especially if it's a small length of wire). I am NOT considering cheap "foreign" tools for this purchase.1. Weicon 5Supposedly not meant for anything smaller than 28GA, read some comments it works fine, one YouTube video from KainkaLabs showed it working more reliably than Knipex, the hand grip (like a staple gun) make it seem ergonomically a good choice but not rated for 30GA makes me wonder if it'll be marginal for the task. Reasonable cost.2. Xcelite SAS3210 (Pressmaster)Seems like the classic "go to". I remember having access to the predcessor of this unit along time ago and stuggling, but that might have been impatience and user-error since it's so highly rated. I believe this updated design has a "depth" adjustment as well. Moderate cost.3. Weidmuller Stripax UltimateHighly rated brand, I think this is the most expensive of all of them. Seems to have length, depth and a "partial" handle(?) depth adjustment as well, so I don't think it's just a Pressmaster clone.

author: srb1954
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2021, 09:55:44 am
content: For stripping 30AWG wires I would not recommend a self-adjusting stripper.Take a look at the Carl Kammerling (C.K.) range of fixed or adjustable wire strippers for fine gauge wires.https://docs.rs-online.com/2df5/0900766b813693bd.pdf

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2021, 12:37:12 pm
content: Quote from: srb1954 on April 20, 2021, 09:55:44 amI completely concur with this recommendation. We have a bunch of different types at work, and those are the ones I grab for fine wires. (Anything about 24awg stranded or finer.)While some self-adjusting strippers do work on such fine wire (at least when the blades are brand new), the big thing is that with fine wires, I often need a very short strip. None do that as well as the CK’s.If you can afford it, get a dedicated fixed one for each gauge so you aren’t having to switch it back and forth between jobs. But if not, the adjustable ones work well. (I have 3 of them in my tool drawer, 2 fixed and 1 adjustable.)

author: bitslip
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2021, 05:09:57 am
content: Thank you both for the replies and suggestion.One question, with the CK style stripper, can one strip very short wires, like < 0.5mm length?Sometimes I need to jump two short points and with the hand stripper I have to grab the wire with a pair of pliers and end up damaging the insulation.Regards!

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2021, 05:52:25 am
content: QuoteDo you mean a a jumper of length 0.5mm? That seems to be too short to have any insulation.To create short jumpers with insulation I use the following sliding technique:- strip off twice as much insulation from one end that you would normally strip- at the point where you would normally cut the wire just bite through the insulation and slide the insulation to expose enough copper for just one end of the wire- finally cut the wire at the point where you started the slide in the previous stepThis way you don't have to hold onto the insulation with pliers.An Instructable with pics:https://www.instructables.com/Stripping-Small-Jumper-Wires/And I also found this video:https://youtu.be/ver-Av8vr1Q?t=45s

author: srb1954
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2021, 07:11:55 am
content: Quote from: bitslip on April 21, 2021, 05:09:57 amI doubt whether they would strip as short as 0.5mm as the overlap of the cutting blades would be of that order. However, they should manage 1.0mm OK but you still have the problem of holding the other end of the wire as the CK strippers don't grab the wire like self-adjusting strippers do.