Stripping super thin wire

[southpaws]

So I bought a pair of Duncan Distortions from a newer Charvel Super Strat. The problem I have is that the wires are too thin for the wire stripper tool I have. How can I take off the shielding? Another weird is that it has two ground wires - one unshielded, the other I need to strip the (protective jacket?) cover to get to. What can I do to install it without having an inch or two of total wiring left? Should I buy a Liberator? I'm also not interested in tapping them, so the coil wires are going to stay soldered with heat shrink covering them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

Welcome to the forum! You have to get a wire stripper which will strip smaller gauges. They make them. Just aren't in every hardware store. Mine goes from 20-30 awg in increments of 2.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

like clint said, they make em and they arent hard to find. honestly if i dont have anything at hand when wiring pups, i use my teeth. there is a technique to it though, not sure how to explain it. bite but just enough to break through the insulation and pull... anyway, the two ground wires are very common. the bare wire is for the baseplate and the insulated wire is the coil wire

 

[southpaws]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

anyway, the two ground wires are very common. the bare wire is for the baseplate and the insulated wire is the coil wire

Baseplate and coil wire? Do I just solder both to the back of the volume pot?

 

[nexion218]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

A sharp pocket knife is what I use. You can definitely feel when the blade reaches the wire, then you just go around it with the blade.

 

[dave74]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

Mine have a blue handle,,,,but here you go.

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Too...MIwOqvpqaw6QIVC7LICh3fsQVLEAQYAiABEgJtxfD_BwE

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

The wire strippers I have were a two pack:
10-22 Gauge
20-30 Gauge

Before I had them, I just used side cutters to strip. If you are doing a bunch of work like building patch cables the strippers are nice.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

Baseplate and coil wire? Do I just solder both to the back of the volume pot?

yes. they are separated so you can do more involved wiring if you wanted

 

[southpaws]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

Mine have a blue handle,,,,but here you go.

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Too...MIwOqvpqaw6QIVC7LICh3fsQVLEAQYAiABEgJtxfD_BwE

Just added one of those to my cart. I have a 10-20 I bought from Microcenter (best center). I might add a few more things I didn't get so I'm not buying just one thing. Thanks for the link.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

If you have the dexterity, wire snippers can be used for stripping as well.

 

[posite63]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

I've found that the various gaps in my teeth can strip different gauges of wire with precision. The space between incisors 9-10 is great for the small wires in pickups.

And I'm only being partially sarcastic, I actually do this a lot.

 

[DonP]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

like clint said, they make em and they arent hard to find. honestly if i dont have anything at hand when wiring pups, i use my teeth. there is a technique to it though, not sure how to explain it. bite but just enough to break through the insulation and pull... anyway, the two ground wires are very common. the bare wire is for the baseplate and the insulated wire is the coil wire

+1 to using teeth. Been using them for ages. That's what they are for LOL!

 

[garrett]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

My strippers only go down to 22, but I've had good results stripping 24 gauge by angling the strippers just right so they grab/cut one side of the cover and rip the rest.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

Welcome to the forum! You have to get a wire stripper which will strip smaller gauges. They make them. Just aren't in every hardware store. Mine goes from 20-30 awg in increments of 2.

Where did you get them?

 

[solspirit]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

Grow some fingernails.

 

[JWR]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

Not trying to be funny, but I just use the #8 and #25 Incisors.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

Not trying to be funny, but I just use the #8 and #25 Incisors.

This is what I've always done. Softer than a lot of food.

 

[RexRemus]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

If you're only stripping wire occasionally then just get a cheap set of strippers that handle the proper gauge as others have noted - or the teeth thing really works for these small wires. But if you regularly strip wires of varying sizes I can confirm that the Phoenix Contact Wirefox works perfectly well on very small wires. It's not cheap (~$70) but if you're doing a lot of wire work it'll pay for itself in time and frustration savings.

 

[dave74]

Re: Stripping super thin wire

Those fine-strippers are just way too cheap not to use. They work perfectly,,like butter on bread.