Klein Kurve Wire Strippers
Cuts, strips, and loops wire
In light of the endorsements of various Automatic Wire Strippers, I feel compelled to sorta defend what I’ve come to rely on for stripping wires — and why I prefer them. My overarching preference is for Klein Kurve strippers. There are a few reasons right off the bat to prefer this type of stripper over the little machines recently reviewed:
- Simple
- and because of that, Reliable
- Sleek (so they fit in a tool pouch/pocket easily)
- Comfortable
- They Lock Closed
- They *cut the insulation* rather than rip it
Additionally, the Klein Kurve strippers have taken this style tool up a couple of notches in precision. The holes are precise and sharp. The wire-cutting section is also sharp. Do not confuse these with the crappy, imprecise cheapos that belong in the recycle bin, please.
Regularly (in the past anyway), I needed to strip both small wire (about 20 AWG), through the size spectrum up to 6 AWG (larger conductors get special tools — or a carefully applied knife), so my tool bag has two versions of these, the 11055 ($20) and 11053 ($20) . These are not tricky to operate, and using them for a while will get your eyes used to picking the right slot & length every time. This is part of the craftsman’s pride, and is pretty satisfying. There too are models designed specifically for Romex cables, which the Automatic Strippers can’t touch. (I’ve not used that type but would surely get a pair if I was going to do a lot of household-type work.)
If you’re going to get away from a bench — where you’re going to set down the Auto-type (since they’re too fat to really stick in a pouch or pocket) — and do quality work easily, these are great tools. Oh, and they’re USA-made by a company that was started in 1857.
03/29/19
