Patent ID: 8109002

Claim:
A wire stripping knife operatively configured to remove insulation of an insulated wire from a core portion of the wire, the wire stripping knife comprising: a) a main body defining a first cutting surface, b) a back bar having a second cutting surface positioned adjacent to the first cutting surface where the back bar is pivotally attached to the main body, the back bar having a cam engagement surface, c) a blade pivotally attached to the main body, the blade have a cam surface, d) whereas the cam engagement surface of the back bar is operatively configured to be biasedly engaged to the cam surface of the blade and the first cutting surface of the main body is operatively configured to have the wire positioned therein and the second cutting surface of the back bar is operatively configured to be repositioned toward the first cutting surface where the first and second cutting surfaces engage the wire to strip the insulation of the wire from the core portion, and wherein the cam engagement surface disengages from the cam surface on the blade when the second cutting surface of the back bar is repositioned.