Best automatic wire stripper at affordable price?

[Vikas]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
I just picked this up at local Walmart for $12 and used it on a 12 gauge wire. It worked great on it. Of course it is made in china. I was not even looking for it. It was an impulse purchase.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Professional-Automatic-Wire-Stripper-89954W/29029308
Tried on a tiny single strand wire aka RJ45 Cat6 cable; it could not do it at all :-( To be frank, I don't I ever had a need to strip the insulation off that size wire but I thought my new tool would handle it. There is an unmarked screw on this device with no instructions. I tried turning two turn in either directions but it just kept cutting off that wire. It does handle 12 and 18/16 gauge with aplomb, so I am keeping it.

 

[spackard]

No, the automatic strippers usually work well on a few wire sizes, and pvc insulation. Get outside of the sweet range, or use a non-pvc insulation, and most of them don't work well.

A Jonard ST-550 is really good for stripping those cat5/cat6 strands once you dial it in, but, RJ45 plugs are meant to be crimped with full insulation on the wire. Same with 110 punch-down block.