Stop using those cheap wire strippers on D-sub connectors

I saw three guys at our Denver shop wreck pins last week because they used the wrong tool for the job. Has anyone else noticed how much trouble those $8 strippers cause on mil-spec wiring?

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2 Comments

price.ray1mo ago

Start asking those guys if they ever tried using a proper ratcheting crimper on a D-sub before they wrecked another pin. I bet they didn't even check the manufacturer's spec sheet for the recommended tool. Those cheap wire strippers just mash the insulation off and leave burrs that cause cold solder joints or shorts later on. How many times did they have to re-crimp before they realized the die wasn't seating the contact right? One bad connection on a mil-spec line can ground a whole avionics bay for days. You'd think after the third ruined pin they'd walk over to the tool crib and grab the real stuff.

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lily_torres311mo ago

Drag a coworker over to the tool crib next time and show them the difference between the right die and the wrong one on a proper ratcheting crimper, @price.ray. I've seen guys ruin five pins in a row because they were too stubborn to swap out the die set for the D-sub contact size. That little click when the ratchet releases means the crimp height is exactly right, and if you're not hearing it, you're just guessing. Plus, those cheap strippers leave those tiny copper shavings that float around and short out pins later, so grab a proper coaxial stripper too. One bad joint can lock up a whole comms rack for hours, and nobody wants to be the one explaining that to the chief.

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