Wire strippers are essential for automotive electrical repairs. They allow you to remove the plastic insulation from a wire to expose the copper strands for splicing or terminal crimping. The jaws of the tool feature a series of matching cutting notches labeled by wire gauge sizes, such as 10 to 22 AWG (American Wire Gauge). When you clamp the tool over the wire using the correct notch, the blades cut through the insulation but stop short of touching the copper.
Using a razor blade or pocket knife to strip wires is risky. It easily nicks the copper strands, which weakens the wire and creates a high-resistance point that can overheat. Good wire strippers also include built-in wire cutters, loop-making holes, and crimping jaws for terminals. Automatic wire strippers are also popular; they grip, cut, and strip the wire in a single squeeze of the handle.