How to strip flex?

[chris765]

I know this may appear a stupid question but does anyone have any tips on stripping 2/3 core flex well any flex.
Maybe its lack of practise, patience, correct tools or procedure. Maybe all 4.

Using a knife I struggle to strip the outer sheath without slicing into the conductor's insulation.

Thanks for your help

 

[sparkybird]

that's the way to do it - just keep practising with a light touch - best to score gently and rescore if you need to

SB

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Steve]

get a wick on the earth core, grip it with a pair of pliers, grip the rest of the flex with another pair of pliers and pull them apart.

Then simple get all the cores together and cut off the sheath.

Same way you do twin and earth!

<runs and hides>


<the above is fairly bad advice and is liable to damage the cable/flex, but it will work>

 

[Click-Sure]

bend it and carefully nick the outer insulation with side cutters.

works for me.

 

[Monkeh]

Use a pair of these: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CK3942.html

 

[ban-all-sheds]

That won't take the sheath off flex.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[Monkeh]

That won't take the sheath off flex.

I've taken the sheath off 0.5, 0.75, and 1.5mm flex with one many times.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

OK - my apologies - I've got one, and I couldn't see it being able to cut only through the sheath and grip it hard enough to snap the uncut part.

I'll give it a try.

 

[Monkeh]

OK - my apologies - I've got one, and I couldn't see it being able to cut only through the sheath and grip it hard enough to snap the uncut part.

I'll give it a try.

It doesn't always snap it off, especially with two-core round, but it gets through the bulk of it and it's easy enough to break the rest yourself (or just rotate it 90 degrees and do it again, that can damage the cores though). Saves me having a (decent, I have a crap old one I use for coax) rotary around.

 

[chris765]

Thanks for the help.
I finally got there with a knife and bending Will look out for one of these tools though, can imagine it speeds it up nicely.

Thanks again

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I finally got there with a knife and bending

If you're going to use that technique I can recommend using one of these as the cutting tool:

Extremely controllable on account of its small and very sharp blade - light pressure on the outside of the bend will cause the sheath to start opening up without you having to cut deep enough to risk the core insulation. Alternatively with a bit of practice, you can learn to score part way through the sheath so that it just pulls off.

 

[Monkeh]

Alternatively, Stanley do a small, folding knife with a similarly sharp and controllable blade. Well worth having a few laying around.