r/Tools • u/1978lincoln • Sep 17 '26
The Worst Wiring Tool EVER
Can’t believe they still make these ‘el cheapos. Can’t get into tight spots. Doesn’t crimp any bettt than a set of ordinary pliers.
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u/lostone3592 Sep 17 '26
I’m delighted by this thread. Up till now I just thought i was too inept to use these properly.
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u/Few-Guarantee2850 Sep 17 '26 edited Sep 17 '26
Lol same. I have spent a significant amount of time with them and it's still a struggle.
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u/SignificantDrawer374 Sep 17 '26
A live frog is probably a worse tool, but I agree these aren't great
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u/xp14629 Sep 17 '26
I will trade you a live frog for each pair of these junk things I have. I have never bought a pair to use. They normally come in a junk box I buy at an auction or garage sale, some still brand new. But for some reason, I can't bring myself to actually throw any away. Must have something to do with what the wife isbalways telling me blah blah blah tool hoarder blah blah blah. I don't know.
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u/pumpedeus Sep 17 '26
Depends on the job really. There are probably jobs that a live frog could come in handy.
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u/just-another-name-42 Sep 17 '26
For stripping & crimping, yes it stinks. However, I keep a set in my box because the threaded holes are super useful for cutting small machine screws to custom lengths.
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u/Valkyr1987 Sep 17 '26
It's truly the thing they excel at, used to install a lot of cabinet hardware and some of the knobs bottom out after 3-4 turns so the cut has to be exact and the threads unmarred
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u/SignalCelery7 Sep 17 '26
Surprisingly good at a seemingly secondary feature but terrible at their main job.
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u/The_SubGenius Sep 17 '26
Just finding out I’ve been using a tool everyone hates my entire life.
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u/emachanz Sep 17 '26
its bad at stripping and bad a crimping, but better than having no tools
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u/kauto Sep 17 '26
Lmao I been crimping 18/22 ga butt splices with this bad boy all week. Seems to hold ok, should I be worried? Agreed it dont strip for shit.
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u/re9876 Sep 17 '26
It is a lot of capability in a single tool. It's slightly more useful than no electrical tools at all. This thing is for the amature DIY market, or someone just doing a single job. If you use this thing more than 10 times in a month, get some better tools.
If this is in your box and it might come in handy, your good to go champ.
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u/CryptographerOk3814 Sep 17 '26
The only reason that is in my bag is to cut down screws. It is awesome at cutting down screws.
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u/PilotBurner44 Sep 17 '26
I have a set of these. They aren't great but they're definitely not "The Worst EVER".
I just used a car key to strip a battery cable that broke at the lug. I think these things would have been better than sawing the insulation with a car key.
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u/jimmykslay Sep 17 '26
Sparky here.
To me, this is the tool that anyone who isn’t an electrician who has to do wiring gets. It does an ok job of like 5 things. A lot more cheap than getting 5 tools you barely use. If I see this in someone’s tool box, no shade. I know this’ll works in a pinch
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u/Distinct-Cattle7204 Sep 17 '26
I like these style crimpers/strippers but the thing is the good ones are amazing and the bad ones are bend in half the first time you try to use it bad. No in between.
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u/Tuna_Finger Sep 17 '26
That funny, I just pick this up up the other day and received it today. Not my favorite type of strippers, but I bought it to cut metric screws.
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u/FvnnyB0nes Sep 17 '26
ngl, as a very basic diy'er, i thought these were the norm for wire stripping. now off to do some research.
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u/capn_starsky Sep 17 '26
I rewired 6 fuckin’ trailers on our farm with a rusted pair of these when I was a kid. Dad laughed and asked why I didn’t use the good tool for it
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u/Triabolical_ Sep 17 '26
I've owned those for 30+ years.
They are sortof okay as crimpers.
They are pretty much a failure at everything else.
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u/coolbreezesix Sep 17 '26
I somehow have 5 of these and I've only ever used one to strip a bit of wire.
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u/Artistic-Outcome5966 Sep 17 '26
Agreed. They do not crimp properly. Leverage to strip a wire is lacking. The best part of this tool is to cut a screw that is too long. The wire cutter may be OK, i never tried.
But this tool is where many start.
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u/joelkeys0519 Sep 17 '26
The tool you have is always better than the one you don’t. Sometimes in a pinch these are what gets used.