This year, Amazon Santa dropped a Gardner Bender SE-94 automatic wire stripper in my stocking. The SE-94’s jaws automatically adjust to strip 10 to 26 gauge wire. One set of jaws grips and cuts the wire while the other set pulls back the insulation — all with one squeeze. I’ve enjoyed it so much, I spent the last 36 hours looking for wire to strip.
Garnder Bender also included an integrated blade-and-anvil type wirecutter as well as a set of crimpers. If you want a really nice, super useful tool, cash in those gift cards and get yourself one of these for about $14.
Automatic Wire Stripper [Gardner Bender]
Street Price [Google Products]
Via Amazon
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7 Responses to X-mas Loot: Gardner Bender Automatic Wire Stripper
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I picked one of these up for myself back when the Irwin model was reviewed. http://toolmonger.com/2007/02/22/hands-on-irwins-self-adjusting-wire-stripper/
This is a great stripper for rigid-clad wiring, but it *sometimes* leaves groove marks on the unstripped cladding.
It’s good to have a pair of traditional strippers as well for wires that don’t fair well with auto strippers, such as soft jacketed or super flexible audio cable.
These things are great for CAT5 cable.
In my experience, this type of stripper massacres fine-stranded wire, and I’m highly dubious of the 26 awg lower limit. I wouldn’t use them on anything smaller than 18 or 20.
They’re very handy for house wiring or other medium-gauge solid stuff. Useful on commercial or automotive wiring, where it’s mostly 7-strand in the 10-14 gauge range. Definitely a bad idea for superflex, speaker cable, lamp cord, or electronics work.
FTR, I haven’t used this exact model, but I’ve tried and been disappointed by a fair number built around similar concepts.
I got this exact same model for Xmas myself. I haven’t used it too much yet, but so far it strips my 22 gauge stranded hookup wire like a dream.
The center pivot wasn’t tight so it got a bit wonky when the joint loosened with use, but it was easy to tighten it back up.
Regarding stripper results on stranded versus solid wire:
Be aware for the same wire gauge solid and stranded wires have a different cross-sectional area– stranded wire is ever so slightly a larger diameter (to maintain current rating). Tools (and fittings) are often marked for specific wire type. Check yours.
I have an old pair of these and they are A+ great.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00973655000P?vName=Tools&keyword=wire+stripper
Teacher
As an electrician, I would be labeled as a rookie for using this tool. Here is what I use.
http://www.idealindustries.com/prodDetail.do?prodId=45-215&div=3&l1=wire_strippers&l2=premium_t-stripper&l3=45-215
For any thing larger than 10 awg I use my utility knife. For anything smaller than 18awg I use the cutter portion of my strippers very carefully. It also fits nicely into my tool belt. I have a seperate crimp tool.