Knipex Forged Wire Strippers
The Knipex Forged wire strippers - The best wire strippers that money can buy?
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Knipex Forged Wire Strippers - The Apex of Wire Strippers
The Knipex Forged wire strippers are a beautiful example of what German engineering in the tool world is cable of. Knipex undoubtedly hit a home run with these wire strippers, but coming in at roughly $60 a pair, are they worth the price of admission?
This pair of 8” wire strippers come in two different options, the comfort grip and the standard grip. While the comfort grip feels great in hand, the standard grip offers all of the same functionality of the comfort grip with a smaller form factor (and really without sacrificing too much comfort). No matter which option you choose, you’ll have a pair of wire strippers that screams “premium” every time you pick them up.
So Just What Makes This Pair of Wire Strippers So Special?
1) First, let’s talk about the 6-32 and 8-32 machine screw cutters. This is an area of true innovation that sets these strippers apart from any other. Where most wire strippers have threaded holes that you insert your screw into, Knipex made the Forged wire strippers with threadless screw cutters. If you want to cut a screw, you just insert the screw into either the 6-32 or 8-32 screw cutter to the desired depth and cut. No threading necessary. Additionally, it doesn’t matter which side you insert the screw in from, they’ll still cut just the same (clean every time). This is one of those things that people have a hard time believing until they see it, because traditionally, you need the screw cutter to be threaded to clean off the burrs and make the screw usable. Whether you believe it or not, Knipex engineered these to cut perfectly clean without the need for threads. (See Mad Electrician’s video review for a demonstration).
2) Next up, let’s talk about the impressive set of shears. Compared to most multifunction wire strippers, the shears on the Forged wire strippers can open very wide. The shears are also incredibly sharp and can cut through just about anything that fits inside them (MC, Romex, large gauge wire, a bundle of smaller wires, etc.).
3) Of course, the wire strippers themselves are fantastic. An important thing to note is the range of wire that they’re capable of stripping (solid #16 - #10 and stranded #20 - #12).
4) The tip of the Forged wire strippers is another area where they really shine. Knipex seems to have found perfect balance between an end that’s not too bulky and not too thin. You can get a strong purchase on anything you’re trying to grab (or pre-twist), while still maintaining the ability to use them in many of those tighter needle-nose applications. Of course, like many other hand tools, these things can be used to ream conduit too.
5) One great feature of the Knipex Forged wire strippers that nobody else seems to be talking about is the locking mechanism. By simply looking at Forged wire strippers, you’d never know that they have a spring assisted open because there is no visible spring from the outside. Having a spring assisted open means that you’re likely going to want to be able to lock them shut when you’re done using them. Knipex made it so that you can lock the wire strippers from the inside or the outside (see photos below). This is a subtle detail that goes unnoticed by many, but in Mad Electrician’s opinion, when there are so many other similar tools on the market to choose from, it’s the small things that make your life easier that that add value to a tool. After using the locking mechanism on the Forged wire strippers day in and day out and growing used to it, it would be hard to live without this feature.
Are There Any Downsides?
Mad Electrician has found three minor downsides with this pair of wire strippers.
1) As mentioned earlier, it would be really nice if these went up to #10 stranded, as #10 stranded is a very common wire size that electricians use in commercial work.
2) These develop a bit of a squeak overtime, but it’s something that can be easily remedied with a little bit of WD-40.
3) Given the fact that there is no external spring at the bottom of these wire strippers, it would be really nice if Knipex added a wire crimper. Maybe that’s something that Knipex can add to a second variation of these in the future.
Final Thoughts:
Despite the three critiques that Mad Electrician has about these wire strippers, there’s still no other pair of wire strippers that even comes close to how great these are. Whether you’re buying your first pair or wire strippers or just looking to upgrade your old pair, even at the lofty price tag, these are well worth the investment.
Watch the Full Review:
See Mad Electrician’s video “Knipex Forged Wire Stripper - The Best Wire Strippers” for an in depth, no non-sense review.
