I have always found the Wiedmuller brand of hand tools the very best, pricey, but if you making a living with tools, buy the very best to do the job and last.

V

 

Before I was able to afford proper tools, I used a nail clipper to strip wire.
You just have to practice to learn how much to squeeze the nail clipper, or you can make a small hole at the cutting edge to match the size of the wire.

Before I had any tools, I used my teeth to strip the wire used in telephone cables which Dad brought home for me. This was plastic insulated solid wire I believe 26 AWG, new then, to replace the kind with the paper insulation. Dad caught me doing that and brought me a pair of dikes or side cutters (can't recall calling them either name at the time) which worked with finesse, but worked so much better after I melted a half-moon shaped divot into one blade by cutting a live piece of zip cord. Now I generally rely on the yellow handle kind shown in the link in post #2. Unless I've got my house wiring tool belt on, with the combination bender/cutter/stripper with fixed gauge openings for stranded or solid house wire. Couldn't resist this thread.

 

Back when I was knee high to a grass hopper, I started honing my stripping skills (wire stripping that is) on house AC wiring, 14 to 10 guage. At the begining, I kept cutting too deep with a side cutter so I used a utility knife and my thumb. As with all things practice was needed, along with several band aids. Only later did I get a set of proper wire strippers, but often found them clumsy and often reverted to my old ways.

Later, when I started in on actual electronics construction and repair, the smaller wire strippers were my go to, mostly. Often, on the smaller guages I would still fall back on my utility knife or side cutters with that gentle touch that took years and thousands of wires to develope.

But along the way I did learn a few tricks. I have many times been caught in the field without the proper tool. Yes, the nail clipper came in handy more than once. But with those very fine wires smaller than 24 guage, fire can work very well. Not burning off the insulation, but passing a flame under the insulation quickly 2 or 3 times, and then using a finger nail.

However, in your case, since you aren't likely to start stripping a few hundred of these fine wires and haven't developed that light touch yet. I'd just go simple and cheap. Use a lighter.

Archie Stulc
Former Broadcast Engineer

 

I have always found the Wiedmuller brand of hand tools the very best, pricey, but if you making a living with tools, buy the very best to do the job and last.

VView attachment 372294

This design is also available as Paladin, and in a smaller size. I have used them for a long time (decades) and they are among the very best but recently I found a much more affordable option that actually does a much neater job.

It's the WEICON Mini-Duo No. 150. I bought it from Amazon but unfortunately they no longer have it available*. At $26 it is much more affordable than the Weidmuller/Paladin options, and makes the cleanest cut I have ever seen by strippers. The construction is very good using reinforced polymer.

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* There are some more expensive models available—they are still "cheap". Search WEICON on Amazon for the current offerings. One interesting one offers a combination of stripper, cutter, and ferrule crimper in a very compact package.