The new Minim and Maxim one-handed wire strippers from Platinum Tools could be every installer's dream. Just feed a wire — virtually any kind of wire — into the mechanical device, and the self-adjusting clamp cuts to the right depth and strips off the sheath.
“Because of its ergonomic handle and autoform stripping jaws, the stripper forms neatly around any radius cable, safeguarding the inner conductor from nicks,” according to the company. “Since it features a built-in wire stop and can take round, oval and flat-wire cable, it is both versatile and reliable.”
Other wire cutters might be adjustable for cable diameter, but it still takes skill to make a minimal-depth cut and twist to remove the insulation without nicking a conductor.
As Platinum tools note, applications like solar-panel systems use high-current DC wiring with large conductors that can be compromised by even the smallest nick. The Minim and Maxim stippers handle these cables just as perfectly as the high-density small-gauge wires in data systems, which otherwise might be difficult to handle and severely compromised if damaged.
Worse, these cables might be hidden behind walls for years before any damage is revealed.
Using these tools, hwoever, “the finished connections are reliable and strong,” according to Platinum Tools, “with the specialized wires spared stresses that could lead to breaks or fatigue.”
