From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.repair

I am trying to strip some of the insulation from these tiny wires
terminating in connectors:

https://imgur.com/a/QZ6bV7P

However, I am not having much success. The first time I tried, every
time I try to strip, the wire comes along with it, but I unseated one of
the yellow wires from the tiny connector. What you see are two spares
so I can try again, but this time correctly.

I'm not sure of the wire gauge, but nothing I have here seems to be able
to strip them properly. The wires originally came from electret
microphone capsules. I have such capsules with similar wires/
connectors, but they are larger gauge and easier to work with.

Your stripping advice welcome so I don't repeat the prior disaster and
thanks in advance.
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.repair

On Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:37:58 -0400, Nick Sebul <nsebul@nowhere.net>
wrote:

I am trying to strip some of the insulation from these tiny wires >terminating in connectors:

https://imgur.com/a/QZ6bV7P

However, I am not having much success. The first time I tried, every
time I try to strip, the wire comes along with it, but I unseated one of
the yellow wires from the tiny connector. What you see are two spares
so I can try again, but this time correctly.

Like these?
<https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/xkEAAeSwMWRor9GX/s-l1600.jpg>

I'm not sure of the wire gauge, but nothing I have here seems to be able
to strip them properly. The wires originally came from electret
microphone capsules. I have such capsules with similar wires/
connectors, but they are larger gauge and easier to work with.

Your stripping advice welcome so I don't repeat the prior disaster and >thanks in advance.

The idea is to NOT scrape or cut the wire. I use one of several
Teledyne Stripall thermal wire strippers: <https://www.google.com/search?q=teledyne%20stripall%20thermal%20wire%20strippers&num=10&udm=2>
You'll also probably need some replacement blades: <https://www.ebay.com/itm/223263002855>
You do NOT want blades with a "notch" for the wire. The notch will
"nick" the wire which will eventually break.

Now for the bad news. Surplus thermal wire strippers have become
expensive. I obtained my first used Teledyne TW-1 thermal strippers
in about 1968 by dumpster diving, surplus stores and garage sales. I
probably paid about $5 for my older models. Today, the same wire
strippers sell for about $100 on eBay. <https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Teledyne%20thermal%20wire%20stripper>

More bad news. You will need to spend some time learning how to strip
fine wires. A thermal wire stripper will make things easier, but you
can still make a mess without adequate practice. Repeating whatever
you're doing wrong isn't going to help. I suggest you find a YouTube
tutorial and practice on scrap insulated wire. <https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=thermal%20wire%20stripper>

I've been stripping wire for most of my life. I suspect I've mastered
the art by now. I mostly use thermal wire strippers for PTFE
insulated wire and coaxial cable. For most everything else, I use a
pair of small, flush cut, wire cutters. This looks like my favorite: <https://www.esslinger.com/lindstrom-80-series-cutters-8160-large-oval/>
I paid about $5 per pair. I hold the cutters like this: <https://photos.app.goo.gl/PqhTaKQzV4JmXJB7A>
The strange finger position allows me to hold the cutter jaws open in
a fixed position. The cutter blades can face either direction. Yes,
it took some practice learning how to do it properly.

Good luck.
--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272 AE6KS 831-336-2558

--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.repair

Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> wrote:

On Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:37:58 -0400, Nick Sebul <nsebul@nowhere.net>
wrote:

I am trying to strip some of the insulation from these tiny wires >terminating in connectors:

[...]

Now for the bad news. Surplus thermal wire strippers have become
expensive.

Try touching the insulation on two sides of the wire with a clean
soldering iron tip before pulling. Experiment with already-damaged wire
to see if it works.
--
~ Liz Tuddenham ~
(Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
www.poppyrecords.co.uk
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.repair

On 2026-04-29 04:02, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

On Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:37:58 -0400, Nick Sebul <nsebul@nowhere.net>
wrote:

The idea is to NOT scrape or cut the wire. I use one of several
Teledyne Stripall thermal wire strippers: <https://www.google.com/search?q=teledyne%20stripall%20thermal%20wire%20strippers&num=10&udm=2>
You'll also probably need some replacement blades: <https://www.ebay.com/itm/223263002855>
You do NOT want blades with a "notch" for the wire. The notch will
"nick" the wire which will eventually break.

Interesting. I have never seen something like this. But I have used a
lighter.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
ESEfc-Efc+, EUEfc-Efc|;
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.repair

Sorry, all, I wrote too soon! A few weeks ago, I did another project
that I encountered after I posted here where it used the same connector
type with stripped wires. I scratched my head for a moment trying to
figure out how I stripped the tiny wires. Then it came to me-- I used
my stripper:

https://www.radioshack.com.eg/en/radioshack-heavy-duty-automatic-wire-cutter-stripper-64-083

I had forgotten about that project and how I stripped the wires, but
tried using the stripper this time and success!

I initially dismissed using it, in part because I had forgotten about
the prior use, and also I didn't think it would be able to strip the
wires. On the unit itself, it does say stripping for 10-24 gauge wire.
The wire terminating in the connectors is more like 26-28 ga though, but
it still handled it successfully.
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.repair

On Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:13:52 +0100, liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid
(Liz Tuddenham) wrote:

Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> wrote:

On Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:37:58 -0400, Nick Sebul <nsebul@nowhere.net>
wrote:

I am trying to strip some of the insulation from these tiny wires
terminating in connectors:

[...]

Now for the bad news. Surplus thermal wire strippers have become
expensive.

Try touching the insulation on two sides of the wire with a clean
soldering iron tip before pulling. Experiment with already-damaged wire
to see if it works.

The soldering iron is too hot for most insulation. The insulation
should melt, not burn[1]. Long ago, I attached a cutting blade to a
soldering iron and tried to use it as a wire stripper. At the time,
we didn't have temperature controlled soldering irons. I had two
problems. The insulation burned instead of melted and the iron took
too long to heat up and cool down. The Teledyne thermal wire stripper
doesn't generate much heat. The "blade" did eventually glow red hot,
but the thick "rods" were only slightly warm. I could make some
temperature measurements (this weekend) if anyone is interested.

Most of the surplus Teledyne wire strippers I mentioned were made for
the aerospace industry, which at the time, used PTFE (Teflon)
insulation. PTFE melts at 327#C (621#F). PVC insulation melts at 170
#C (338 #F). Some manner of temperature adjustment should have been
necessary. However, most of the thermal wire strippers did not have a temperature adjustment. That worked because the wire stripper was not
running hot continuously. The cutter would be at temperature in a few
seconds. The user would close the jaws or push the button, which
would start the heating. After one or two seconds, the heated blade
would be hot enough to strip the wire. Once stripped, the user would
release the jaws, which turned off the power. They would then put it
down on a stand or just on the workbench. In other words, the working temperature was set by how long the device was turned on.
--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272 AE6KS 831-336-2558

--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.repair

Carlos E.R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

On 2026-04-29 04:02, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

On Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:37:58 -0400, Nick Sebul <nsebul@nowhere.net>
wrote:

The idea is to NOT scrape or cut the wire. I use one of several
Teledyne Stripall thermal wire strippers: <https://www.google.com/search?q=teledyne%20stripall%20thermal%20wire%20strippers&num=10&udm=2>
You'll also probably need some replacement blades: <https://www.ebay.com/itm/223263002855>
You do NOT want blades with a "notch" for the wire. The notch will
"nick" the wire which will eventually break.

Interesting. I have never seen something like this. But I have used a lighter.

I wonder if you should do something similar with an ordinary pair of
strippers (or cutters) and a flame. Heat the nose of the tool in the flame, then strip a wire. Probably take some practice about how long to hold in
the flame and how much pressure to apply, but you could perhaps get up to
the temps of the thermal strippers.

No good of course if you're doing aerospace stuff where the tool and process need to be certified, but if you aren't bothered if the connection might fail...

Theo

--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.repair

On 01 May 2026 21:56:10 +0100 (BST), Theo
<theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

Carlos E.R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

On 2026-04-29 04:02, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

On Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:37:58 -0400, Nick Sebul <nsebul@nowhere.net>
wrote:

The idea is to NOT scrape or cut the wire. I use one of several
Teledyne Stripall thermal wire strippers:
<https://www.google.com/search?q=teledyne%20stripall%20thermal%20wire%20strippers&num=10&udm=2>
You'll also probably need some replacement blades:
<https://www.ebay.com/itm/223263002855>
You do NOT want blades with a "notch" for the wire. The notch will
"nick" the wire which will eventually break.

Interesting. I have never seen something like this. But I have used a
lighter.

I wonder if you should do something similar with an ordinary pair of >strippers (or cutters) and a flame. Heat the nose of the tool in the flame, >then strip a wire. Probably take some practice about how long to hold in
the flame and how much pressure to apply, but you could perhaps get up to
the temps of the thermal strippers.

No good of course if you're doing aerospace stuff where the tool and process >need to be certified, but if you aren't bothered if the connection might >fail...

Theo

Bad idea. The idea is to heat the blade but NOT the pliers.

"Hot Wire Strippers Are Probably The Best Tool You ArenAt Using" <https://hackaday.com/2016/08/09/hot-wire-strippers-are-probably-the-best-tool-you-arent-using/>

"StripAll Thermal Wire Strippers from Teledyne Impulse" <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgCkZeBICkY>

Notice the blades and the "rods". The "rods" deliver current to the
blades. The blades are thin and will heat or cool rapidly. The
"rods" are large, solid and will become hot about the same time that
the blades glow red.

If you try the same thing with a pair of insulated pliers, you'll burn
your hand and possibly melt the vinyl insulation covering the plier
handles.
--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272 AE6KS 831-336-2558

--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2