Is there a preferred tool to cut speaker wire. I just ordered a 50 foot spool of 14 AWG wire. But I have never cut it myself, so I am wondering what the procedure is. Help anyone?

Really nothing special is required !! A knife,scissors,etc.....
You can pick up something like these strippers at any Home Improvement or Hardware Store,even Walmart,KMart.............

http://images.cableorganizer.com/klein-tools/11045-up_photo.jpg


*http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/tools/1274236.html?page=2

Yeah, I use a pair of dikes (no, not the lesbians or the dams in Holland.) I use a pocketknife to strip the wire.

I use a Xacto knife to separate the strands and strip the wires. For cutting to length, I just use scissors.

The cutting part's not the problem. Dikes are good for cutting but it's how you strip them that matters.. :eek: That didn't quite come out right. Use whatever you want to cut them as long as the strands are cut and not stretched. I've seen incomplete cuts cause strands to be pulled out of the cable. Not a huge deal but it does change the quality of the cable a bit. I have these for cutting/stripping/crimping:

http://www.electronictoolbox.com/catalog/item/5418345/5369784.htm

It's a great stripper. No blade so never a nick in the wire. It auto-adjusts so no need to find the right gauge slot. Just stick the wire in an squeeze. I still prefer to cut with my trusty dikes (short for diagonal cutters) since the cutter at the top of the handle is harder to use if you're doing a lot of cutting. In a pinch though, this one tool does it all. These are the best strippers (ahem.. wire strippers) that I've ever had. Believe me, I've tried a lot of them.. (ah.. wire strippers that is). ;)

BTW, got mine at Fry's locally.

So it sounds like they cut easily with just sharp scissors? Is there a trick/procedure to separating the plus and minus lines?

Really nothing special is required !! A knife,scissors,etc.....
You can pick up something like these strippers at any Home Improvement or Hardware Store,even Walmart,KMart.............

http://images.cableorganizer.com/klein-tools/11045-up_photo.jpg


*http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/tools/1274236.html?page=2

Thanks, I think I am going to pick up one of them.

Is there a trick/procedure to separating the plus and minus lines?

They should just pull apart. Maybe cut a bit between them and then gently tug so they separate.

So it sounds like they cut easily with just sharp scissors? Is there a trick/procedure to separating the plus and minus lines?

They should just pull apart. Maybe cut a bit between them and then gently tug so they separate.

If you are asking how to physically separate the lines, then as Tulpa says, just pull them apart. Now the trickier part is making sure that you have the right polarity on the other end of your run. There's usually a white line or writing only on one of the conductors. Use that as a guide to differentiate the two conductors.

I use one like this - spring loaded, cuts, strips and removes the jacket in one move...

http://www.tequipment.net/Ideal45-092.asp

Just for the sake of completeness, "diagonal cutters" = "diagonals" = "dikes".

http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pRS1C-2077909w345.jpg

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2036323

If you're going to buy a tool, though, get wire strippers like the one that Doug showed

http://images.cableorganizer.com/klein-tools/11045-up_photo.jpg

Cut wire and strip the insulation with one tool.