Tricks to unbraid woven sheath?

[Coytee]

I've got some Canare wire that I was going to use for XLR connectors. Finally getting around to pulling them out & taking inventory of my options.

Decided to get four ends prepared even though I don't have soldering iron yet...

These things have a tighly woven metal wire sheath braided around the core wires.

Any tricks of the trade to make unraveling them any easier? I just spent probably 20 minutes doing a single one.

[Marvel]

Richard... these are always a pain. I start by pushing back the braided shield, which makes it expand. I then use one of the tips/probes from my Fluke DMM to work the braid apart, starting maybe a quarter inch from the end, then to a half inch. Once done, I twist the shield strands together.

I've seen somemethods where you push the braid back, and then work a hole in it back by the egdge of the outer rubber/vinyl, etc. Then you pull all ends of the wires through the hole. THis way it leaves the braid intact.

Hope this helps... Sorry I don't have pictures or a video. []

Bruce

[djk]

"I've seen some methods where you push the braid back, and then work a
hole in it back by the egdge of the outer rubber/vinyl, etc. Then you
pull all ends of the wires through the hole. This way it leaves the
braid intact."

I generally use this method.

[Coytee]

Ok, I get the concept... what do you use to cut the sheath without nipping the internal wires?

Currently, the only tools I have at my disposal are:

pliers, screwdrivers, Cable wire (Cat 6) cutter/crimper, Cat 5 cutter/stripper, cresent wrench and.... a box/utility knife.

Would a pair of electicians diagonal wire cutters give the finesse needed to cut the sheath only?

I know that 'go buy some' is an easy answer.....but I enjoy messing around with things and I'd rather try making some with my residual lengths than buy some.

[Marvel]

Richard,

To cut the sheath, I usually use an exacto, cutting from the end of the cable as far back as I need it. I don't cut all the way, just score the rubber. You can then split it pretty easily with your fingers. I do the same around the whole cable, and just peel the outer layer off. By scoring/cutting part way through, you don't end up cutting the strands.

Bruce

[Coytee]

. By scoring/cutting part way through, you don't end up cutting the strands.

You just confused me...I thought we were specifically talking about cutting the strands? (of the woven sheath)

Maybe I'm using the wrong terms?

Plastic/rubber outside cover, no problem. I've got that covered with my utility knife.

It's the very tightly woven metal sheath that's under the rubber that is so tightly wound around the inner 4 wires.

I did push the woven part down and got it to bunch up and get a little pooch in it. I presume this pooch is what you slice to then pull the inner wires through?

What do you use to cut this pooch, the exacto knife?

I tried to slice it with my utility knife and I don't see that happening without strong risk of slicing the inner 4 wires (or at least one of them)

I wish I could find my little digital camera. I'd put a picture up on a heartbeat.

oh well, it's not worth all the chatter that I'm creating with it, I can keep unravelling the weave.

[DanO55]

I done this a ziliion time. Take a sharp knife. Make one cut up through the braid,

take your comb out of your back pocket and go slow. Little at a time.

[WMcD]

Here is a youtube illustration which is using r.f. coax. But same idea.

The video shows ending up with 3 inches of braid and inner conductor. That is a good way because of the need to push back the braid and still have it maintain the woven pattern.

After you get that, you can trim it back to 3/4 inch or so of wire you'll need.

The other question pertains to the outside insulator surrounding the braid. An Exacto knife or utility knife works well. The trick is to not try to cut the insulation down to the braid. Just maybe 1/2 or 3/4 of the way. You can make a cut around the circumfrence and then another along the length.

So you are going to peel off the insulation by mechanically tearing it at the cut made with the knife. That way you don't mess up the braid.

The same can be used with the inner wires, although you don't need the longitudinal cut. Again, just cut less than to the depth of the wire and then pull off the insulation, maybe with diagonals.

WMcD

[djk]

"What do you use to cut this pooch, the exacto knife?"

You use an ice-pick to open up a hole in the braid without cutting or nicking any of the strands.

Start with a couple of inches of the jacket stripped back, bunch the shield, open a hold with the pick, pull the inner concuctors through the hole (with the pick), pull the braid tight, trim to the desired length.

[Coytee]

You use an ice-pick to open up a hole in the braid without cutting or nicking any of the strands.

Just watched the U-tube...thanks Gil, now it makes sense. He made it look tooooooooooooooooooooooo easy!