Wire stripping is something that every homeowner that deals with electricity in their house will have to do at a certain point. Here is a guide on how to do it easily and painlessly.

What is Wire Stripping?

Wire stripping refers to the process of stripping the insulation of the wire or the portion of the insulation without damaging the wire or the conductor underneath. The goal of wire stripping is to make an electrical connection. Some of the instances, when it might be necessary to strip a wire, include:

• Installing and repairing electrical wire (usually, when you need to make a connection to switches, outlets, or circuits). Stripping wires is common when adding new outlets or repairing a lighting switch.
• Splicing wires: You may need to strip the wire before splicing it.
• Crimping terminals: Stripping wires may be necessary before attaching a terminal to a wire to connect it to the battery or speakers
• Testing Connections: Stripping wires might be necessary before using a multimeter to check connections in some cases.

How to Strip Wires: Step-by-Step 

The most convenient way to strip a wire is by using a wire stripper. The tool makes the process of removing the insulating layer from the wire safer and more efficient. If you want wire stripping to be fast and effective, a wire stripper is the way to go. If you don't have a wire stripper, you can use a utility knife, a pair of scissors, or a pocket knife by using the same logic you do when using a wire stripper. However, in case you don't use a wire stripper, there is more room to make a mistake.

The information about the wire gauge of your cable is usually printed on your cable's insulation. If, for some reason, you cannot find it, find your order summary or contact the seller. Wire strippers have different teeth that coincide with different gauges of wire.

There are different types of wire strippers on the market: the standard ones remind you of a thin pair of pliers. There are also self-adjusting wire strippers that adjust to the wire gauge. In this case, you don't have to put the wire into a specific hole.

If you don't have a wire stripper, you would have to look at the wire and the instrument you're using instead and make a judgment on where to make a cut.

At this point, you should be careful to only cut through the insulation and not the wire itself.

Stranded wire might be more difficult to strip than solid wire as it consists of multiple strands of cable. When stripping a stranded wire, it is necessary to ensure that you don't cut into the strands or break them.

For sleek and quick wire stripping, using a wire stripper is really necessary. NNC sells different kinds of wire strippers that work for every situation. Our range includes:

• Romex™ Wire Stripper: These wire strippers are exclusively designed to strip Romex NM-B wire, specifically in common sizes 12/2 and 14/2.
• Compact Wire Stripper: Your standard wire stripper, available in sizes 16-26 and 10-18.
• Multi-Purpose Wire Stripper: Designed for solid and stranded wires alike.
• Cat7a/6a/6/5e Wire Stripper: A specific wire stripper designed for CAT cables.