An old timer in Detroit told me I was wasting time stripping wire my way

He showed me how to use my linesman's pliers to strip 12 gauge in one quick motion instead of fumbling with the strippers, and I cut my rough-in time by about 20 percent on the next house - has anyone else had a basic technique handed down that made them feel like a rookie?

2 comments

2 Comments

olivia_wilson20d ago

Nah, you're better off sticking with your dedicated strippers. That old timer's trick might save a few seconds but it's way harder on the wires and increases your chance of nicking the copper inside. I'd rather take an extra 20 percent on rough-in time than deal with callbacks from broken conductors down the road.

kelly_miller8020d ago

Respectfully, I gotta disagree on this one. I've been using that method for years on 12 and 14 gauge solid and I can count the nicked wires on one hand. The key is setting the depth right on your knife and using a light touch - you're not trying to hack through it. Plus with the price of decent strippers these days, I've had more issues with cheap ones damaging the insulation or leaving little burrs than I ever have with a quick score and snap. It's one of those things that sounds sketchy but works fine once you get the feel for it.