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How to quickly remove insulation from a cable or wire

 

How to quickly remove insulation from a cable or wireThe figure shows a typical task. VVG cable 2 × 1,5mm2consisting of two single-core conductors coated with insulation and housed in a black protective sheath. How to remove the sheath and insulation from the cable so that it is fast, safe, quality and reliable? Moreover, by quality I understand here the stability of the result.

Of course, when it is possible to remove the insulation from the cable on the table, and not in a tight socket, and you need to make a couple of connections, everything can be done slowly, measured, checking every step. And if you need to make an apartment in front of plaster in a couple of days?

I tried three options for stripping the cable and stopped, as usual, on the third:

- stripping with a clerical knife;

- stripping with a special knife of the installer;

- stripping with a special device.

Stripping with a stationery knife is the easiest and most affordable way to strip wires and cables. But also the most substandard. Cable sheathing is usually done in two steps. First, a shell is cut in a circle. Then the shell is cut along the length. And then it is removed, exposing individual wires in isolation.

So, if you make an incision in a circle around the cable with an office knife, and do not calculate the force, then the insulation of the wires is easily cut, which reduces the safety of such a cable in operation.

And if it's not scary when the cable is not yet mounted (you can cut a piece and try again), then for a cable, for example, walled up in a wall, there is no room for error. When I did the wiring to my parents, I had to leave several wires so cut in the socket boxes.

How to quickly remove insulation from a cable or wire

Another problem is an incision along the length of the cable. Firstly, it is easy to cut along the insulation of the wire, which is even worse than its incision. Secondly, it is easy to injure a finger with a slipped blade.

How to quickly remove insulation from a cable or wire

The second method is with a special mounting knife. There are a lot of models, I chose the one that crocheted. This knife is slightly more convenient than clerical. But due to the thicker blade, they can act not with the care of a surgeon, but more relaxed.

Although it is quite difficult to cut the insulation. But what makes a crochet knife convenient is cutting along the cable. The hook reliably bites into the cable sheath, and practically cannot jump out of there. Therefore, cutting along the cable is fast, safe and accurate.

But still. Such a tool does not allow for high-quality cleaning of the shell. By quality, in this context, I mean the repeatability (sameness) of the results for each shell removed. Recently I came across such a tool.

Its price varies greatly - from 600 rubles. up to 3500 rub. But in terms of quality of work, there is almost no difference. The principle of his work is as follows. The thumb is pulled by the thumb, under which the wire is pushed. A small knife peers out of the handle, rotating around its axis.

When the cable gets there, the bracket presses it against the knife. Next, wrap the tool several times around the cable. This achieves its incision.

Then, without removing the tool from the cable, you just need to pull it strongly towards the end. In this case, the knife will crank itself, and begin to cut along the shell. It remains only to remove the shell, and continue installation work.

The only inconvenience of this tool is that it is necessary to set the depth of cut of the knife with a wheel at the end under each cable. It takes me about two minutes and a piece of cable, on which I check the settings.

However, after tuning, the quality of the stripping is predictably good. I would also like to touch upon a question such as stripping insulation from conductors cleaned from the sheath.

The tool described here does a poor job of this., since it cannot “flatten” a thick cable, like many thin wires, it cuts the insulation only a little bit, pointly, below and above. This is not enough to tear and star. An attempt to apply force leads to seizure in the core as a result of "biting" the tool knives into soft copper.

And here the installer's knife described above is very effective. A crochet blade increases the radius of the knife by the wire, and you can quickly, in a fraction of a second, cut it along almost the entire diameter. Then the insulation is quickly and accurately removed. Plus, the blade hook does not allow the knife to slide off the wire.



How to strip flat cable

Prior to this, in the article, I touched on how to remove protective insulation from VVG type cables. In principle, when it comes to round VVG, it is justified to use a special tool with a bracket for stripping. But once I had to work a lot with VVG-p (flat cable). The field of this I slightly revised my preferences.

How to strip flat cable

The VVG-p cable turned out to be much more convenient and practical. It is more convenient to put it under the plaster. Generally speaking, you can save a lot of time if you do not make shtrobes for plastering, but simply spread the cable along the walls, and then plaster it on top. Therefore, VVG-p in this sense is preferable. The VVG-p cable 3 × 2.5 mm2 has a thickness of only 5.3 mm. Together with the dowel-clamp - 9.3 mm. A layer of plaster, as a rule, is not less than 1.5 cm, so everything grows together.

How to strip flat cable

But cutting flat cable turned out to be faster and more reliable with the hook knife. Put the cable on the board, and spend. The main thing is to put the blade immediately deeper into the insulation so that it spreads the veins and cuts between them. Surprisingly, this knife has never once cut insulation from the cores themselves.

See also at i.electricianexp.com:

  • Stripper - a tool for removing insulation from wires, which are and how to ...
  • How to compress a twisted pair
  • DIY knife with heel
  • Which wires and cables are best used in home wiring
  • About electrician's knife (mounting knife)

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    Comments:

    # 1 wrote: | [quote]

     
     

    In addition to the stripping methods described in the article, you can quickly remove the insulation from the wires using side cutters or a soldering iron.

    Side cutters are used to trim wires, legs of various radio elements, as well as to remove insulation.

    First of all, we take the wire in the left hand (to whom it is more convenient) and wrap it around the palm of the hand. If the wire is directly short, then you can clamp it with tweezers or pliers and wrap it around. In the right hand, we take side cutters and very carefully grab the wire with them. Now lightly press the tool and pull until the insulation we need comes off. If you clamp the wire too tightly, the side cutters will simply bite some of the veins or the entire wire, and if you clamp it weakly, the insulation will break or scratch. This method is suitable for absolutely any type of wire. The disadvantages of this method: it will not work to remove the insulation from fairly short wires and if not used carefully, it can easily damage the wire.

    Using a soldering iron, you can also easily remove the polyvinyl chloride insulation from the wires. We put the wire on a flat surface and apply the soldering iron tip to the wire. The insulation will burn out at the point of contact and can be easily removed with pliers or tweezers. In the same way, it is easy to remove insulation from loops.

    The advantages of this method: it does not damage the wire, you can easily remove the insulation from the cables, removes insulation from wires of any diameter and size.

    Cons of this method: suitable for wires in polyvinyl chloride insulation, unpleasant odor.

    Of course, it is best to use a knife to strip the wires. The main thing is to be able to use it correctly. This method is suitable for absolutely any type of wire and can be easily removed from short wires. True, it is difficult to clean very thin wires with a knife, as well as side cutters, and if you do not carefully remove the insulation, you can easily damage the wire.

     
    Comments:

    # 2 wrote: Ruslan | [quote]

     
     

    I learned clerical work.

     
    Comments:

    # 3 wrote: | [quote]

     
     

    I always prefer to strip the wire with a soldering iron. Minus - not applicable in the absence of nearby electricity. And only with fusible insulation.

    Then for convenience - side cutters (preferably small, like manicure ones), but there is a risk of damage to the veins.

    With a knife (scalpel) - the most inconvenient way. BUT (!) When using a knife, first of all, extreme accuracy, so as not to get hurt yourself (!), If you could damage the cable.

    It is very hemorrhoids to strip thin conductors in dacron isolation (very thin and does not melt). For them, special stripping was done - a large crocodile clip with soldered halves of a safe blade to the tips and in the middle of the clip a hole with a screw that regulates the depth of stripping. So in words, there is no way to portray now.

    But the winding wire from the varnish with a scalpel neatly, although less than 0.15 requires extreme accuracy. And it was very thin that he cleaned from varnish, leading a soldering iron without pressing it. Then I scrape off the ash with my fingers.

     
    Comments:

    # 4 wrote: Ruslan | [quote]

     
     

    One way or another, everything must be done carefully!

     
    Comments:

    # 5 wrote: MASTER | [quote]

     
     

    Well, you give, so many adaptations came up here, you just need a gyro knife, as in the first example. First we cut along NOT to the entire depth, and then we take the end of a 2x1mm cable and cut it into a depth of 1 cm approximately, exactly in the middle, between the cores, we take out both cores with one hand, and with the other hand we pull the insulation along the wire and that's it 1 cm can be cut off if the insulation is damaged, or stripped to join. Also, you can not cut along if the insulation is soft as on most cables. If it’s so easy to get it, it’s very easy to run with your soldering irons and with the Ekari who don’t climb into the box, it’s just a waste of time, you need to reduce everything to fast quality.

     
    Comments:

    # 6 wrote: | [quote]

     
     

    It is possible to peel a thin winding wire from varnish with the help of an “Acetyl acid” tablet and a soldering iron and solder with a flux.

     
    Comments:

    # 7 wrote: | [quote]

     
     

    MichaelI agree about stripping wires with side cutters. And categorically against stripping with a soldering iron. But, it’s crucial how to position the side cutters. I am absolutely convinced from experience that the wire should come from the inner cutting edge of the side cutter.

     
    Comments:

    # 8 wrote: Ilya | [quote]

     
     

    An interesting tool. Try the NT-318 tool and its modifications!

     
    Comments:

    # 9 wrote: | [quote]

     
     

    I clean the wires with an ordinary kitchen knife, with a thicker blade, and there is a special tool that looks like scissors for metal, a cable is laid in it, you squeeze the handle, an incision of insulation occurs, you open it - insulation is separated, for example, with bocares (pull). Here the principle is the same (I saw on the site - notes from .- Who will tell you what it is called I want to buy for myself, I probably didn’t see this in our Pavlodar region.

     
    Comments:

    # 10 wrote: | [quote]

     
     

    I strip the wires in double insulation with a heel knife. Convenient, fast and practical.

     
    Comments:

    # 11 wrote: Andrew | [quote]

     
     

    I support Alexendra, a knife with a heel and a stripper, quickly safe for myself and the cable, and the rest is the last century.

     
    Comments:

    # 12 wrote: | [quote]

     
     

    A cable is taken, side cutters, bite the cable along the end between the conductors, grab the separated strand with the pliers, hold one or two remaining strands with the other hand, gently tear the outer sheath until it is divided into the desired length, bite off unnecessary scraps of the sheath, lay down the pliers, hold it with one hand the core, then bite with the side cutters in the other hand, grab the insulation a little bit and pull off a piece of insulation, everything, the core is ready for twisting, soldering, clamping, of course, if you do all this at a height, it is better to have a specialized bath tool.

     
    Comments:

    # 13 wrote: Sergei | [quote]

     
     

    A huge number of electricians continue to strip the cable with an ordinary knife, leave the twisted twists in the boxes (without crimping, welding, soldering ..), lay the multi-wire cable in foamed insulation - PVA in the gate; make jumpers from the same PVA in the switchboard, without even bothering to pressure it before that.

    If a person makes a wiring for himself - this can be understood, if the installer allows such shoals - this is professional unsuitability and trash.

    In the case: you need to separate the tasks that confront you.

    1) Removing the sheath from ROUND NYM type cables, new power cables according to GOST R 53769-2010, PVA cord - for this purpose, the "Stripping knife" (such as shown in the article) of the "SHTOK 14101" type is best suited - there are many manufacturers different, they are little different.

    2) Removing the sheath from any cable WITHOUT INTERNAL FILLING as in the author’s photo, or FLAT. (these are the old VVG, VVG-P, ShVVP cords, etc.) For this, the tool that calls itself "Electric mounting knife with a heel" is well suited

    The difference from “just a knife” is that you make a cut along the cable without damaging the core insulation. (and you don’t need statements like “yes, I’ve been working with a knife sharpened from the kitchen for 40 years and it’s not hurt anything. I’ve got gold hands, but you have assholes” ... there are such shots. Only in practice they are isolated sometimes still cut, and work 3 times slower.)

    3) Stripping the mono-core for subsequent twisting: for me, the simplest and most convenient way is sharp side cutters from myself. But you can use MANUAL or SEMI-AUTOMATIC strippers. (this all applies to the conductor up to 16mm, if more - see paragraph 1)

    4) Stripping the MULTI-WIRE conductor for subsequent crimping with a tip or sealing in a circuit board. Side cutters here are already less convenient, on thin cables or conductors of 4-5 classes of flexibility, you can cut the vein. The best option is an AUTOMATIC stripper, well, or manual, but it lasts longer ... though there are exceptions: there are very thin low-quality installation wires (often in Chinese technology) in which the force to break the insulation is greater than the force to break the core .. these are simple torn - here you only need to use a manual stripper, it cuts the insulation around the entire perimeter of the core, and it is better to use normal wires. Well, the fluoroplastic mounting MGTF is still more convenient with a lighter.

     
    Comments:

    # 14 wrote: Serge | [quote]

     
     

    Don’t say that it’s more convenient to brush your teeth, your teeth are “always at hand”!

     
    Comments:

    # 15 wrote: Ivan | [quote]

     
     

    Nail scissors. Medium in size, with sharp straight ends. I modified the ring (cut off and welded another) under the thumb, otherwise you can damage your hand during long work. This is a little longer than other methods, but the result is guaranteed. The outer insulation is cut to the very bottom of the socket, leaving the insulation of the wires intact. No other method guarantees this.

     
    Comments:

    # 16 wrote: | [quote]

     
     

    In what century do you live ...? Knife, etc. all this is good ... but I bought a Force stripper eight years ago ... And my head doesn’t hurt how to remove the insulation from the wires ... It takes up to 6 squares ...

     
    Comments:

    # 17 wrote: Iamjiva | [quote]

     
     

    lighter - in most cases, best (except stripping long sections)
    PEL copper wire from the transformer for a day or so is placed in concentrated sulfuric acid (300r liter in the chemical store, somewhere according to the passport, somewhere "300 rubles each"), after that the insulation is still held on the wire somewhere else. but it already resembles wax paper in strength, I clean off the remains with a stainless steel sponge (washcloth) for washing dishes, littsendrat (headphones wires for example Koss Porta PRO) tear with aspirin, put on a tablet, and all (or almost all) of the veins are tinted - it turns out
    tin cans (canned food, aerosol cans ...) are cleaned of paint and varnish by calcining with a burner until red, and a red-stained spot is driven everywhere and on the bottom ...all varnish burns out, ashes with a rag erasing we see that the tin is safe and sound, and the can is like new, and not something flabby and rusty as I feared ...
    having heated the end of the glass tube, rested it with a pressure on a sheet of polypropylene foam lying on the table (for example, gaskets under the lids of canisters of plastic washer, etc. are made of it, not foam foam, but something average in properties - locked bubbles, does not crumble.
    the end pipe melts a sheet of polypropylene foam until it stops in the glass of the table (a glass table or substrate is needed or tile), while the end of the glass tube is very firmly sealed, and the place of pushing to the glass of the table does not push the melt, but a thin layer remains, and we get on the tube the speaker cone on the suspension from the film, if you carefully tear the PPPlen from the tube, we get a mold for casting (chocolate) the letter O, under the chocolate there will be a transparent PP film like from a bag. it neatly comes off without being damaged, although it sticks to the glass with a bang, and keeps pressure perfectly, bending slightly to or fro like on a bottle of yogurt the foil is torn off if the tubes (mine 1.5 meters for 100 rubles, from a chemical magma, diameter 8mm = 1 + 6 +1, simax glass is heat-resistant (cracks do not creep if lowered into the water) and UV-transmissive (to start reactions)) the glass end first puffed WD-40, then heat (over the lighter fire) and also push it into the PP sheet on the tile until it stops , then it’s not weaker, but stronger glued, and the sheet can only be torn out Nij, as the internal speaker cone suspension on the edge is held, and polypropylene plenochka itself breaks near the edge of the tube, but no further glass butt tightly thereto prikleivaettsya