They finally figured it out

Status
Not open for further replies.

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
Angled head RX strippers for people like myself who enter the romex into the box first without stripping.

K90-12-2_ICON.JPG
 

celtic

Senior Member
Location
NJ
peter d said:
Angled head RX strippers for people like myself who enter the romex into the box first without stripping.

K90-12-2_ICON.JPG
Looks like you need to carry 2 sizes of the K90's at a minimum.


I like the 1412's
K1412_ICON.JPG

K1412 - Klein-Kurve? Dual NM Cable Stripper/Cutter

I don't strip the wire before entry, I just cut the insulation then jam it into the box and remove the sheath at a later time.
One tool for both the 12 & 14/2's



Now if we want to talk about what they finally figured out, wrap your paw around this:

K1412-3_ICON.JPG

K1412-3 - Klein-Kurve? NM Cable Stripper/Cutter - QTR-TURN?

A 3-wire stripper!
Now that's an improvement.

Gotta get me one of them.
 

jamesguy10

Senior Member
Location
Amsterdam NY
nice! i dont strip before i enter the box either.

BTW, im watching "sweat equity" on DIY and they just pulled romex themselves.
there was 12 and 14 going into the same box. sounds like 14 on a 20 to me
 

electricmanscott

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA
jamesguy10 said:
BTW, im watching "sweat equity" on DIY and they just pulled romex themselves.
there was 12 and 14 going into the same box. sounds like 14 on a 20 to me
don't know how you could just assume that.

I am a strip before putting in the box guy. I use the Klein strippers for 12&14-2 and a knife for evrything else.
 
How does that angled head fit in a pouch? I am all about carrying less not more and therefore on a rough carry a nail apron, linesmans, hammer,tape measure, 10-in-1 and a razor knife and that's it. (though I still make the apprentices carry pouch's, I figure they haven't earned the right to travel light :) ) I don't strip the wire before entering the box either but have found the razor knife as effective as anything.

A bit off topic: when I came up in the trade in CT the general practice was you had your pouch with the most used tools that you wore during the day and some manner of larger bag that you kept your lesser used tools (eg vise-grips, nut drivers, allen keys etc). When I moved to CO I saw that evryone had these enormous "Boulder Bags" with suspenders attached in which they seemed to carry every tool they owned all the time. I've been here 7 years now and still can't figure the advantage of wrecking your back and knees just to make sure that you're always carrying that cold chisel that you use once a year.
 
Last edited:

Krim

Senior Member
ishium 80439 said:
How does that angled head fit in a pouch? I am all about carrying less not more and therefore on a rough carry a nail apron, linesmans, hammer,tape measure, 10-in-1 and a razor knife and that's it. (though I still make the apprentices carry pouch's, I figure they haven't earned the right to travel light :) )

A bit off topic: when I came up in the trade in CT the general practice was you had your pouch with the most used tools that you wore during the day and some manner of larger bag that you kept your lesser used tools (eg vise-grips, nut drivers, allen keys etc). When I moved to CO I saw that evryone had these enormous "Boulder Bags" with suspenders attached in which they seemed to carry every tool they owned all the time. I've been here 7 years now and still can't figure the advantage of wrecking your back and knees just to make sure that you're always carrying that cold chisel that you use once a year.

I carry the most used in a pouch and the least used in a big mouth tote myself. I have enough lower back aches and pains as is. I don't see how some can carry the mega-pouch with suspenders' either other than I've heard that the suspenders help to distribute the load better. It's still gonna take a toll on you in the long run ... toting all of that weight around.
I forgot to reply on the topic, I still use the cheap strippers too for sheathing removal and I don't strip before pulling through either.
Carl :)
 
Last edited:

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
celtic said:
A 3-wire stripper!
Now that's an improvement.

Gotta get me one of them.

I wonder if they still work on the flat 3-wire cable that I'm seeing now. :confused: They look like they are made to work on the round 3-wire cable.
 

~Shado~

Senior Member
Location
Aurora, Colorado
I only use a hook blade, have for over 20 years. Have never nick the conductors with it.
I also will not allow anyone working under me to use a normal straight or razor blade. I will spend 10-20 minutes teaching my help how to use it, and so far, 80-90% of them happily switch over and never turn back.
I also do not strip or cut before putting in boxes. The hook blade reaches in easily and always leaves enough sheath in box with plenty of free room to work rest of wires.
Have had a few employers in the past gripe about it, but after I show them how great it is, and that I am responsible for quality of work on site, they leave me alone, and we bang em out.
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
~Shado~ said:
I only use a hook blade, have for over 20 years. Have never nick the conductors with it.
I also will not allow anyone working under me to use a normal straight or razor blade. I will spend 10-20 minutes teaching my help how to use it, and so far, 80-90% of them happily switch over and never turn back.


A hook blade? Do you have a picture?

Why the rule against using razor blades? That's one of the electrician's main tools. A razor knife is the only thing that works on large size THHN/XHHW conductors.
 
Hook Blade

Hook Blade

Hook blade all I use. I use it on the big stuff as well, works better than a razor blade...

Klein makes a great knife that has a hook that I use.
 

iaov

Senior Member
Location
Rhinelander WI
scubad3932 said:
Hook blade all I use. I use it on the big stuff as well, works better than a razor blade...

Klein makes a great knife that has a hook that I use.
The roofers use these alot. I'll have to give it a try.
 

~Shado~

Senior Member
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Peter D...I use a Stanley 11-961 blade, very similar to 480's pic. The hook end is more curved, with a lil blunting, preventing grabbing the conductor. Simply poke thru sheath and turn like you are whittling wood, it basicaly floats ontop of the conductors. As far as large wire, hold 90 degrees and score around, then grab score and rip blade to end, then peel off. A lil tougher in the winter when jacket is cold and stiff, but still do able.

Celtic...for those that wont convert, I let them use the RX stripper and cut before putting in too, but leave sheath on until make up time. I thought about actually trying them, but old habits are hard to break for an ol fart... :cool:

Scubad...right on brother....will have to look into the klein model
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
~Shado~ said:
Peter D...I use a Stanley 11-961 blade, very similar to 480's pic. The hook end is more curved, with a lil blunting, preventing grabbing the conductor. Simply poke thru sheath and turn like you are whittling wood, it basicaly floats ontop of the conductors.

OK, that makes sense. I thought you were talking about those "hawkbill" style knives that Klein makes. I can't stand those things. It looks like the the 11-961 would work pretty well.
 

tonyou812

Senior Member
Location
North New Jersey
I really hate it when i see new guys using a knife to strip romex. I let them borrow my romex strippers and they eventually come around and find it easier and quicker to carry these around. and you find a lot less knicked conductors. I even go as far as to advise them that they dont need to carry all of their tools on them when the are just pulling romex. Hammerer, staples and a pair of dykes to pull in and linemans, strippers, maybe a screwdriver to cut in.

I noticed lately that I see less guys wearing tool pouches and opt for stuffing tools into every pocket. I personally am lost without my basic gear. And working suddenly becomes very inefficient.
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
tonyou812 said:
I really hate it when i see new guys using a knife to strip romex.

I agree depending on what kind of knife they are using. I started out in the trade using a utility knife, and I still do. I've adopted to modern methods like the romex stripper, but the knife still comes in handy a lot of the time. It's all in the method that you use.
 

JohnE

Senior Member
Location
Milford, MA
I've been stripping romex with an old fashioned jack-knife since I started. It's similar to the klein electician jack-knife, but a little better quality. (Victorinox.) I can't imagine using anything else, but it's what I learned with. Most of my guys use the romex strippers, though. For large conductors 350 and up I use a hook knife that I got from the local poco when I was doing there maintenance work. Not at all like the razor blade hook.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top