An insulation displacement connector (10, 150, 170, 180, 220, 290, 320, 360) for making an electrical connection to at least one wire (16, 322) having an inner metal conductor covered with an outer insulation layer, the insulation displacement connector (10, 150, 170, 180, 220, 290, 320, 360) comprising: a plurality of metal plates (20, 24, 190, 230, 326, 328, 362, 364) secured together to form a stack (22, 186) that defines a passage (102, 347, 430) for receiving the wire, wherein a plurality of the plates (20, 24, 190, 230, 326, 328, 362, 364) are cutter plates (20, 326, 362) having cutting edges (62, 338, 398), respectively, for disrupting the insulation layer of the wire to permit the conductor to directly contact the cutter plates (20, 326, 362), each of the cutter plates (20, 326, 362) comprising a pair of engagement legs (32, 334, 370) joined to a base (26, 330, 366), each of the engagement legs (32, 334, 370) including one of the cutting edges (62, 338, 398) and being spaced-apart to form a slot (46, 336, 374) in-between, the cutting edges (62, 338, 398) adjoining the slot (46, 336, 374) on opposing sides of the slot (46, 336, 374); characterized by an outermost pair of the plates (20, 24, 190, 230, 326, 328, 362, 364) being holding plates (24, 190, 230, 328, 364), each holding plate (24, 190, 230, 328, 364) comprising a pair of legs (76, 344, 404) that are spaced-apart to form a slot (82, 346, 412) in-between, the cutter plates (20, 326, 362) being disposed between the holding plates (24, 190, 230, 328, 364) such that the slots (46, 82, 374, 412) in the cutter plates (20, 326, 362) and the holding plates (24, 190, 230, 328, 364) are aligned to form the passage (102, 347, 430); and wherein the holding plates (24, 190, 230, 328, 364) are more rigid than the cutter plates (20, 326, 362) in a lateral direction corresponding to a direction between the engagement legs (32, 334, 370), i.e. in a direction normal to the direction of the passage (102, 347, 430) formed by the cutter plates (20, 326, 362) and the holding plates (24, 190, 230, 328, 364). a plurality of metal plates (20, 24, 190, 230, 326, 328, 362, 364) secured together to form a stack (22, 186) that defines a passage (102, 347, 430) for receiving the wire, wherein a plurality of the plates (20, 24, 190, 230, 326, 328, 362, 364) are cutter plates (20, 326, 362) having cutting edges (62, 338, 398), respectively, for disrupting the insulation layer of the wire to permit the conductor to directly contact the cutter plates (20, 326, 362), each of the cutter plates (20, 326, 362) comprising a pair of engagement legs (32, 334, 370) joined to a base (26, 330, 366), each of the engagement legs (32, 334, 370) including one of the cutting edges (62, 338, 398) and being spaced-apart to form a slot (46, 336, 374) in-between, the cutting edges (62, 338, 398) adjoining the slot (46, 336, 374) on opposing sides of the slot (46, 336, 374); characterized by an outermost pair of the plates (20, 24, 190, 230, 326, 328, 362, 364) being holding plates (24, 190, 230, 328, 364), each holding plate (24, 190, 230, 328, 364) comprising a pair of legs (76, 344, 404) that are spaced-apart to form a slot (82, 346, 412) in-between, the cutter plates (20, 326, 362) being disposed between the holding plates (24, 190, 230, 328, 364) such that the slots (46, 82, 374, 412) in the cutter plates (20, 326, 362) and the holding plates (24, 190, 230, 328, 364) are aligned to form the passage (102, 347, 430); and wherein the holding plates (24, 190, 230, 328, 364) are more rigid than the cutter plates (20, 326, 362) in a lateral direction corresponding to a direction between the engagement legs (32, 334, 370), i.e. in a direction normal to the direction of the passage (102, 347, 430) formed by the cutter plates (20, 326, 362) and the holding plates (24, 190, 230, 328, 364).