The Vise-Grip brand is probably one of the most
recognized trade names in the world.
I'll bet that there are as many pairs of the familiar
Vise-Grip locking pliers stashed in every home as there are toolboxes and junk
drawers.
But I'd also bet that very few people would be able
to name a product made by the Irwin company, although in
addition to the Vise-Grip, Irwin has been making tools
since 1885.
Fewer still would know that Irwin is owned by the
same corporate parent that owns familiar names such as Rubbermaid, Calphalon
(cookware), Waterman, Parker, Paper Mate, Sharpie and Levelor, among others.
Well, I suppose that's neither here nor there, but the point
to remember from this little history lesson is that Vise-Grip
is much more that a simple pair of locking pliers.
The Vise-Grip Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper is one of
the newest in this family of Irwin products. It's
classified as one of their "professional" tools, which
are characterized by the "ProTouch"
soft(ish) grips and robust build quality.
Do you need a professional wire stripper? Well,
if you're planning on adding any type of electrical
accessory to a motorcycle, you'll definitely need two
things: a good pair of wire strippers and an
assortment of
Posi-Lock
connectors. Don't even bother with those
cheesy buck-fifty "wire strippers" with the stamped
metal holes for each size wire. Your bike is
worthy of much better.
We've been using the
Quik Strip wire strippers since we first reviewed
them several years ago, and the
smaller size Quik Strip actually works OK on thin wires
of about 14 to 20 gauge. But these are not
"professional" tools by any stretch of the imagination.
The plastic grips and stamped metal teeth don't provide
much confidence and the tool works by more or less
ripping the vinyl insulation off the copper wire,
sometimes with less-than-desired (e.g., messy) results.
The Quik Strip is usually sold for the same price as
the Vise-Grip Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper, about
$18.00. Believe me -- there is absolutely no
comparison between these tools; the Vise-Grip brand wire
stripper is light-years beyond the quality of the Quik
Strip, period. Whoever priced the Quik Strip at
the same level as the Vise-Grip stripper must be a
coupla' fries short of a Happy Meal.
Weighing in at 305g (10.75
oz.) and made entirely (well, almost) of metal, the
Vise-Grip stripper definitely feels like something that will
still be in your toolbox when the grand-kids collect the inheritance.
The tool even has replaceable jaws, which is amazing,
because I can't remember the last time I came across a
hand tool that wasn't designed with the built-in
obsolescence so often found in products today.
The only problem is that the tool doesn't come with
instructions, believe it or not. Nor could I find
any instructions on the Irwin Tools website. Now
you wouldn't think that instructions would be required
to run a pair of wire
strippers, but there are a couple of adjustments on the
tool that could benefit by some guidance to the owner.
I eventually figured out that the brass knurled knob (red arrow in photo below) can
be adjusted in and out to increase or decrease the
"pull", or force of the jaws as they separate the insulation from
the wire. Screw it out to decrease the force and
screw it in
to increase the force. This is necessary when stripping
thin wires of less than about 18-20 gauge, so that the
force of the jaws doesn't cut through the wire along with the
insulation.
The right-hand jaw (just below the red arrow in the
photo below) has a sharp edge, which is designed to grab
and remove the wire insulating casing. The
left-hand jaw is knurled and it is designed to hold the
wire as the tool handles are squeezed and the wire is
stripped.
The packaging that came with the Vise-Grip
Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper says that the stop can be
adjusted, which means that the stop can be moved in and
out to adjust the amount of insulation that can be
stripped from the wire.
The yellow arrow in the photo below indicates a plastic stop, designed
to allow a standard length of insulation to be stripped
from the wire. The stop has
hash marks molded on it at 1/16" intervals and there's a
corresponding ruler underneath, etched on the black
handle.
Push the rod in and out to adjust how much of the
wire you'd like to have stripped, from about 1/4" to
1/2" or longer if the stop is removed (the stop is set
at 1/4" from the factory). The entire stop can be removed by unscrewing
the #2 Phillips head stainless steel screw (visible near
the tip of the yellow arrow).
The 1/4" is usually a good length for the
tip of the stripped wire, and the wire can also be placed
over the top of the yellow stop if longer stripped lengths are desired.
wBW
Video of the Vice Grip and Quik Strip Wire Strippers
and Posi-Lock Connectors
Finally figured it out! Push the yellow rod in and
out to adjust the stop;
the short ruler underneath is a guide.
The "Self-Adjusting" in the tool's name must refer to
the fact that the jaws
self-adjust over any diameter wire from 10 to 24 gauge
(American Wire Gauge or
AWG).
The tool also includes a crude wire crimper in the
handle, which can crimp wires from 10 to 22 (AWG)
insulated and 10 to 22 (AWG)
non-insulated or 7 to 9mm ignition terminals. I
never use crimped connections if I can possibly avoid
it, and have only used
Posi-Lock
connectors on
motorcycle electrical projects ever since we first
discovered them several years ago. They're the
only way to fly...
The "ProTouch" soft grips help to make the
tool easier to use, not so much because
they're soft (they aren't), but mostly because they provide some mass
under the hands. The plastic material is pretty
hard and the grips would probably feel and work better
if they were softer.
I will say one thing -- stick a wire in the jaws and
this tool will strip it faster than you can blink!
The first couple of times I stripped some 18 gauge wire,
it happened so fast I didn't even realize the job was
done. I had to slow down my hand movements and
watch carefully to see how it worked. Pretty
amazing and like I said, this is a tool that should last
forever and a day.
The best part about the Irwin Vise-Grip
Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper is that it can be found for
around $18.00, which I think is a certified steal.
The list price is $27.99, and worth it even at that
price. And guess what? Irwin guarantees them
for life!
Conclusion
If you're planning on doing any electrical work at all
on your motorcycle, get this tool. You won't
regret it and it will provide years of use and
satisfaction.
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