Stripping multicore wire?

The search term is "Cable Jacket Stripper".

That looks a bit industrial! I wanted to strip 8A and 13A 3 and 4 core flex!

I'll try this:

Just use a sharp knife and score right around the cable, without penetrating far enough to damage the inner cores, then bend the cable

It is easier to make a shallow score all the way around and then bend it and use the knife to cut the sleeve material that is then in tension. It requires almost no pressure and the cut will run ahead of the blade.

If you are doing large numbers then nothing beats having the right tool.

I have one of these 'ker-chunk' type wire strippers (not this exact model) and it works most of the time. It will depend on the precise mechanical characteristics of cores and jacket.

I long for the strippers with jaws that heated up to melt through PVC

Indeed, it does depend on the material the sheath is made of as to how successful this is. Often I unzipped a small section and did them individually using a wire stripper. The very thin ribbon cables you are not supposed to strip, but use IDC connectors on. I do know however that over some years these can go faulty, if they have no strain relief, and of course the pitch has to be correct and the correct tool used. Brian

Am 06.01.2023 um 22:13:15 Uhr schrieb Commander Kinsey:

Use a knife and be VERY careful - or use an appropriate tool (cable stripper) with the matching diameter for your cable.

I've got a small penknife with two blades; the smaller one I allow to get blunt so I can strip wire without cutting my thumb.

Alternatively cut *along* the cable a little and then pull one of the wires inside to peel it open further.

I have one of these:

For T&E the jaws on these do the trick:

There was one in a youtube short for multicore mains underground distribution cable but those cables are much more massive than normal multicore cable.

Interesting to know they make such fancy strippers. I have a real el-cheapo that came with a cheap set of tools someone gave me that they won at a casino. It works but barely.

It says only up to 6mm.

T&E is s*it anyway, flex is so much easier to work with.

That stinks, probably not good to breathe that in.

Yip, same here, but it's not wide enough for the outer sheath. It fell apart so I had to put in a new bolt. Then the springs started fuxking about, so I have to push gently on both jaws on the end for it to grip the wire and strip it.

unless the cable has a pull cord eg alarm cable

unless the cable has a pull cord eg alarm cable

The stripper I have will strip through three cores at a time which is nice and efficient. I've just been wiring up a load of graphics cards to a 1600 amp 12V grid.

I've stripped ribbon cables with no problem.