carr.abby•1mo agoMost Upvoted

Pro tip: I tried a different coax stripper on a job in Tempe and it was a total game changer

It was just a cheap one from the truck stop, but the blade angle was way sharper. I got through a whole apartment complex rewire without a single jacket nick. What's your go-to stripper for old, brittle cable?

4 comments

4 Comments

rileymartinez1mo ago

Actually, that sharper angle can be a double-edged sword. On fresh cable it's great, but on old brittle stuff it can dig in and cause a crush instead of a clean cut. A slightly more rounded blade tends to roll over the cracks without catching. Found that out the hard way on some ancient cable in an attic.

emmaking1mo ago

Yeah, it's all about the right tool for the material. A sharp angle is just wrong for old, dry stuff, it needs that roll to not shatter. Makes you realize how much thought goes into a good blade shape.

marybutler14d ago

Really hammers home how much of this stuff is just passed down through trial and error too. One guy figures out that little roll keeps the cable from shattering and now everyone's trying it.

the_robin1mo ago

That bit about the blade angle being sharper on a cheap tool really hits home. I see this everywhere now, like how a specific, simple tweak to a kitchen knife's edge changes everything. It's never about the brand name, it's that one perfect detail in the design that actually works.