What is a Wire Stripper?

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Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects simply to a non-technical, business audience. Over…

A wire stripper is a portable handheld tool used by workers, especially electricians, for removing the protective coating of an electric wire in order to replace or repair the wire. It is also capable of stripping the end portions of an electric wire in order to connect them to other wires or to terminals. A wire stripper is often considered an important tool for professional electricians and other related personnel.

Wire strippers can be categorized into two types: manual wire strippers and automatic wire strippers. A manual wire stripper is considered the most versatile; to use it, the user needs to manually rotate it while applying pressure around the insulation in order to cut or adjust the wires. In the case of an automatic wire stripper, one side is held tight and, simultaneously, the other side is cut and removed. An automatic wire stripper can help even a novice cut and strip most wires quickly. However, it only works for certain size ranges of wires. It could break small wires, and large wires may not fit into its jaws.

Wire strippers are available in various shapes and sizes and are usually made of steel. They usually have serrated teeth, which comes handy while stripping wires. The handles can be either straight or curved and, in most cases, are covered with rubber coating to provide a secure grip. Wire strippers often have a wire cutter as well.

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