Barrel Crimp Tool Recommendation

[Buckeye Amps]

I finally found a source for J4 and J6 connectors for purchasing in large bulk for my Hypex builds. However the company doesn't have a proprietary/specific crimping tool. Instead they said any handheld crimping tool meant for 24-28awg barrel crimping would work.

Doing a search and found a few that might work. However thought I'd see if anyone here has experience with a crimping tool for barrel connectors that works well.

Thanks!

 

[kschmit2]

imho some of the highest quality tools can usually be found from Knipex.

See their line of crimping pliers here:
https://knipex-tools.com/index.php?id=1023&page=groups&parentID=1298&groupID=1299

 

[gene_stl]

I have a large collection of Knipex pliers and I agree that they are very high quality. However in looking at the above link I noticed on the left their style 97-2 wire plier which is a pattern that has been around for a long time. NEVER EVER buy one of these. The wire stripper will bite your thumb muscle. I had a japanese made pair of these ages ago and threw it away after this happened.

 

[Neddy]

Agree on thumb biters!
Not sure about crimpers - generally we used whatever tools the crimp manufacturer, or sales guy, recommended...back in the day when we had 'reps' for everything.

BTW, meant to reply to your earlier query about wire strippers.
I have 3 pairs of these, 1 going back to my HEP days in the 70s and still works fine.
https://knipex-tools.com/index.php?id=1023&page=group_detail&parentID=1363&groupID=1380
I suggested these at several different production shops, and all adopted them as prod standard tools immediately.
I gather there are cheaper knock-offs out there now....no idea on those.
Best wishes!!

 

[Buckeye Amps]

The company (LDZY, based in China) doesn't have a specific hand crimping tool (they only use automated). But they said this should work

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OMM4YUY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A12YM1PYCMRIKV&psc=1

 

[mansr]

I have a large collection of Knipex pliers and I agree that they are very high quality. However in looking at the above link I noticed on the left their style 97-2 wire plier which is a pattern that has been around for a long time. NEVER EVER buy one of these. The wire stripper will bite your thumb muscle. I had a japanese made pair of these ages ago and threw it away after this happened.

Thumb biting or not, that design just doesn't work for any of the functions. Even if a Knipex-made one is presumably less flimsy than some incarnations I've seen, it's just not physically possible for it work well.

 

[jhaider]

Depends on how much you want to spend, but Rennsteig (the crimp tool division of the aforementioned Knipex) has a nice series called Crimp System that’s widely used and oft rebranded. Neutrik’s crimp frame is a Crimp System with handles in Neutrik’s colorway. That’s several hundred dollars though. Another brand to look for is Pressmaster. They also make a great wire stripper.

 

[gene_stl]

In the USA Klein and Stakon are easy to find and good brands. Any compound action one like the one in Buckeye's last post will be fine.
I have not owned but am intrigued by the four jaw barrel crimpers.

 

[jhaider]

Thumb biting or not, that design just doesn't work for any of the functions. Even if a Knipex-made one is presumably less flimsy than some incarnations I've seen, it's just not physically possible for it work well.

Huh? I have used this one, which is similar in design to the above except for the cutter location, forever and it works extremely well.

https://www.tme.eu/en/details/wiha.24672sb/strippers-for-wire-cable/wiha/33847/

the blue (PTFE) blade cartridge (v-shaped blades) is what I use for pretty much everything.

There’s a cheaper one with no replacable cartridge by a German company named Jokari that I’ve used before that seems equivalent. That one is sold under Jokari brand and most of the German tool companies rebrand it. Looking at KC Tool’s website (KC Tool is pretty much the best source for good tools in the US) it looks like that one is available in Felo, Wiha, Knipex, and Gedore brands.
https://www.kctoolco.com/automatic-wire-strippers/
They also list mine as Gedore brand. $200 for tool and blue cartridge, ouch! I think I paid $25 or $30 for the blue cartridge in Phoenix Contact brand. So much of this specialty stuff is made by one company and rebranded by 50 that often you can mix and match brands based on price.

 

[mansr]

Huh? I have used this one, which is similar in design to the above except for the cutter location, forever and it works extremely well.

https://www.tme.eu/en/details/wiha.24672sb/strippers-for-wire-cable/wiha/33847/

the blue (PTFE) blade cartridge (v-shaped blades) is what I use for pretty much everything.

There’s a cheaper one with no replacable cartridge by a German company named Jokari that I’ve used before that seems equivalent. That one is sold under Jokari brand and most of the German tool companies rebrand it. Looking at KC Tool’s website (KC Tool is pretty much the best source for good tools in the US) it looks like that one is available in Felo, Wiha, Knipex, and Gedore brands.
https://www.kctoolco.com/automatic-wire-strippers/
They also list mine as Gedore brand. $200 for tool and blue cartridge, ouch! I think I paid $25 or $30 for the blue cartridge in Phoenix Contact brand. So much of this specialty stuff is made by one company and rebranded by 50 that often you can mix and match brands based on price.

I was referring to this one:

The type of stripper in your link can be very good. I've also encountered some (presumably cheap) variants of that design that didn't work at all, either doing nothing or cutting the wire.

 

[jhaider]

I was referring to this one:

The type of stripper in your link can be very good. I've also encountered some (presumably cheap) variants of that design that didn't work at all, either doing nothing or cutting the wire.

Understood and agreed. Those are terrible and I’ve never understood why they’re so popular in the US. No ability to adjust for thickness (a given gage can be thicker or thinner based on stranding and layout), no depth stop, and so on.

Interestingly, per KC Tool that one is made in Japan.
https://www.kctoolco.com/knipex-97-...lated-open-plug-type-connectors-plastic-grip/

I guess they rebranded something as a sop to the US market, where that style dominates. You can’t even find typical Euro-style manual wire strippers in our box home improvement stores or most hardware stores.

 

[mansr]

Understood and agreed. Those are terrible and I’ve never understood why they’re so popular in the US. No ability to adjust for thickness (a given gage can be thicker or thinner based on stranding and layout), no depth stop, and so on.

Interestingly, per KC Tool that one is made in Japan.
https://www.kctoolco.com/knipex-97-...lated-open-plug-type-connectors-plastic-grip/

I guess they rebranded something as a sop to the US market, where that style dominates. You can’t even find typical Euro-style manual wire strippers in our box home improvement stores or most hardware stores.

The style is ubiquitous in Europe too, and I can't fathom why.

 

[gene_stl]

Wiha (Willi Hahn) tools are some of my favorites. ESPECIALLY small screw driver sets and hex and torx keys. Very hard steel and precision manufacture.

 

[mansr]

Wiha (Willi Hahn) tools are some of my favorites. ESPECIALLY small screw driver sets and hex and torx keys. Very hard steel and precision manufacture.

Wera is my go-to for screwdrivers and such. This is my favourite:

 

[gene_stl]

I have not ever run across any poorly made Cherman hand tools. I have some Wera small socket drivers but more Wiha simply because Wiha has been more widely distributed here in the USA.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

The cheap ones on Amazon I ordered work perfectly! Will save me a lot of time and frustration with the J4 and J6 connectors.

 

[Neddy]

I like the Wiha stuff too, but also Klein:

 

[mansr]

I like the Wiha stuff too, but also Klein:
View attachment 113852

Can that be used to open a Klein bottle?