There's more than one way to skin a cat. At least that's what they tell me. I'm just going to take their word for that, but I know from experience that there's more than one way to strip a wire.

First there's the bad way — with some needle nose pliers, trying to squeeze lightly enough to cut the insulation but not the wire, and then pulling like crazy.

Then there's the worst way — trying to use your teeth.

And finally there’s the best way — use a tool made for the job.

The Wire Cutter/Stripper Tool from S&G is one such tool, and I've never found anything that works as well. If you're doing a car stereo or amplifier installation, it's money well spent.

All you do is put the wire in the "mouth" of this tool and pull the trigger — then you're done. It even has ruler markings in the mouth so you know how much insulation you're stripping. The cutter handles everything from big 12-gauge wire for subwoofers to the tiny 22 gauge wires that connect to your car stereo.

This tool has saved me a lot of time and frustration. And what's more, used properly, it won't hurt your teeth.

Or your cat.

Next time, look for information about what to do with the wire once you’ve gotten it stripped.