Wire Stripper

A wire stripper. Its whole purpose is a cut that goes through insulation and stops: a knife or a pair of pliers will take the sheath off, but it also scores the copper, and a nicked conductor is a weak point that eventually breaks inside a terminal or heats up under load. Neither fault is visible once the connection is made, which is why electricians use a stripper rather than a blade. Used on socket, switch and lighting terminations, consumer unit and distribution board work, appliance and flex repairs, panel wiring, and data and low-voltage cabling. Match the notch to the conductor size rather than forcing the largest one to fit, and pull the insulation off straight rather than twisting it.