How can I strip a USB cable?

August 1, 2009 2:24 PM

How can I strip a USB cable?

I'm cooking up some IR LEDs powered by USB, but I'm having a hell of a time with getting the power and ground cables stripped. I'm using the smallest hole on the tool (20 gage?), and I'm not sure if it's too small or too big -- it cuts into the insulation but takes a lot of effort to pull free, and the wires come with it.

Anyone have tips for getting this done? Better technique or a custom electronics tool?

posted by pwnguin to Technology (14 answers total)

I assume that the wires aren't actually solid core... they're a bunch of little, thin wires.

In these situations, I just use a cigarette lighter and burn the insulation off.
posted by Netzapper at 2:36 PM on August 1, 2009

You need an adjustable wire stripper, which can size to any gauge. I got mine at Harbor Freight Tools for $4.99.

Some are better than others. Look for one with a nicely ground blade edge.
posted by fake at 3:02 PM on August 1, 2009

I've had good luck using a tool like this on tiny cables like cat5, etc. It begins to fail when you try larger wires, but its the easiest I've found way to do those itty bitty wires. (--Mr. Gueneverey)
posted by gueneverey at 4:25 PM on August 1, 2009

Response by poster: Well damn. I was a bit unsure about biting things containing metal (flashbacks to the pain of biting aluminum foil), but it works pretty well.
posted by pwnguin at 4:53 PM on August 1, 2009

Wire cutters + delicacy and practice = biting without damage to teeth.
posted by flabdablet at 6:45 PM on August 1, 2009 [1 favorite]

An autostripper will take the jacket right off, and for the tiny micro-wires I just use either angle cutters ('dykes') or adjustable strippers. Please don't bite the wires. You could end up with bits of copper in your mouth, and that's kind of yechh.
posted by ostranenie at 6:46 PM on August 1, 2009

For really small wires,. you can usually just pinch with your fingernails and pull it off. Gets painful if you have a lot to do, but for a handful, it's not problem.
posted by Dr.Enormous at 7:33 PM on August 1, 2009

Best answer: A lot of computer cables are ‘stranded wire,’ given the need for flexibility. There are special wire strippers that can handle both stranded and solid-core wiring, but another way to strip it on the cheap is to use a lighter to either burn off the plastic or to just melt it so that you can quickly pinch it off with your fingernails. Don't burn yourself!

PROTIP: If you are dealing with stranded wire, it is very convenient to ‘tin’ it once it's stripped: Warm a little flux with a soldering iron and touch it to the wire. The wire will soak up the solder and, when it cools, it'll be just like a solid wire. It'll be much easier to deal with, and it'll make a better connection. Be careful to keep your soldering iron at a lower heat, otherwise the tinned end will be fragile and will easily snap off.
posted by Sangermaine at 8:17 PM on August 1, 2009

A knife?
posted by gjc at 9:11 PM on August 1, 2009

BTW, the reason that pwnguin didn't get a jolt from the copper wire is that copper has a different voltaic effect than aluminum foil. Back in high school many people have probably done experiments with batteries and made their own voltaic pile, trying different metals such as pennies and nails and foil, and getting different voltages from them. A small bit of copper (and a smaller exposed surface area) has less voltaic effect current than foil.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 9:34 PM on August 1, 2009

Best answer: I see you marked "use your teeth" as best answer. That must have been your dentist I saw in the street doing a little victory dance. Yeah, it works in a pinch, but I have a few nicks in my teeth from doing just that when I was younger and dumber.

Use a small flame for the really fine stuff. You can buy more wire for cheap. More teeth are expensive.
posted by Ookseer at 11:40 PM on August 1, 2009

Response by poster: Oh they're definitely stranded wire, but not copper. This stuff is like 4 or 5 tiny strands. Which was a problem. This stuff is very, very small. People are recommending things stop at like 18 gauge, and this looks smaller than 20. Remember that inside a USB wire is wire mesh, foil shielding, and 4 smaller wires (and apparently 4 smaller metal strands in each ^_^).

It's probably the surface area part that hurts less/ not at all rather than elemental chemistry. I considered the lighter thing, but I'm not convinced the plastic will "burn off". My fingernails don't seem up to the task of stripping em.
posted by pwnguin at 12:19 AM on August 2, 2009

Response by poster: Hrm, I was a bit unclear. I mean to say that my nails aren't up to the task of stripping insulation as is, but they might be able to handle it once the plastic is burnt to a weak crisp with a lighter...
posted by pwnguin at 12:26 AM on August 2, 2009

I pretty regularly strip USB cables (from the outer shell down to the bitty wires inside) with Jameco's super-cheap wire stripper. I love this thing and will actively seek it out even in a drawer full of expensive "good" tools.
posted by range at 12:50 PM on August 2, 2009