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MG TD TF 1500 - Best wire stippers

I have started to install a new wiring harness in my 52TD. I have counted about 50 wire ends I need to strip. The cloth covering is really tough to get through with a cheap stripper. I need something that will do a reasonably good job quickly. I have done some research and it seems there might not be a good way to do this. I have seen scalpels. cuticle scissors, razor knives ,etc, etc.
Anyone have a good solution? I don't want to start buying strippers hoping they will work.
Thanks in advance
B Mooney

I have strippers but they at MIL Spec and probably not readily available at auto stores or electrical shops. Work great for cloth covers as well. Can't show pic as I'm OOT for the weekend
W. A. Chasserq

I have one that works on the same principle as the one shown here. Not cheap but works beautifully and consistently.

Jim Merz

Jim, I am not absolutely sure about the strippers in your image, but if they are like mine, they work perfectly on wires covered in plastic, but are useless on wires with a cotton braid cover over the plastic.

I was carrying out the same re-wiring routine recently, and found a pair which had two sharp edged notches, where the space between the closed notches was adjusted by a thumb screw. That worked fine, but it was worth ensuring the set-up on some spare cable before cutting, since the tolerance is very limited.

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9xcrulsIupWWJP3Z_deZWb5bCaFFIm6LF5xgiHPWO_gigSb3_sg

hopefully this comes through!
Ian Bowers

another try

Ian Bowers

Mine are similar to Jim's and they work great on cloth.
W. A. Chasserq

The ones like in Jimīs picture have a circular cutting edge that goes all round the cable, so should in principle be perfect for cloth braided cable, as long as the various notches fit well with the cable diameter. This is what professionals use. It also firmly clamps to the cable and prevents the remaining insulation to be pulled outwards.
The v-cut ones would not be as exact and would never cut all round the cable, but with some force you just tear off the rest. More difficult to handle since you need to hold the cable back with some other tool or it may get pulled out of the loom
Rgds, Mike
Mike Fritsch

Have to agree with Jim and Mike.
In the RAF we used the same style of strippers and they worked on aircraft wire bound even in fiberglass so will work fine with cloth.

Part of the tool grips the sheathing then the cutting jaws move away from the gripper. Which has several sizes of cutting holes for differed sizes of conductor.

For multi stranded wire this allows you to twist the conductors together as you ease the stripped part off the wire, to give a perfect set up for crimp or solder.

$36.00 here. - Don't know the quality as some can go for $200.00 or more. But this is the definitive stripping tool.

http://www.supplyhouse.com/Ideal-45-097-Stripmaster-Wire-Stripper-16-26-AWG?gclid=Cj0KEQjw-Mm6BRDTpaLgj6K04KsBEiQA5f20E5IR8M0B2ni1ylNDY6vtvOIwZKFSLd34IN19rUIgp2saAm368P8HAQ

Just my 2c worth.

Rod

R D Jones - Ex Pat

Thanks for all the input.
I also asked British Wiring for their input. They said there is no good stripper for their cloth covered wire. At least one of their people uses a razor blade.
So with 50+ wire ends to strip I had best get some razor blades and get going!
B Mooney

I don't like that automatic type of stripper at all for the cloth covered insulation. The only trick you need for cloth covered is to have a new (sharp) stripper, where the cutter part is up on the nose of the plier like tool, not back down before the pivot. Ok 2 tricks, sharp, newer tool, and then twist around the cutter just a bit for the cloth covered. That is why I do not like the "automatic" type, because they do not allow for a twist to get that strand of cloth missed between the cutters.
D mckellar

I have my dads old stripper, with the multi size blades, top and bottom, similar to the one mentioned but 50+ years old. It strips fabric covered wire perfectly leaving no residue. Wouldn't make a difference anyway due to age, but I don't recall the make. PJ
Paul161

Late to post, this type of stripper comes in a variety of formats, provided you select the correct aperture and rotate after clamping the wire it will strip cloth insulated wires.

http://www.irwin.com.au/tools/pliers-adjustable-wrenches/multi-tool-strippercuttercrimper

Dont consider that a combination tool with a crimping facility viable to crimp terminals.

Graeme
G Evans

This thread was discussed between 04/06/2016 and 09/06/2016

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