Here is the Cable Stripping Problem with Shielded-Twisted Multi-Conductors:

From the beginning, Multiconductor Cable has defied every wire stripper available to installers, leaving a razor blade or knife as the best option for removing the outer jacket.  This time consuming method is imprecise, and it can easily lead to internal shorts between the center conductors and the shield, especially when solder sleeves are used for shield termination. With the increased use of RS-232, ARINC 429, and other types of data buses in todays aircraft electronics, this type of cable is now a major component of many avionics installations.

How to Jeopardize the Integrity of your Avionics Installation:

Historically, the best way to remove the jacket from twisted multiconductor cable has been a razor blade or knife. This time consuming and innacurate process has obvious disadvantages that would be best eliminated from your production area:

- Razor blade accidents / worker injury
- Resulting company bans on razor blade usage
- Reduced productivity / wasted time
- Loss of cable and shield integrity

Visually, this cable appears to be properly stripped. There are, however, underlying problems that may be created by using open blades:

- Shield nicks, cuts: intermittent ground / short
- Internal cable damage: open circuit / shorts
- Potential avionic / electrical damage
- Inflight component / systems failure
- Aircraft damage from lost / misplaced blades
- Aircraft interior damage from open blades

A closer look reveals an area where shield and inner conductor damage occurred from slightly too much pressure while ringing the cable. This is one of the most common types of damage caused by hand stripping multiconductor cable.

When terminating the shield with a solder sleeve, the heat from the installation process expands nicks on the inner cable jacket. This can result in a shield-to-conductor short that is visibly hidden by the solder sleeve.

A slight increase in force while ringing the jacket can compromise the shield's integrity.

FACT: ..The Mil-Spec tin coated copper wire used to construct the braided shield for multiconductor cable is only .004" in diameter. Human hair is about .002" in diameter.