Just wasted $300 on a 'universal' wire stripper that wrecked a coax run

Bought this fancy 'multi-tool' stripper online, thinking it would handle everything from 22 gauge to RG-400. Tried it on a simple RG-58 run for a comms check last week. The thing completely mangled the shield, took me an hour to re-run the cable, and now I'm out the tool cost plus the cable. Should have just stuck with my old manual strippers. Anyone have a go-to brand for coax that actually works like they say?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_holly1mo ago

I mean, RG-58 is technically coax, but those universal strippers usually need a specific die for each cable type. Maybe yours didn't have the right one.

nancy4751mo ago

My universal stripper is about as universal as a one-size-fits-none hat.

patriciareed19d ago

See I gotta disagree with you there @nancy475... I've used the same universal stripper on RG-6, RG-59, and even some random old cable TV wire without swapping any dies... just got lucky with the adjustment dial I guess. Maybe it's more about finding the right setting than the tool being totally universal.