Just realized my old wire strippers were costing me time on every job

I finally dropped about $80 on a pair of those automatic wire strippers a few months back, you know, the kind that just grab and strip in one squeeze. For years I stuck with my basic manual pair, thinking the fancy ones were a gimmick. The first time I used them on a whole panel of homeruns, I was done in maybe a third of the time, no nicked copper, no sore hand. It felt silly that I waited so long, honestly. Now I keep them right on my belt instead of buried in the bag. Has anyone else made a switch like that recently and been surprised by how much it helped?

2 comments

2 Comments

rosejackson1mo ago

Wait, did you mean you only spent $80? That seems low for the good auto strippers, the ones I've seen are usually more. Maybe you got a great deal. In my experience, the cheaper ones can jam up on thicker gauge wire or the plastic housing cracks. I had a pair that felt amazing at first but gave out after a few months of daily use. The good ones are worth every penny, but you really have to watch out for the knock-offs.

ross.william1mo ago

Totally agree, @rosejackson. My last cheap pair had the handle snap right off stripping 10-gauge. The good ones have that solid metal hinge you can feel, not the thin folded stuff. Paid over a hundred for my current set and they've been perfect for two years now.