7 Ways on How To Strip A Wire: For Beginners and Pros

Introduction

Stripping a copper wire or any other type might seem easy, but you might find it hard without the right tools. Using a wire cutter or stripper is the top choice for many people, but how about for those who do not have this tool readily available?
This guide is about correctly stripping a wire with various tools at your disposal. Some of these methods you may have used before, while others are new and interesting to try. Let us get into the list.

1. How To Strip A Wire With Wire Cutters / Strippers

This is probably the easiest way to strip a wire. The wire cutters are designed to do the stripping job correctly.

Start by getting yourself a multipurpose wire stripper with several gauges on it. This will help you with stripping wires of different gauges.

Identify the gauge on the wire cutter that corresponds to your electrical wire. Insert it into the gauge to start stripping.

Now, gently squeeze the handles of the wire cutter to cut through the insulation. Turn the cutter around to cut the insulation around the wire.

Finally, pull the cut insulation using the cutter to expose the freshly stripped wire. That is it.

2. How To Strip A Wire With Scissors

Yes, you read it right. You can use scissors as a way of stripping a wire before connecting it. We recommend this method for those looking at how to strip a thin wire.

Get yourself a sharp pair of scissors and an electrical wire you want to strip. Sharp scissors will make the whole process easier.

Grab the scissors and cut the insulation at the desired position. Make sure to cut all around the wire.

Once the cut is made, pull the insulation with your hand or lightly hold the insulation with the scissors and pull to remove it.

3. How To Strip Copper Wire With A Drill

You can still strip copper wire with a drill. You will need an additional tool for this part. It is called a wire twisting and stripper tool. Just as the name suggests, this tool will strip and twist the wires are the same time. This saves you a lot of time stripping and twisting the wire.

The tool would still be good for stripping the wire only. It all depends on which tool you get, as the market has multiple variations.

Once you have the tool, have it secured into a drill, and it should be ready for use.

Insert the right wire gauge into the tool and turn on the drill. You should see it strip the wire in real-time and not cut through it like other methods mentioned in this guide.

4. How To Strip Wire With A Knife

A knife would be the next choice when people did not have a wire cutter. We find the knife a good alternative for those who need details on how to properly strip a wire. You will be surprised by how simple it is to get the job done.

First, find a flat surface to place the wire.

Next, glide the knife over the wire to remove the insulation. Make sure the knife is sharp so that it can cut through the insulation to remove it.

Alternatively, you can cut through the insulation with a pair of scissors and then pull it to remove it.

5. How To Strip A Wire With Pliers

If you are still interested in how to strip a copper wire, there is the option of using pliers. This is a versatile tool many people have in their homes, making it perfect for the job.

It can be easy to use a pair of pliers to strip electrical wires, but if you are not careful, the pliers can also easily cut through the wire. For that reason, take extra caution while using pliers to strip wires.

Start by placing the wire in the pliers and aligning it with the sharp edge. Gently press the pliers onto the wire to cut through the insulation. Pulling the wire to remove the cut insulation reveals the freshly stripped wire.

6. How To Strip A Wire With Nail Clippers

In case you need details on how to strip a tiny wire, this is for you. Your regular nail clipper can be the best tool for stripping small muti-strand wires, such as those you use to connect to a speaker.

Nail clippers are sharp and can easily cut through the wire, so be careful as well.

Place the wire you need to strip into the nail clipper as you would with your nails. Gently press the nail cutter to cut through the insulation. You can turn the wire around to make sure you cut all the sides.

Once the cut is made, use the same nail clipper to pull the insulation off the wire. You could still use your hand to pull the insulation.

7. How to Strip A Wire with A Stapler

If you are still looking for ideas on how to strip a wire without wire cutters, a stapler can be another good tool.

A stapler will mostly work well for small or thin wires.

The process of simple. Start by holding the wire in between the stapler, just as you would when you need to staple several papers.

Squeeze the stapler tightly to hold the wire in place, and then pull. You will have to use a bit of force, but that should strip the insulation off the wire.

Compared to the other methods mentioned above, you may use a lot more force with a stapler.

Wire Stripping Mistakes: What To Avoid

We have seen above how you can strip a wire with the right tools and sometimes improvise to make it work. However, you are not supposed to make mistakes, as they may affect how you use the wire.

Some of the things to remember include;

• Do not use incorrect tools. As much as we have shared how you can strip with knives, nail clippers, and box cutters, these are not the right tools for the job. We recommend using dedicated wire strippers that have the right design and functionality for the job.
• Overstripping can also happen when you remove too much insulation. This often leads to wastage, which is not what you need in some scenarios.
• Depending on which tool you use, wire damage is a possibility. For that reason, be careful not to cut through the wire while using tools such as nail clippers or knives.
• Improper technique can still lead to mistakes while stripping a wire. Twisting and bending the wire while stripping can make it weak and potentially break it, depending on the size.
• You should never attempt to strip a live wire. Disconnect the power before you can start stripping the live wires for a fresh connection.

Conclusion

Stripping a wire can be a tough one if you do not have the right tools. Not everyone has wire cutters in their office or home. However, as we have seen, it is possible to use readily available tools to do the same job. Even with alternatives, we still recommend using professional wire cutters with wire gauges indicated so that stripping the wire is easier and does not damage it.