How to use Leatherman ST200 Wire-Stripper?

[KennyB]

Last night I had to do a bit of last-minute electrical repair on something called an "IR Emitter" I use to control my DirectTV set-top-box from my Tivo. Suffice it to say it's basically just a infared bulb on a long wire, so there were two leads that I had to splice back together. Story done, moving on...

When I was trying to splice the wires together the Leatherman's splicer that is attached to the can-opener did a horrible job. It required so much pressure that when I eventually did start stripping it, it took some of the actual copper strands inside the insulation with it. Eventually I figure it out by just cutting little diagonally notches in the insulation and pulling the insulation off with the wire cutters.

Do I need to sharpen the wire stripper, or is there just some way to use it that I'm not getting?

 

[supratentorial]

Try cutting the shielding by rolling the wire in the v notch. I often just use the knife instead of the wire stripper. On a flat surface, just roll the wire underneath the blade to cut the shielding.

 

[skyhorse]

Don't feel bad Kenny,that stranded copper wire is a Bee Hive to cut even with a wire stripper tool.

 

[vwspdshp]

I use the hard wire cutter in the plier head for most of the stripping I do. I use the blade for really big stuff (#6-up). Takes a little practice, but just gently crimp all the way around, pinch in the crimped area and pull. I've never used the v notch other than testing it.