Cable Ripper - What is It and How to Use It

Isn't it remarkable how the simplest tools have the biggest impact? After all, if the lever and fulcrum can move the Earth, why can't a cheap metal item help you rip stubborn wire casings?

One point of clarification: we are referring to the heavy plastic casing that binds several (two or more) wires, which themselves are coated in a thin layer of plastic. When you remove the casing from those inner wires, you are using what is called a wire stripper.

What You Use a Cable Ripper For

When you have several wires within the Romex-style plastic cable casing, you often need to loosen and separate those individual wires to attach them to terminals of an electric outlet, switch, circuit breaker, etc. You can laboriously slice the casing away with a jackknife, but you risk cutting into the copper wires' own casings. Bad news there: short circuits and fires can result. Enter the cable ripper.

Cable Ripper - Details of Use

The cable ripper is simply a U-shaped, stamped-metal tool with a tiny cutting "head" within it. It is just about the lowest, low-tech tool imaginable. When you pull the wire ripper down the length of the cable, the cutting head penetrates the outer cable but leaves the inner wires untouched--sort of. The cutting head is barely sharp enough to prick your finger, yet with pressure it will rip cable casing.

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How to Use a Cable Ripper

Are you wondering why we said "sort of" regarding the inner wire casings? The cable ripper is an imperfect tool and requires a sure hand. Learn these skills to effectively use a wire ripper:

1. Hold the cable ripper with the "V"-shaped end facing away from your body.
2. Insert cable into the hole in the cable ripper.
3. Stop pulling cable when cutting head reaches point where you want the ripped casing to extend to.
4. Here is the trick: Put light pressure on the two sides of the cable ripper until the cutting heads touch the casing. Rip in the direction of your body lightly several times, increasing the pressure each time. By starting light, you ensure that you will not nick the inner wires.
5. You will find that you do not need to rip a full line all the way down the cable in order to separate it. Sometimes, just a few light strokes are enough.