Looking to buy a decent wire stripper .. for DIY only

[CountryFan]

I'm not so sure about "tight" - one of those costs more than 4 times the cost of what I usually use (as in post #2) !

Sorry, I should have said, I didn't pay that price for the Irwin's, I only paid under £12. Plenty of others available cheaper than those.

 

[SUNRAY]

Trouble with those is you have to accurately adjust them....I'm too impatient for that

They were the 'standard' issued stripper in BT for a long time and it would be set for 0.5mm diameter wire and never changed. Jumper running for many years required just 4 tools: strippers, soldering iron, pencil and eraser.

 

[CountryFan]

required just 4 tools: strippers, soldering iron, pencil and eraser.

And all kept in a pencil case rather than an expensive handbag?

 

[JohnW2]

Trouble with those is you have to accurately adjust them....I'm too impatient for that

Agreed - but if one does up the nut 'tight', one only has to adjust them occasionally. I sometimes have more than one (set to different sizes) on the go at the same time but, more often than not, just one set for 2.5 mm² or 1 mm² (or 1.5 mm²) is adequate, without the need for adjustment, for one 'job'.

 

[SUNRAY]

Agreed - but if one does up the nut 'tight', one only has to adjust them occasionally. I sometimes have more than one (set to different sizes) on the go at the same time but, more often than not, just one set for 2.5 mm² or 1 mm² (or 1.5 mm²) is adequate, without the need for adjustment, for one 'job'.

The big downside I have with them is having to pull against something whereas all auto strippers hold the wire and remove the insulation from it using one hand and no strain on the cable.

 

[mikehammer69]

Something like this ? It's what I use.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/magnusson-wire-strippers-6-160mm-/4786v

those are a great snips too esp in tight spaces

 

[Alec_t]

One of these?

 

[wbmkk]

OP here .. thanks for all the replies.
I think I'll treat myself to a pair of the CK Automatic ones

 

[blup]

As stated CK automatic cable and wire strippers, plus jokari is good for stripping conductors.

 

[flameport]

Surely there's a better way

Ideal Industries 45-120-341

https://cpc.farnell.com/ideal/45-120-341/metric-wire-stripper-0-75-6-0/dp/TL00610

There are cheapo versions of similar style https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Electrical-Wire-Strippers---150mm/p/500514 which will work but will wear out rather quickly. Probably not a concern for occasional DIY use.

For knives, the Stanley 199E, fixed blade. None of that retractable wobbles all over the place mess.

 

[JohnW2]

There are cheapo versions of similar style https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Electrical-Wire-Strippers---150mm/p/500514 which will work but will wear out rather quickly. Probably not a concern for occasional DIY use.

Indeed - they are not too bad, either (I always have at least one in my toolbox), and 'cheapo versions' are not uncommonly available from the likes of Aldi and Lidl for not much more that £1

 

[JohnW2]

The big downside I have with them is having to pull against something whereas all auto strippers hold the wire and remove the insulation from it using one hand and no strain on the cable.

True, but that's somewhat of a two-edged-sword. Having to 'pull against something' means that one has a much better feel for what's going on.