First, a little about myself. I am an electrician by profession. He worked for the ZhEK for seven years. We have such a sinister organization. Now the specifics of my work are a little different, but, nevertheless, questions on the topic "real electrician's knife" still worry me. So here's the specifics. That is, about what makes the situation unique.

Knives are different. Electricians are also different. I am writing about those electricians (strictly speaking - electricians) who work with a voltage of 220/380 volts with networks of 200 amperes or less. Those. typical household-zhekovskie fitters. I won’t lie about other electricians - there is another story. So. It is unlikely that anyone will be very interested in hearing about the fitters themselves and about the housing office, but it can be funny to read about the super-knife of an electrician.

Again, it's a matter of specificity. Household-zhekovsky fitter (abbreviated as BZHM) has to work at temperatures from -15 to +40, sometimes in water, in tight quarters, in the dark, and - quite often - with live wiring. The latter seems to be not supposed to, but such is life ... So how to work in such conditions? What do knife manufacturers offer us? Yes, nothing good...

Masterpiece #1 - Black Handle Folding Wonder

Produced during the collapse of socialism by an unknown manufacturer ... Folding ... There is no fixation of the blade (so socialism was still flickering, damn it ...) The mechanism was gouged in a week. Clogged in a day. On the handle there are only plastic linings, which in no way provide protection against current. Mysterious teeth on the back of the blade. Theoretically, these cloves can:

a) remove scale from wires

b) remove the insulation from the wire.

Both actions can be done only by folding the knife - the blade is not fixed. Which is not convenient. Better to just use the blade itself. In addition, at (b) the metal of the wire is damaged. Pros, of course, try to avoid this. On the side opposite the blade, on the handle is a beer bottle opener. That's what it means - a knife designed under socialism. They still care about people...

There is a variant of such a knife, where instead of an opener, a screwdriver is attached. But that knife was probably invented in very dark times. And the screwdriver there was bespontovaya ...

The steel of the knife is not suitable for anything. Blunt quickly with burr formation.

True, there is something good in the knife. The cutting edge is a straight line parallel to the main axis of the knife. What is good about this, I will explain below.

But in general, this knife is not a knife ...

Masterpiece #2 - Red and Black.

A fresh product, again from an unknown domestic manufacturer. The blade is short, which is the only thing that pleases. The cutting edge is made obliquely from the main axis of the knife. It is not comfortable. I will explain further. There is a screwdriver on the back of the handle. You can’t turn large screws with it - the grip of the handle is not comfortable, and for small screws the size of the working part of the screwdriver is too large. And the funny thing is that this screwdriver is one piece with the blade, i.e. under tension, the blade will no longer work. The handle was made with a claim to anatomical, but due to the fact that the thickness of the handle along the plane is small, the claim remained a claim. The mysterious tooth on the back of the blade is as necessary as the dog's fifth leg. The knife comes with a mini blade sheath. Because of minimalism-anachrenism, they will quickly get lost. I haven't used this knife and wouldn't recommend it to others.

Other Masterpieces.

Unfortunately there are no photos. Hacksaw blades are very popular with electricians. The canvas is sharpened in the manner of a shoe knife and wrapped with electrical tape or something like that. Partisanship, of course. The knife is too big, the blade is not the most in the best way sharpened, but cheap, reliable and more or less practical.

Another masterpiece was issued by foreign manufacturers. By appearance- a typical Finnish puuko, only the handle is plastic. The electrical isolation of the handle pleases, but this is where the specificity (specialization) ends. Side by side on a shelf in the store are knives of the same company and of a similar type: knives of a carpenter, diver, etc. How to >< будто >the names of the knives in the lottery were played.

And now the best electrician's knife of all time.

When sold, it looked like this:

Again, an unknown domestic manufacturer gave out this ingenious knife under the guise of some kind of garden knife :). (Like all ingenious things, they invented it by accident and not for what they wanted). And it cost ridiculous - 17 rubles (a year ago). In fact, an electrician cannot find a better knife. Why? I explain.

The knife should generally be small so that you can safely work in cramped quarters. The blade itself should also be small, so as not to cut too much in a tangle of wires. And yet - a short blade is better felt by hand, it is easier to do small jobs. The cutting edge is straight and parallel to the main axis of the knife. This simplifies the work of cutting cables in a double sheath - when you need to cut only the outer sheath, and not damage the inner one. With a knife with an oblique blade, such work is more difficult to do.

By the way, any knife can cope with the main task of the knife - stripping wires. It is done like this -

(< срезание > < изоляции >how< будто затачивается карандаш).

(cutting the insulation around the circumference).

I have a suspicion that the mysterious teeth on some "professional" knives are intended for such incorrect removal of insulation.

Move on. Handle. Non-anatomical, but miniature (which is important) and comfortable. By touch, you can easily determine where the cutting edge of the blade is located on the handle. Naturally, the handle is plastic and current-insulating. Blade metal. Something slightly carbonaceous and successfully heat-treated. Out of modesty, the manufacturers did not indicate either their trademark or steel grade.

Oddly enough, an electrician does not need a very sharp knife. Firstly, in many operations, the fingers come into contact with the cutting edge, and secondly, an overly sharp blade can damage the metal of the wire when stripping or, when cutting the cable, hook the wrong insulation that is necessary. Such sharpness of the blade in this knife is mysteriously maintained by itself. Not otherwise, some top-secret military developments were used :). Sometimes you just need to slightly tweak the cutting edge on the pebble. The combination of flexibility and hardness is perfect - this knife had to withstand hammer blows. Only the blow of a sledgehammer did not endure - it was shortened by half. This made them even more convenient to use.

The miracles don't end there. Sheath. I have not seen a single electrician with a scabbard attached to a belt. Not convenient. And in principle, scabbards are needed. So that the knife in the heap of the tool does not become dull and that it can be safely removed from this very heap by touch. The presented knife has a plastic sheath that also hides a third of the handle. Fitted tight. Hold tight. They don't fall off from any vibration. With a slight movement of the thumb, the hands are easily reset. Perfect ... It remains only to thank the creators of this knife and complain about others - clumsy.

P.S. As an addition, a few more photos of knives.

In the photo - a knife, referred to in the store as an "electrician's knife". However, it is too big and not convenient for delicate work.

This is what another "electrician's knife" looks like. This one is better, but its handle is also too big:

P.S. Be careful when working with a mounting knife: position your hands so that the tool, jumping off, does not injure you.

The first question that is asked by those who previously managed with ordinary construction or even clerical knives is whether an electrician's knife with a heel is really needed to such an extent that it is impossible to perform electrical work without it? Many specialists have worked and work for decades without it and at the same time competently perform all the electrics.

For example, some even specifically use a not sharpened knife for longitudinal cutting of the insulation between the cores. This method may be suitable for soft rubber or vinyl sheathed cables.

The heel does not give significant savings in the speed of work. Of course, the cleaning process is a little faster, but it is impossible to say that the work is done 2 times faster, in the same time. Here the most important factor is the skill of the performer and his experience. A professional should be able to clean with anything, even with a construction knife, even with side cutters. At the same time, do it efficiently and quickly.

Another question is that a professional must to have such a dielectric tool in your kit, but what does it give to a simple layman?

The main advantages of this knife:

• comfort at work
• reliable insulation of the handle, in case someone accidentally turns on the machine, and voltage appears on the cable (up to 1000 volts)
• safe removal of insulation without "jambs", cuts and scuffs, even if you are an amateur and use it for the first time in your life

Such a knife is equally suitable for those who are engaged in both purely electrical work and complex repairs, without having sufficient experience in cutting the cable.

Cable stripping GOST and TU

Another point that you should not forget about is that the knife with a heel is intended primarily for flat cables of the VVGng-P type. Of course, the craftsmen clean everything for them, but the amenities there will already be completely different.

When stripping a round cable, the use of such a device is traumatic. For such brands like NYM, there are more convenient and specially designed tools for this.

At the same time, when using a cable manufactured according to specifications(TU), and not according to GOST, the insulation will be removed faster and easier. The insulation of the cable according to GOST is much thicker, it fits more tightly to the cores and is harder to work with.

Be sure to wear gloves here, without them everything can end in injury.

Therefore, if a knife with a heel does not remove insulation well, do not rush to be disappointed in it, maybe you just have a quality cable.

By the way, in a similar indirect way, you can find out which TU or GOST cable you have. Unless of course you are sure that the knife is not dull, and you have tested it before on other wires.

Let's take a closer look at the main manufacturers. They are not much different from each other, but still have their pros and cons.

Chinese red knife LS-55

Previously, this knife was not produced under any brand - KBT, it is also a replica of the first generation Knipex, Shtok and others. Today, a similar tool can be bought at bazaars and Chinese online stores AliExpress. The rest of the firms switched to a different design. True, some are sure that KBT and "China" are still one and the same, only KBT is twice as expensive.

Many other tools still have the shape of the handle of this knife. It is completely plastic and has no rubberized inserts. At the end of the handle there is a cut for installing and storing a protective cover.

This is a very original and convenient solution so as not to lose it during work and not to look for it after. In other more expensive brands, this is not enough.

If you have a large palm, then the knife can be really small, as it has the shortest handle length among other specimens. However, when working in small cabinets, this can be a significant plus.

The blade is not straight and has a slight slope. The heel is made quite high quality:

• drop-shaped
• not big
• edges are neatly finished
• high quality welding

One of the significant drawbacks is that a dull blade can often be caught. With such a blade, it is very difficult to make exactly the first cut. The insulation is more crushed than cut. To facilitate this process, you can use pliers, and even better, thin-nosed pliers.

Crimp the end of the cable with pliers and slide the heel under the outer sheath.

The main thing is to make the initial incision, and then the knife goes faster. Cutting "on your own", making it easier and safer. But when working "for himself" - he usually chews insulation. To make it easier, try to bend the cable a little, making a small arc.

Of course, it is better to buy such a knife live, from a real seller. At the same time, immediately check on the spot how he removes the insulation, taking with him a piece of cable.
If you got a blunt copy, then you can try to sharpen it yourself. It is not recommended to sharpen electrician's knives with a heel using an engraver or drill with a nozzle.

You can easily ruin the tool and overheat the edge, especially at high speeds. It is better to use diamond files and finish on sharpening bars. Sharpening near the heel is of course not very convenient, but with skill everything will work out.

The blade on the outside, with which you cut away from yourself, you grind with any bar like a chisel. And the inner one - with the help of triangular ones. If there are absolutely no options, then you can get by with car sandpaper with a grain size of 2500-3000. The whole thing is brought up with a belt and goyim pasta.

In a similar way, you can touch up and sharpen more expensive brands, the same Knipex, if it has become dull over time.

The most important advantage of this knife is the favorable price-quality ratio. It is the cheapest and if you are engaged in electrics only in your apartment or at home, then this the best choice. He will make 100% of his money. The main thing is to check the sharpening. Many professionals still use such knives and are not going to switch to knipeks.

KVT NMI-01

Here it must be said right away that with a similar design and shape of the handle, you can find a lot of knives. In fact, they are produced by the same factory, although they have different brand names:

Therefore, if you are thinking about buying such a knife, then you need to choose the cheapest one. The heel, blade, handle are almost the same here.

The heel itself, due to its very large size, is not very convenient when stripping cables of minimum sections - 2 * 1.5; 3*1.5; 2*2.5. This also affects the speed of clearing.

For such small wires, you even have to resort to the services of a simple construction knife. The insulation is cut at the very beginning of the cable, and only then, in order not to damage the cores, it is simply torn with the effort of one hand. But the question is why did you buy such a knife?

Moreover, not every cable can be easily broken. For example, with TU-shny, where the insulation is something like heat shrink, such a trick may not succeed.

It is also very important to check the quality of welding on the heel. When stripping a hard cable with hardened insulation, it can actually break off.

This can happen if the heel is clamped in the cable, the knife itself deviates sideways at an angle, and you try to remove the insulation with effort. Welding it back will be problematic due to the material of the blade.

Often there is a marriage in the form of asymmetry relative to the tip of the blade. It really is shifted to the right or to the left.

Most heel problems are solved by grinding it down to a smaller size and giving it a teardrop shape. Just before that, make sure that the welding is reliable.
The inscription on the handle of the KBT knife is erased very quickly, which indicates the possibility of applying any name at all to this tool.

Knipex is one of the most expensive items. In terms of functionality, it differs little from its cheaper counterparts, but it has a thing for which, in fact, you overpay - this is its branding.

When buying any of the knives, at first glance it is not immediately possible to distinguish which brand is in front of you. By purchasing Knipex, you will immediately understand that it is he who is in front of you. The style and design makes itself felt and it is difficult to confuse it with others.

There is very little marriage with this tool and you can work with such a knife for many years. You can not meet the grossest defects inherent in other manufacturers. The heel is always welded evenly and securely.

Convenient teardrop shape. It is under its size and shape that all other brands are adjusted when they are going to finalize them. Even if any jambs are found, it is easiest to exchange the Knipex tool from official suppliers.

The only inconvenience can be caused by the blade, which eventually becomes dull. Especially if you will cut insulation with them like construction knives.

You can fix it using the methods described above. After that, he will again serve you faithfully.

True, due to the shape of the knife, certain problems may arise. Initially, the influx on the handle will interfere, but if desired, it can be grinded off a little.

But the most difficult thing is the plastic blade protection, which is located on top and interferes with maintaining the factory angle. If you need this protection, you will have to change the angle a little. The knife will not stop cutting from this, the main thing is that the blade is sharp. If you want to keep the "factory settings" you can grind off a couple of millimeters of plastic.

Most often, the outer side of the blade deteriorates, the one that is intended for stripping from oneself. This is due to the fact that with inaccurate work inside the switchboard, the knife can break off and hit some obstacle with this side.

Well, in general, this is the best electrician's knife of all presented, especially for stripping hard and GOST cables.

In terms of design, it is very similar to KVT NMI-01, but slightly smaller. When buying not live in the store, but through the mail as a parcel, you may encounter problems:

Therefore, with this brand you need to rely more on luck. Whether you're lucky or not, there's no guarantee of quality. And the price is twice as high as that of a red Chinese knife.

The main difference here is the original handle. Namely, its curved shape and special recesses for the fingers. If you have worked with other brands before, then at first you will feel discomfort. It's a matter of habit here.

The handle is quite long and it is not very convenient to work with it in narrow and compact cabinets. Unfortunately, there are no branded inscriptions with the designation of the brand of the manufacturer. You can easily run into some kind of fake, where any Chinese will write Made in Germany.

The heel, like the Knipex knife, has a slope and is small in size. This makes it easier to work with small cables. But the quality of the steel raises questions. Notches may appear when the blade hits the copper core of the cable during the stripping process.

But for your money, taking into account the German manufacturer, this is not very bad choice for a quality knife.

The knife is simple and uncomplicated. A similar handle is very common in - Weicon, Haupa and some NWS. It is made of a homogeneous material, without comfortable rubberized inserts.

Has a large cap to protect the blade. The heel of the original shape and medium size, also has a slope. It resembles a boat in shape and is raised from the ends.

Designed to be able to cut into the insulation right from the middle of the cable. Sometimes it's just necessary.

It removes insulation similarly to other knives and at the same time has a price tag many times more expensive, often even more than Knipex. Whether it's worth the extra money is up to you. When there is a choice, you can stop your look at more attractive models in design.

COMPARISON TABLE

• For everyday work choose Knipex. Although its price is higher than many others, but when used for its intended purpose, it will serve you for a long time. The main thing is not to dull the blade on any extraneous sweeps.

• The middle option between the two above is KBT. When you are afraid to buy at random through a Chinese online store, the main advantage of this brand is that it is easy to find it on sale in many of our cities and what is called probing everything with your own hands.

brand	Heel	A pen	Price
Red LS-55	Small	Plastic	300 rubles
KVT NMI-01	Big	Two-component	1000 rubles
Knipex KN 9855	Small	Two-component	3100 rubles
sata	Big	Two-component	800 rubles

Devices and devices for stripping wires are included in the mandatory tool kit of any master who deals with electrical work. The range of such tools is extensive and includes cable pliers, wire cutters, strippers, etc. The simplest solution to this task is a heeled stripping knife, which is cheaper in price and does not have special maintenance requirements.

Features and purpose of a knife with a heel

In general design, such knives are not much different from ordinary kitchen knives. The device is formed by the same handle, rubberized pad and blade with a protective cap. Features lie in the details, but in terms of application they are essential. In particular, the heeled stripping knife has a compact size and a small cutting portion. At the same time, the blade itself is distinguished by a modest thickness, but it is necessarily made of a durable alloy.

Another feature of the knife, as the name implies, is the presence of a heel. This is a kind of blade hook, which simplifies the process of working with the wire. Usually the heel is welded to the end of the blade, but there are also monolithic versions - they are also the most reliable. This configuration makes it possible to handle VVGng-P flat cables. Although, in the hands of a skilled craftsman, it can be a universal cleaning tool. And another extremely important point is electrical insulation. For live work, a 1000V heeled stripper should be used, which is just right for most household and public communication lines.

Main characteristics

Cable knives are mainly characterized by three parameters - the length of the blade, the total length and the cross sections allowed for work. The length of the functional area will determine the dimensions of the cable that can be processed by the tool. On average, the blade has a length of 25 to 50 mm. Moreover, you should not consider increased sizes only as a way to expand work activities. A small blade is more effective in working with thin wiring. The master spends less time on such operations, so it still makes sense to focus on a specific group of target materials.

With regard to the overall length, the heeled knife for stripping reaches an average of 170-220 mm. The convenience of the master depends on this value, that is, the handle is selected for a comfortable grip of the user's hand. In some cases, small knives are more ergonomic, and in others, large ones. The standard range of sections that this tool can work with includes 3*1.5 formats; 2*1.5 and 2*2.5. Also, do not forget about the insulation of the knife - electrical protection at 1000V is the main characteristic of such devices.

Knife Knipex 985303

The model has a non-standard blade shape, even by the standards of the general segment of knives with a heel. Instead of a hook-shaped end, a recess for gripping the insulation is made in the central part of the cutting contour. This solution reduces the risk of accidental slippage, but can make the process difficult in terms of grip comfort. Other features of the device include the use of soft, but wear-resistant materials. The practice of use shows that when holding the handle, a high transfer of force to the proprietary curved Knipex blade is ensured. At the same time, the tool is designed to work with wires of round sections, which distinguishes it from most repair knives with a heel. But, it is important to consider that the models of this company are more expensive than their counterparts - about 1000-1300 rubles. In this line, modifications with price tags below 1000 rubles are rarely found.

Model NWS 2040

Another major manufacturer of electrical tools, made according to the VDE standard. The tool is a dielectric knife provided with an insulated handle based on a multicomponent material. The working area is 50 mm long, so the user can work with a wide range of cables. The peculiarities of the blade can also be attributed to its thickening, which allows you to apply a higher force in the process of work without the risk of damaging the base. However, stainless hardened steel was used as the material for the cutting part. It's not the best the best option taking into account the fact that most modern models (the same Knipex) receive blades made of tool steel. With such a metal, an electrician's knife lasts longer and needs sharpening less often. But there are no special complaints about the handle - it is safe, impact-resistant and ergonomic to handle.

Model KBT NMI-01

The modification is designed to work with stranded wiring without the risk of damage to its base. The surface of the handle has a special dielectric effect, which gives the tool ergonomics and safety. The model itself is compact - with a weight of 120 g, it has a fixed blade and a total length of 175 mm. User reviews of this tool are mixed. On the one hand, many craftsmen emphasize the ease of use, the thoughtful design of the handle with protective barriers and the presence of a two-component cap. However, physical strength is far from the strength of the model. During operation, the heeled stripping knife KBT must not be tilted to the side at an angle. Small adjustments are acceptable, but the risk of damage to the blade remains. And the heel itself is especially sensitive to such manipulations. It can be accidentally broken off, and it will be almost impossible to weld it. At least with the preservation of basic integrity.

There are also reviews in which KBT knives are criticized for the asymmetry of the heel fit relative to the blade. Of course, this is not good in terms of influencing the quality of the operation, but if desired, the heel can be ground off, giving it the desired shape.

Model SHTOK 14004

The knife is provided with a partially insulated blade and a heel designed to work with large and small sections. The support shoe is characterized by a rounded shape, so the risk of damage is reduced even internal insulation wire, which, in accordance with the task, will need to be left intact. Also, the tool has slip protection and barrier inserts included in the handle design. It is important to keep in mind that the manufacturer latest versions made a slight departure from the classical forms. How is it shown? The stripping knife in question with the “Stem” heel has a reduced cap, a size-optimized blade and a reduced end. Moreover, the heel not only became more compact, but also received an angle relative to the cutting blade. And in this case, asymmetry is not a marriage, but a completely conscious design decision.

Nuances of choice

The knife should be selected based on considerations of comfort, safety and acceptability for effective work with a particular wiring. A quality knife does not involve a high risk of cuts and scuffs in an area that should remain intact. This largely depends on the performer himself, but the design developers make the tool as safe as possible in terms of the likelihood of such errors. It is important not to forget about the differentiation of models according to the possibility of applying to sections different shapes. The classic heeled stripping knife is a flat cable tool. But there are modifications that work with round wiring. They are distinguished by a large blade with a deep recess and a more massive heel. Do not underestimate the importance of the shape of the handle. It also affects the likelihood of making a mistake. It is advisable to choose models with rubberized inserts, a protective barrier and cuts for cap integration.

How to make an electrician's knife with your own hands?

To make such a tool, you will need a metal profile (for example, a piece from a mosquito net frame), a clerical knife blade and several wooden blocks. For the heel, you can use an oval-shaped metal plate - the main thing is that it is strong and allows the possibility of solder in relation to the blade. In it, you should initially make a small hole-strip, into which the end of the blade will enter. Next, using a soldering iron, fix the heel at a certain angle or symmetrically.

You can start making the handle. Usually a homemade heeled stripping knife is made with a metal handle, for which the profile was prepared. This solution is the only justified one at home, since it is almost impossible to fit high-strength plastic to a specific shape without a special tool and material. The blade is fixed in the profile with wooden blocks that will clamp it. To give the structure reliability, already in the niche of the profile itself, several holes for rivets should be made and fastened.

Finally

The function of the stripping tool is not particularly difficult. Anyone who has dealt with insulation stripping knows how easy and undemanding the job is. Nevertheless, it is not always possible to perform it qualitatively, therefore it is recommended to use special devices.

For professional electricians, for example, products from NWS and Knipex are recommended. The tool of these brands is distinguished by the basic quality of construction and durability. Regarding the considered models SHTOK and KBT, we can say that they focus on domestic use. These are functional and ergonomic knives, but in responsible work it is still worth giving preference to more solid products.

A stripping knife with a special heel is a wonderful invention that facilitates the work of an electrician when cutting cables and wires. With its help, the painstaking work of stripping the outer shell of the conductor turns into a simple operation that takes only a few seconds. However, the price of the finished product in the store is a significant amount, which makes the user think about the appropriateness of such an acquisition. It's one thing - a professional electrician, daily faced with the need to use it, but for a home master, such a purchase will be an unjustified waste. There is a way to solve this problem by making an electrician's knife with your own hands. In the article we will tell you how to make a knife with a heel for removing insulation, we will give detailed instructions.

Heeled knife for cable stripping

The stripper has a narrow focus and is unlikely to be used for other purposes, but its practicality makes you want to have such a tool in your kit.

Its design is simple but very effective:

• the blade is used to cut rubber or PVC coating;
• the heel prevents damage to the internal conductors and acts as a cut depth limiter;
• The handle makes it comfortable to hold the device in your hand.

Such a knife is not useful for cutting steel tapes on armored cables, but it will easily cope with the insulating coating of ordinary wire. In this case, the size of the heel plays an important role: the wide plane has proven itself well when working with soft sheaths of cables of the PVS type, the narrow one - on cables with rigid conductors, for example, VVG, AVVG. On the other hand, a wide heel does not allow working normally with small wires. Therefore, in the matter of choice, preference should be given to a product that meets the specifics and conditions of the specialist’s activity. Read also the article: → "".

Practical use of the knife

The knife has a double-edged blade, so it can dissolve the sheath in any direction convenient for the master: towards or away from himself.

1. The protrusion of the heel is placed under the removed layer of insulation so that its lower plane is above the current-carrying conductor
2. With a longitudinal movement, the tool moves to the desired distance, while the base of the heel slides along the core without damaging it due to the smoothness of its surface
3. Having made a cut of the required length, the knife is removed, the veins are released from the outer sheath, and it, in turn, is removed using the cutting edge of the blade.

These manipulations are available even for a novice master. To work with the device does not require special training or possession of certain skills.

The knife cuts the upper sheath without damaging the internal current-carrying wires

Tool Safety Precautions

The device is not a piercing object, but its cutting edge is capable of causing harm to the owner when worn or in the process of work. Therefore, during transportation, it is recommended to close the working part with a protective cover. It will also protect the knife from damage and dulling when struck against other objects or tools.

The handle of the tool is made of a dielectric material, but this does not mean that work can be done with the electricity turned on. Most manufacturers indicate on their products the voltage that the product can withstand. Usually it does not exceed 1000 volts.

On the handle you can see the inscription about the voltage that the dielectric can withstand

Overview of manufacturers of knives for an electrician

The described tool is represented on the market by many brands. For comparative analysis we can cite as an example the products of some well-known manufacturers.

Knife name	Country	Cost, rub.
SHTOK	Taiwan	1000
Knipex	Germany	3400
NMI (KBT)	Taiwan	803
Haupa	Germany	1600
NSI-1	China	680

Price information is an average value of the cost of goods presented by online stores and cannot be the basis for making estimates and references for orders. Each of these brands represents high quality products. Differences may be in the length of the handle, the size of the heel or the angle of its inclination. When choosing a product, the user should proceed from personal preferences and their physiological characteristics. Read also the article: → "".

Making an electrical knife with your own hands (step by step instructions)

As can be seen from the information presented, the stripping tool is a useful and convenient device, however, due to the high cost, it is not always available to people involved in cutting wires only occasionally. Nevertheless, you should not refuse the opportunity to become the owner of such a device and make it on your own at home.

There are several ways to make a knife with a heel. This post will cover the two most popular options:

• from the blade of a clerical knife;
• from a metal strip.

Both methods give good results, so the choice is more dependent on the availability of a specific tool that will be needed when working.

Option one (from a clerical knife blade)

Blades are sold together with the knife or separately. For manufacturing, you will need two such parts. Further, the whole process is indicated in the form of sequential actions:

Practical advice: To fix the heel, it is recommended to use POS-60 or POS-61 solder, which can melt at a temperature of 190 ° C, which will preserve the hardness and strength of the blade metal.

1. Process the heel with a needle file to give an oval shape, and then grind the soldering points. The result should be a product shown in the photo:

1. The final step is to make the handle. For its manufacture, you can use plywood or plastic, from which cut out the lining and fix it on the blade with epoxy glue.

The resulting product cannot be used as a professional tool, but for occasional domestic use, it may well become an indispensable assistant. The disadvantage of the described method is the inability to create a sickle-shaped (curved) blade, like branded counterparts, but the final price and rare use can shift this omission into the background.

Option two (from a metal strip)

This method does not require the use of a special tool, like a drill and special skills, like using a soldering iron and complex solder. In addition, it allows you to give the working body of the knife any form convenient for the user. Taking into account that the manufactured tool must have sufficient strength properties, be sharpened and have the ability to maintain the sharpness of the cutting edge, it is recommended to use a piece of high-alloy carbon steel strip 3-5 mm thick as a workpiece.

Step-by-step actions alternate in the following order:

1. On the steel strip, the shape of the future tool is marked with a scriber, taking into account the length of the heel, after which all excess metal is cut off using an angle grinder ("grinder")

1. With the use of the same grinder, metal is sampled at the border of the blade and heel, the thickness of the material in the area of ​​​​the proposed blade is reduced. Thus, the heel begins to stand out in length and width from the base of the blade
2. The sickle-shaped part of the workpiece is sharpened on both sides and polished
3. The heel is also carefully polished. The quality of the knife and the integrity of the insulation of internal current-carrying conductors will depend on the smoothness of its lower surface.
4. The handle, as in the previous version, can be made of wood or plastic, or it can be made from a piece of hose stretched over back blanks and soldered in a heat shrink tube.

This method may seem more laborious, but the resulting product will differ in strength, durability and susceptibility to edits. Read also the article: → "".

Topical questions on the topic

Among customer reviews regarding the functionality of a knife with a heel, one can find comments about the facts of finger injuries while working with the product. The main reason for such facts is elementary non-compliance with safety regulations. To avoid cuts to the fingers, it is essential that the holding hand is always behind the blade and never in its path. Regarding other questions, the answers to them are placed in a separate block below.

Question number 1. Can the product be used for stripping insulation from current-carrying conductors?

Theoretically, this is possible, but in practice it is completely inefficient. This tool is intended for stripping primary insulation. To do this, the cutting edge must be perfectly sharp. The use of a knife for other purposes means that the tip comes into contact with solid objects (in this case, metal wires), which will lead to its rapid blunting and reduced performance.

Question number 2. The product indicates the voltage against which the handle insulation is able to protect. Does this mean that the knife can work with live cables?

Of course not. Any work related to the violation or removal of insulation from live parts must be preceded by a power outage. The inscriptions on the handles signal the ability to withstand a certain voltage in case of unauthorized activation.

Question number 3. When working with a knife, damage to the insulation of the inner cores of the cable was noticed. It is insignificant, but the trend is alarming. What could cause such a violation?

There can be two reasons: the first - the heel has lost its surface smoothness, the second - the user cannot withstand the angle of the blade (with an increase in the angle, the heel begins to “burrow” and can damage the insulation of the current-carrying core). To normalize the work, it is necessary to check and, if necessary, grind the heel, and also check that during cutting the heel moves parallel to the conductor, without excessive inclination.

In conclusion, it can be noted that, like any tool, a knife with a heel has its advantages and disadvantages. Having familiarized yourself with them, you can successfully use the device for many years. In addition, you can make a device for removing the shell with your own hands, having received a new tool in your arsenal and saving a fairly significant amount of money.

That one of the points was reserved for the electrician's knife. With this tool, you can quickly remove the protective sheath of the cable. To date, the cost of a quality knife with a heel exceeds 1000 rubles, so not everyone House master can afford to buy it, especially considering that electrical wiring in everyday life is not done so often. You can solve the problem quite simply - make a knife with a heel to strip the insulation with your own hands. Below we will just provide instructions in pictures, which will clearly show all the stages of work.

Manufacturing technology

First you need to prepare tools and materials, namely:

• several blades of a clerical knife;
• handle (a piece of aluminum profile from a mosquito net of plastic windows is ideal);
• wooden lath, with a section slightly smaller than the section of the profile;
• cutting diamond microdisc (shown in the photo below);
• drill;
• soldering iron and solder.

I would like to note right away that you can also make a drill with your own hands, because, most likely, you do not have it in your tools. We provided instructions for manufacturing in the corresponding article.

Having prepared the materials, proceed to the assembly homemade knife with a heel. To make the information more accessible, we will provide it in the form of step-by-step instructions:

Here, according to such a simple instruction, you can make a knife with a heel to strip the insulation with your own hands. As you can see, it does not take much time to assemble a homemade product.

On a note

If you have a dull heel on a professional knife (or vice versa, it is sharp and cuts wires), then you can easily sharpen it. How to do it, watch the video below:

Instrument restoration

And another useful video tutorial that will come in handy demonstrates the technology of using a knife with a heel. If you are a young electrician and do not know how to remove the insulating layer with this tool, we advise you to watch this video:

How to work with an electrician's knife

We hope that now you know how to make a heel knife with your own hands and how to use this device, which is quite popular with electricians.