# Ideal Reflex Strippers



## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Following the advice on this forum, which is infallible, I bought a pair of Reflex strippers. The cutting edge is excellent and they do a real good job. No matter how I hold them, though, they seem upside down. Maybe it's because I'm used to Klown strippers. Oh well, no big deal. Ideal makes good stuff and I don't know why I don't use them more often.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

These were my favorite for a long time:









But then they were upgraded to these, which I liked better because the insulated handles go further up which makes it easier to strip hot wires.










But then I started doing mostly resi work so I switched to the Klein romex strippers that strip the sheath from 14-2 and 12-2 and strip #14 and #12 insulation off the wire. I love those.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

I guess I should have kept the Klown strippers. The Ideal ones say "Do not use on live circuits"  .

Come to think of it, the reason I needed new strippers was because I blowed up the old ones real good...


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## Forge Boyz (Nov 7, 2014)

The reflex strippers do take some getting used too, but that's all I use anymore. Now the other styles feel awkward to me now.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

I bought some based on all the good reviews on this forum but found out they don't cut through all the strands of fine strand wire. Like what is found in SO cord. 

That was a nonstarter for me. Maybe it was just the pair I bought, but I haven't had an issue with the Klein blue curved handle strippers doing that.

I'm sure if all you work with is Romex and THHN, they probably work well though.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

I like to get new strippers every time they turn around 26 years old. By that age they're just starting to look tired. It's always nice to have fresh strippers around. :icon_wink:

On a serious note though, in production we use Ideal strippers for #14 and they do a very nice job. They are sharp and make a clean cut. About 1:100 strips it will take one strand off the wire and that's not a problem. They cut real nice and we've never had a problem with them. They say "Do not use on live circuits".


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

I bought a pair of the Reflex too, I like them. 

I will say this though. I don't think any wire stripper is really that great. I don't think any of them are manufactured to perfect tolerance on every hole. I don't think every brand of every wire of a certain gauge is the same size. 

I have a few pairs like this xcelite










and once you get the hang of squeezing just hard enough to go through most of the jacket without cutting the conductor, they work perfect and you don't have to seek and find the right hole four thousand times a day. If you are working with just one size wire all day you can adjust the stop-screw when you start, and hit it exactly right with no effort all day long. 

The only thing that would be nice would be one of these with a stopper so you could get the length exactly the same all day without eyeballing it up. If say you're terminating all day this would speed you up and every splice or screw or terminal landing would be just right. I'd swear I saw those somewhere at some point but I don't have them.


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## Jhellwig (Jun 18, 2014)

HackWork said:


> These were my favorite for a long time:
> 
> View attachment 93906
> 
> ...


Both of those hanles suck. They used to have plastic similar to ideal strait handled ones. Those worked good in the klein leather tool pouches.


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## B-Nabs (Jun 4, 2014)

I've always liked the blue Klein Kurve ones, although my one pet peeve was that eventually the pivot screw would always start tightening on its own, so every once in a while you'd have to back it off so they wouldn't jam. But whatever, I still found them comfortable and like the way they work. Then I bought a pair of Greenlees because they were on sale really cheap, that were basically the same design as the Klein Kurve. I think I might actually like them better. The machining seems better and I like the way the little locking piece works. Anyway we'll see with time if they get sloppy or jammy just like the Kleins do.

For me a stripper must have screw shears and a lock or I'm not interested. Also I like the ones that strip from 18 - 10 solid. I don't like the 16 - 8 ones, because I strip a lot of 18 doing fire alarm and other low voltage stuff, and solid #8 doesn't really exist in Canada.


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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

splatz said:


> I bought a pair of the Reflex too, I like them.
> 
> I will say this though. I don't think any wire stripper is really that great. I don't think any of them are manufactured to perfect tolerance on every hole. I don't think every brand of every wire of a certain gauge is the same size.
> 
> ...


I had a pair of strippers exactly like you describe. It had an offset irregular cam stop to adjust to different sizes. Or the cam had a flat spot for free use. I think GB made it but not sure.

For stand alone single action strippers the ideal reflex gets my vote. Don't know what's currently out there but at one time they made one with this thumb guard which you could not use on live circuits but it was perfect for live circuits. Nowadays though the only strippers I have are my Knipex electricians tool

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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

I love these


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

And these ...


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## Palm (Jun 27, 2016)

B-Nabs said:


> I've always liked the blue Klein Kurve ones, although my one pet peeve was that eventually the pivot screw would always start tightening on its own, so every once in a while you'd have to back it off so they wouldn't jam.


 A recent redesign replaced that pivot screw and its nut with a rivet.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

MikeFL said:


> I like to get new strippers every time they turn around 26 years old. By that age they're just starting to look tired. It's always nice to have fresh strippers around. :icon_wink:


26 ? I like strippers way closer to 21 than that. Ageed. Fresh strippers come on about every 20 minutes in top shelf places.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

99cents said:


> Following the advice on this forum, which is infallible, I bought a pair of Reflex strippers. The cutting edge is excellent and they do a real good job. No matter how I hold them, though, they seem upside down. Maybe it's because I'm used to Klown strippers. Oh well, no big deal. Ideal makes good stuff and I don't know why I don't use them more often.


I was doing the same thing the other day. Kept flipping them and couldn't figure out which way was supposed to be ergonomic. Whatever. My biggest complaint on my pair is the same lock doesn't hold. I might've gotten a defective pair.


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## Drsparky14 (Oct 22, 2016)

Ideal used to make strippers that curved out on both handles. I loved them and then for some reason they decided to stop making them completely. I would buy an entire box of them if I could get my hand on them again. 


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## tjb (Feb 12, 2014)

I used Ideal T strippers exclusively. When my last pair started binding up I tried out Rack-a-tiers crock juniors. I had to epoxy the handles on, and I removed the lock. They're great. Been using them about two years now. They cut 8-32 and 6-32 screws, and strip #16-#8. They fit good in my hand. Very pleased.


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## catsparky1 (Sep 24, 2013)

Wiha 56871 is where its at yo .

Just try them 

Wiha 56871


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## lightman (Oct 14, 2015)

I always liked the Ideal pair that Hack pictured. On the older ones with the nut and bolt I have had to brad the end of the bolt to keep them adjusted. Just a quick tap with a hammer and punch fixes that.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

I just got 3 more pairs. Of the ones in my pic lol. Love em!


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## Drsparky14 (Oct 22, 2016)

catsparky1 said:


> Wiha 56871 is where its at yo .
> 
> Just try them
> 
> Wiha 56871




The handles flange out at the top and to me that's an annoyance where it will catch on my bags when putting them in. 










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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Drsparky14 said:


> The handles flange out at the top and to me that's an annoyance where it will catch on my bags when putting them in.
> 
> View attachment 96618
> 
> ...


That handle shape just doesn't say comfortable to me (a guy with large hands).


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

HackWork said:


> These were my favorite for a long time:
> 
> View attachment 93906
> 
> ...


I love em as well, but I keep ruining them by using them to short cut down 6/32 and 8/32 screws while hanging lights and putting decora devices onto granite countertops. That screws up the precision cut into the sheath. I don't mind mindless device installation, but I really hate it hanging lights on a whole house , it gets really frustrating with all the junk fixtures they toss at me. And I hate cutting plate screws on decora plates because nobody who has granite countertops will settle for an old fashioned figure 8 outlet.


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## zac (May 11, 2009)

macmikeman said:


> I love em as well, but I keep ruining them by using them to short cut down 6/32 and 8/32 screws while hanging lights and putting decora devices onto granite countertops. That screws up the precision cut into the sheath. I don't mind mindless device installation, but I really hate it hanging lights on a whole house , it gets really frustrating with all the junk fixtures they toss at me. And I hate cutting plate screws on decora plates because nobody who has granite countertops will settle for an old fashioned figure 8 outlet.


I have had a problem with the klein romex strippers double clutching while stripping the jacket after cutting screws or multiple wires. I use ideal now. 

One thing I've noticed for my personal preference: Unless I strip the jacket before entering a box with a lot of fill, I would rather use a razor blade and ***** to minimize space. 

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## C-636 (Dec 17, 2016)

I am very fond of these strippers:














They're self adjusting, from about 10 ga. down to maybe 18ga. or so. And there's not any metal showing, which can occasionally be helpful.



Ed


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