Wire stripping question

[Nictor]

Another newbiw question. I am adding lighting and sound to a Hornby Railcar. I need to do some soldering and also ned to strip the ends of the DCC chip wires. What is the best way to do that on these tiny wires? 

Never tried with anything that small - only with appliances in the old days when you had to fit your own 3 pin plugs.

[96RAF]

With very thin wires you can shrink away enough insulation by just holding the soldering iron on the wire end.

Rob

[2e0dtoeric]

I roll the wire end along a stanley knife blade, with my thumb, applying just enough pressure to break the plastic sleeve. Yes, it is dangerous, but I've learned how to NOT cut myself!

I've previously found that 'melting' the sleeve back a bit is unreliable - a shade too hot, and the plastic melts into the wire, not away from it, making it impossible to get a good joint without cutting the wire back and trying again.

We all find our own way of doing these things.

[Rog RJ]

I have a pair of wire stripper similar to these https://www.orbitalfasteners.co.uk/en/products/unior-478-4g-160mm-wire-stripping-plier-608701?utm_medium=google_shopping&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=google_shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2Y7E0sak1QIV06ntCh0hYQ-_EAQYGSABEgLSZfD_BwE

Usually though, if I'm only srtipping one or two wires I use my wire cutters to just grip the insulation and pull, without cutting through the wires.

[walkingthedog]

I usually use wire cutters as per Rog above.

[Urbarm8]

I now use these for stripping wires:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B002NZMM9M/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Before that, it was my teeth or Stanley blade if I had one to hand!

[2e0dtoeric]

One minor comment on wire-stripping - whichever method you use, hold the WIRE near where you are stripping the insulation off, not the circuit board!

It is too easy to pull the wire off the board, when you pull the strippers along! Then you have the enjoyable pastime of figuring out where it came from!  😎

[walkingthedog]

Also ignore the advice about using your teeth as it can cause severe damage and problems later. Use somebody elses. 

[morairamike]

over the years I have used, teeth, knife, strippers ajustable, strippers automatic and found the last to be the best. Mine are the same as the ones in Urbarm8 post. The problem with teeth is it's painful if a strand of wire or the insulation gets stuck in the gap between teeth and you can damage your teeth and gums just don't cut it. A knife is a no no as it is easy to cut through a strand or two which reduces the wires current rating (OK not too much of a problem with mA) but is with mains cable etc. plus even a dented solid conductor is damaged and weakened at the dent. Those ones shown will also strip the outer case of mains cable.