Stripping outer sheath, and inner wires, of 5-core cable? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ocset
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2020, 07:44:13 pm
content: Hi,Please help with advice on how to best strip 5 core cable, and then strip each wire internal to the cable?Today, I had a practical interview involving stripping the outer sheath of a 1 metre length of 5 core cable back by 20mm. Then, each of the 5 internal strands had to be stripped back by 3mm.The 5 core cable was Lapp Kabel P/N 7038862.This is farnell part number 1852363, as follows…http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/2341056.pdf?_ga=2.212121500.983739378.1591377702-1154122967.1588793683&_gac=1.137694852.1591380551.EAIaIQobChMI0JSpv6Lr6QIVt4BQBh3COAGOEAAYASAAEgIdYPD_BwEStripping back the outer sheathI managed to eventually do the job by using side cutters to strip back the outer sheath.However, this was extremely difficult and very time consuming as the outer sheath of the 5 core cable was extremely tough.And as you know, you can’t be too heavy handed with the side cutters or else you are in danger of ‘knicking’ one of the internal wires’ insulation.I had to discard four cables because I ‘knicked’ one of the internal wire’s insulation in each case...On another few cable lengths, I had to discard them because after putting a serrated cut round the circumference of the outer sheath, (20mm from the end), I was repeatedly yanking at the end of the outer sheath in order to try and break the (20mm section of) outer sheath at this serrated cut….(i was trying like this because it seemed to avoid the danger of ‘knicking’ the internal wires’ insulation)……however, this technique resulted in all 5 inner wires gradually “spewing” out of the other end of the cable….meaning the cable had to be discarded in each case.Anyway, what is “the best way” to strip back 20mm (say) of the outer sheath of this cable without ‘knicking’ the internal wires’ insulation?***…***…***…***…***…***…***…***…***…***…***…***…Stripping back the internal wires insulation by 3mmI was given a wire stripper as follows to do this job…RS 540-1492https://docs.rs-online.com/e1f8/0900766b815845a5.pdf…however, this covers wire sizes of 10AWG to 20AWG, so I don’t know how this could have been helpful, since the internal 5 wires are all stranded wires and of AWG24 according to the Farnell page (having said that, i thought it was impossible to describe a stranded wire by an AWG number?...google says stranded wire should by described by notation such as “7/0.2mm” and not by an AWG number)From the datasheet, (above) its not possible to ascertain what AWG of wire stripper would be needed to strip these internal wires…would you agree?Anyway, in the end, I stripped the inner wires with an adjustable gauge wire stripper as follows…https://www.lawson-his.co.uk/stanley-stht0-75068-controlgriptm-wire-strippers-150mm-sta075068However, this adjustable wire stripper wasn’t that sharp, so some of the wires ended up with the outer sheath kind of getting yanked and stretched off, leaving a very “unclean” stripped end.What is the best way to strip such internal wires? Note that the 5 core cable datasheet (above) doesn’t give a wire size from which a wire stripper can be selected for this?