Wire stripping

Without a wire stripper

With a knife

1) Make sure the knife is sharp. You don't want to have to apply force here, or you may slip and cut yourself.

2) Bend the end of the wire at the point where you are going to cut the insulation. This stretches the insulation and causes it to part visibly when you break through, so you do not nick the strands underneath.

3) Lay the wire over a hard surface, so that the outside of the bend faces you. You can use the arm of a chair, or the edge of a desk, or the corner of a wall... You do not want to support the wire with your other hand, because that will cause you to cut into your hand if you go through the wire, or slip off the wire.

4) Slice across the wire gently until the insulation parts. You will see it quite clearly, since the insulation is stretched here

5) Straighten the end of the wire.

6) Turn the wire so that the end of the previous cut is facing downwards.

7) Repeat steps 2-6 until you have cut all the way around the wire.