TIL I was stripping wire wrong for years and a guy in Omaha called me on it.

I was doing a panel swap in a house last month, and the homeowner's brother, who used to be a lineman, was watching. I went to strip a 12-gauge wire with my Klein strippers, and he just said, 'You're gonna nick the copper pulling it out like that.' I'd always pulled the wire straight out after squeezing. He showed me to twist the strippers a quarter turn before pulling. Tried it on the next wire and the copper was perfect, no scoring. How many of you twist versus just pull?

3 comments

3 Comments

wendyking21d ago

Twist and pull is the only way, saves so much time.

the_harper21d agoMost Upvoted

I mean, it's funny how often the best way to do something is the opposite of what feels right. Like you have to unlearn the obvious move first.

brooke_hernandez21d ago

Oh man, that twist move is a total game changer. I learned it the hard way too, nicking conductors on a whole bundle of home runs before an old-timer showed me. @wendyking is totally right, it saves time because you aren't fighting a stuck strip or having to re-do it. Now it's just a quick squeeze, a little turn with the wrist, and the insulation slides right off clean every time. Feels so much smoother.