Abstract: A wire stripping tool (FIG. 1) has outer jaws 12, 18 which can be closed together by levers 10, 16 acting via a link 24. Inner jaws 34, 36 are so closed to cut the wire sheath, and then actuator 32 is displaced left to right to move the inner cutting jaws and displace the cut sheath along the wire core. The actuator has a solely linear movement, being guided by roller 14 and pin 42, whilst jaw closing and subsequent re-opening to complete the cycle of operations is carried out by cam plate 28 which is pivoted on the actuator and to the link. Lost motion is provided at two places in the actuator by pin 38 in slot 39 and pin 26 in slot 30.

Abstract: A cable stripping tool has a handle and a slidable cable clamp constantly urged by a spring constantly toward a cutter blade on the handle for cutting the sheath of a cable. The tool has a locking device which, when activated, locks the clamp against sliding movement in at least the direction away from the cutter blade so as to maintain efficient cutting performance of the blade when cutting the cable sheath.