As an electrician, you will be stripping lots of wires, and it can be very frustrating if you do not know the best electrician’s knife to choose from to professionally handle your work.
A good electrician’s knife helps you easily stripe wire, is compact and easy to carry and is made from reinforced stainless steel. A poor quality Best Electric Knife, on the other hand, has difficulty slicing through wires.
Here, we will be reviewing 4 different categories of electricians knives to help you pick the options. They are:
- Utility Knife,
- Hawkbill knife,
- Pocket knife and a
- Folding
Best Electricians Knife Types
What is a Utility Knife?
A utility knife is also known as a razor knife. These are knives that come with razor blades which can be discarded after heavy use. A utility knife is designed with a screw that gives you access to a razor blade when taken out. It also has a storage space that is built within the Knife to house extra blades. A utility knife is a great knife to have because the blades are cheap (like under 75 cents each).
You can pick up a large pack of blades for under $10 and you don’t have to get your knife sharpened. Once you change out your razor blade, you have a fresh sharp blade to enjoy.
Hawk Bill Knife
The Hawk Bill knife looks like a hawk’s talon. Its curved edge blade prevents the wire from slipping off the blade when you are stripping toward you. This is the best knife when it comes to stripping large conductors and the tip of the blade is great for stripping Romex.
Pocket Knife
A pocket knife is most handy during the trim-out phase of a project. It is a handy tool that can easily remove Romex sheathing and greatly reduces the amount of weight of your tool belt and can easily be stored in your pocket.
Best Electricians Knife
SOG Electrician Knife – Kilowatt Electricians Pocket Knife w/Wire Stripping
At the very top is the SOG Electrician Knife – Kilowatt Electricians Pocket Knife w/Wire Stripping tool which is designed to make things easy for you.
This knife is decked with many unique features that ultimately combine to offer you excellent services.
From its multiple wire-stripping features to it’s expertly designed blade, it distinctly stands out from amongst the rest in the market.
Exciting Features
Three distinct wire stripping mechanisms, namely a whole stripper, a stripper bar, and spring-loaded stripper. These components make your operations with the Knife easy and help you easily skin your wires at work.
Stainless steel blade that is built a 3.4-inch AUS-8 steel blade with a straight razor-sharp edge that makes for easy cutting. The blade has a clip point on its end that enables piercing via various materials effortlessly. There’s a satin finish on the blade that adds some value and décor to this folding knife.
High-grade handle, made from a blend of glass and nylon. This handle has a schematic grip that protects the Knife from slipping through your hands. The handle is heavy-duty which means it won’t break even from high impact and accommodates the blades when out of use which prevents possible accidents.
Pros
A razor-sharp blade that enables you to cut through the hardest materials with ease. It remains sharp for a long time and does not require sharpening. Even when you want to sharpen it, it is easy to sharpen because of its steel material.
Durable. This is an extremely durable knife that has its blades designed from steel which is corrosion resistant. The handle is hardened to withstand any impact which gives it the fortification to serve you for years without depreciating.
Safe all thanks to it’s folding feature, which makes this knife secure and the blade well concealed, which prevents injuries that could occur from open blades.
Cons
Over tightened blade. Some folks may find it difficult to activate and deactivate the blade on this knife because it is a little too tight. But you can, however, fix this, by removing the center pin, lubing it up, cleaning it up, and placing it back with your preferred amount of torque which will make it easy to operate.
Rating
Conclusively, this knife stands head and shoulders over its competitors. It is easy to use and one knife you should consider if you are thinking of stripping wire.
Milwaukee 48-22-1901
A great utility knife, built for use in the hard-working construction field. The Milwaukee 48-22-1901 is ideal for making cuts on large gauged conductors and stands out with excellent construction that facilitates high-performance. You can easily open and close this utility knife, and enjoy a deep finger notch as well as a contoured handle that offers maximum handling grip. This tool offers maximum security and comfort and comes with an all-belt hook that helps in portability.
Exciting Features
Its thin overall design makes for easy storage in the pocket and portability.
The gut hook feature helps you cut wires without activating the blade.
A robust wire stripper that comfortably stripes wires of up to 10 gauges.
A flip blade that integrates which activates with its a mechanism to open three times easier and faster than regular blades.
Pros
- It comes with an all-round handle which makes it flexible for use.
- Easy to use because of it’s one-handed blade activation mechanism, contoured handle, and the finger notch.
- Quite affordable with good quality.
Cons
With a weight of 8.8-ounce weight, it can be quite a weight for some people.
Rating
A razor-sharp knife that has great potential.
Klein Tools 44005
This tool tops the chart as the best Hawk bill knife in the market. It is a high-performance lock-back knife, designed to aid any electrician. This knife can stand up to harsh conditions all thanks to its robust sharp blade and nylon resin handle.
Exciting Features
A superior edge handle of about 4-1/8-inch that is further fitted with a rubber insert. This holding design makes for easy handling at work. This feature also enables the blade to fit perfectly in your hands to prevent it from slipping through and causing accidents during work.
2-5/8-inch sheep foot heavy-duty blade made from AUS 8 stainless steel that fights rust and maintains sharpness for a long time. The steel material is hardened to about 59 RC to make for maximum cutting strength.
A reversible thumb stud enables you to open the blade using only one hand.
Pros
- Flexible and
- Easy to use
- Sturdy and durable.
Cons
- Slightly expensive.
Rating
Overall best knife in the hawkbill category.
Dewalt DWHT10035L
The Dewalt DWHT10035L utility knife is a perfect addition to an electrician’s tool belt. It is an exceptional hand tool that comes with excellent features that facilitate it’s an incredible performance. It is very useful for construction, plumbing, and engineering, etc. It has a sturdy metal body which facilitates it’s a long, productive life.
Exciting Features
Folding mechanism. This feature reduces it to a small size when not in use which makes it easy to move the Knife from place to place.
Rapid-load blade change. You can swiftly shift from the use of one blade to the other. You also don’t have to waste your time changing the blades, which ensures a smooth operation of various operations and execution in time.
Robust handle. This utility knife has a 6.25-inch long handle that offers convenient storage of blades when out of use. This forestalls possible accidents that come with open blades, and a handle that also facilitates easy use of the Knife.
Retractable blade. Built with a high-grade retractable blade that facilitates easy cutting. The blade is made to be 2.5-inch long to enable cutting through thick materials smoothly.
Pros
Durable. Designed with a rugged metal body and metallic material that shields it from any impact and resists corrosion ensuring that it serves you for a long time without depreciating in quality.
Lightweight: It only weighs 0.399Lbs, which makes it easy to carry around and handle at work.
Affordable: Offered at a reasonable price to suit those operating on small budgets.
Cons
Difficult to open blades: Some people find it difficult to open up the blades mostly when it’s new. With proper oiling and frequent use, the activation becomes less strenuous.
Rating
This is still one of the best electrician knives out there.
Milwaukee 48-22-1985
Carefully developed to make it your best companion at work. The Milwaukee 48-22-1985 is easy to use and easy to handle. Be it for cutting boxes, wires, ropes or plastic, the Milwaukee 48-22-1985 suits you well. It remains sharp long after purchase and sharpening it is quite easy, it is also durable, affordable and has overall excellent performance.
Exciting Features
A liner lock that secures it’s blade when in the open position.
A reversible belt clip to ensure that it stays secure on your pants and facilitates easy access and prevents fabric damage.
Press and flip mechanism, which enables activation with one hand.
Pointed tip to enable you to keep a firm hold of most surfaces.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Affordable
- Easy to use.
Cons
- Belt clip may bend and hang up after some time.
Greenlee 0652-28
The Greenlee 0652-28 is designed with exemplary components like a heavy-duty cutting blade, a convenient handle, and a belt clip.
Exciting Features
A steady stainless belt clip which facilitates smooth movement.
Stainless steel blade for extra durability and rust-resistant.
A lock-back mechanism that conveniently conceals the blade when not in use. You are assured of maximum safety from cuts as the Knife hangs from your belt.
A sturdy handle with a robust rosewood handle of a reasonable size for ease of handling. The handle is also hardened to ensure it does not break even after falling from high grounds.
Pros
- Safe
- Durable
- Great
Cons
- Blade of the Knife wiggles a little.
Klein 1550-6
A unique pocket knife that comes with enhanced quality and better performance. It’s extra features, make it ideal for use in a variety of professions and adventures that demands a cutting accessory.
Exciting Features
A spear-point blade, a screwdriver blade, and a sheep foot blade to collaborate ease of various operations in your line of work.
Heavy-duty plastic handle, fitted with a lock that safely stores the blade when not in use.
Pros
- Flexible
- Lightweight
- Durable
Cons
Unlocking the blades might be a little strenuous.
Klein 44201
The Klein 44201 pocket knife is designed with a durable steel blade and a well-fitted aluminum handle to ease your various operations in the field. Due to its excellent design, you have a pocket knife the lasts long and never disappoints and also comes with a reasonable price to suit folks of all budgets.
Exciting Features
Anodized aluminum handle for corrosion and rust-resistant.
A sturdy-razor sharp blade with wire stripping notches, super sharp to facilitate quick wire stripping with minimal effort.
A dual thumb well-gripped studs which facilitate one-hand operation. There’s also a pocket clip for maintenance of accessory within range for easy accessibility.
Pros
- Sharp
- Lightweight
- Durable
Cons
A pocket clip that’s a little loose.
Conclusion
The usefulness of a good electrician knife cannot be overemphasized. It is evident in what it can help you do as an electrician and the ease with which it helps you.