Review on KNIPEX 13 72 Forged Stripper by Eric Trask

good good. It's just a wire stripper, right? Not right! This is a symbol of my individuality and my belief in individual freedom. (Bonus points if you caught this quote). I love the water pumps and Knipex pliers, but their wire cutters fall short (more on that below). This prompted me to search for the perfect wire stripping tools and found it a lot harder than it first appeared, so I'll detail my findings here and hopefully save you some money and some pain. However, in an ideal universe, I want one tool to do everything for me: insulated crimping tool, 10-20 AWG wire stripper for solid and stranded wire, 8-32 wire cutters, and bolt cutters. High quality preferably, even better if made by fairly paid workers in a unionized (I mean I can dream right?) situation. However, since everyone is a little different, I want to save some of the research and describe the ones that have worked for me. In short, however, I find that companies that usually make great other tools don't do a very good job with wires. strippers. I love Klein in general, but have come to the conclusion that many of their product lines currently lack common sense (like the locking feature on the K12035, or the spring on the K12065CR crimp version, if the cheaper Milwaukee has both. Knipex does, too an eye-catching lemon in their product line.And some brands that you wouldn't call synonymous with power tools seem to have caught on in a way.expected to like them and immediately got a pretty warm feeling about them.Of course they're handmade very nice and sharp but they have a very weird connect/rotate mechanism that clicks every time you use them and overall feels a bit twitchy plus it's just not that comfortable for me - note it's very is ergonomic or intuitive Doesn't give me the same pleasure as their Cobra and pliers Blasphemous I know, but what can I say, I have to be honest your mileage may be different. Carlisle/Napa is a good contender but requires a multi-instrumental approach. Makes a latch on the stripper/crimp tool and made in the USA but again only stranded. Also convenient when shopping in Napa. Good cheaper alternative to Klein 2005N. You can find them on sale for around $20. And there is both an angled and straight generic stripper that comes in a 3 piece set which is a great deal and good quality. If you work primarily with electronics and not domestic or industrial electrical then this is my choice. Small - 1010 - my old reserve. Does pretty much everything but isn't in the same league as the others in terms of build quality and also rusts fairly easily. Definitely not as strong as the others that make the lineman style stripper. The Klein 1019 "curve" is new to me, appears to be an update of the 1010 with nothing noticeably missing. Maybe it's a better choice for you than 1010. Klein 2005N - now let's talk about Klein. but only makes you stranded. but does good. In my opinion the best of the Carlyle/Snap-on Stranded-Type models. Combine this with another like K120035 for reliability and you'll be good. Combine it with a Klein crimping tool (renamed Titan and others elsewhere) and you have it all. Basically the same functions as the Knipex and a good choice in my opinion. The 12035CR has a crimping tool, but you sacrifice the bottom spring for a lever on the standard model. Personally I would go with the spring loaded one and get a separate small crimp tool. Make sure you get one that locks as that really annoyed me. The standard 12035, inconveniently, doesn't have a locking lever, but it does have a spring. Personally, that annoys me to no end. Milwaukee - 9" 7-in-1 Combo Wire Stripper - I actually like this tool more than the Knipex, as well as most others. It's also significantly cheaper than what you get. However, you get the better of an imported tool do if that's important to you. It might not be as fancy or attractive and quirky but it definitely gets the job done. That and maybe the titanium tongs if you're picky and willing to go. If you can only have one , go for this one. It's a really well thought out design and covers all the bases. But I think it's made in China. If you're from the US or you're broke, follow the Klein or Carlisle guidelines above. Also, it makes a difference This 9 in 7 in 1 differs significantly from the less expensive Milwaukee stripper which looks quite similar The 7 in 1 is around $30 at the time of writing and the other is around $10 dollars cheaper please forgive make sure you bought the right model. Gardener Bender. Think of it like the Klein 1010, but made of stainless steel with a built-in voltage detector. The stainless steel is a bonus and the markings on the metal rather than varnish or poor laser engraving work - which is the big complaint I have with the Klein 1010 - rust and can't read the escapement after a while. It's no frills while the action time is packed. Super convenient - lots of options. It's not German tool steel and quite brittle (a thin blue metal with a Klein 1010 handle), but it definitely gets the job done. Added the bonus of non-contact voltage testing which is a big plus. Actually a very attractive tool in terms of versatility. It's a serious Milwaukee-esque approach - you sacrifice Milwaukee build quality in favor of some extra features and a very handy voltage check. You can't go wrong by choosing one of these dishwashers that take up little space and have the most features. My only complaint with them is that I personally don't like the buttons and while I haven't experienced it, some have had trouble checking the tension. That's all. Crème de la crème, unless there's a trendy Swedish wire brace that I've never heard of. I have seen and used almost all of them. I stay away from automatic strippers as I find them finicky and they're just a small part of the tool kit I need for my normal wiring job. Once you have everything together you will start talking about a small bag of tools and junk. I want everything to fit in my pocket or on my tool belt. So I won't say which is better as there isn't one, but the most versatile is probably the Milwaukee, but as a professional electrician you may want to look for a specific tool for each. from your use cases. Hope that helps. Again and again.