KF CPTEC 5PCS Ratchet Wire Crimping Tool Kit with Quick-Change Jaws for Heat Shrink, Insulated & Non-Insulated Connectors, Ferrules, Open Barrel, OT & UT Terminals – with Storage Case

Ok, Like many of you I have been using those cheap thin metal striper/crimpers that come in every electrical "kit" you ever buy. You can also buy those in stores and are fairly inexpensive, sometimes downright cheap. And to use them to crimp anything means hurting your hand from the pressure and that crappy thin metal.On to this tool and set: I paid $54.99 for this item and at time of review some 10 months later it is $49.99. That seems excessive or expensive however you know the old saying, you get what you pay for. Here you get so much more. It this set you get the crimping tool and 9 sets of dies. It says 9ps because die A is installed on the tool during arrival. The case it comes in is fairly cheap plastic but is more than enough for what you need. However I think the snaps that close it are poor. They are the standard molded on snaps that come with most things that wear over time and break and since they are molded on you cannot replace them. That's really the only con to this set. I opted for this set and not the one that comes with a screw driver because who doesn't already have a screwdriver in their tool kit?Anyways, the Tool feels great in the hand is VERY confrontable. The handle is molded plastic with rubber grips. Crimping pressure (how far down it crimps) is adjustable. The crimper uses a ratchet method so you don't accidently slip. This also lets you increase hand pressure a little at a time which is wonderful. When you hit the full crimp pressure the tool automatically unlocks releasing pressure. If in the event you cannot get full pressure to release there is a bar latch in-between the handles you can use to release the ratchet tension. The dies that it comes with are very wide for an even and professional crimp every time. Those cheap crimpers you get other places only crimp in a tiny spot which means sometimes you have to crimp then connector twice or more! Not with this tool, once and done!Changing dies is extremely easy. Just use a Philipps head screwdriver to remove two screws, one on the top die and one on the bottom. then change dies and replace screws. in the event you lose a screw, this set comes with two EXTRA screws! How awesome is that? This set also comes with almost every die you will need. I mostly use Insulated connecters so I mainly use die A but sometimes use others. I thought I'd never use the Solar connector Die but just recently actually used it and it worked wonderfully!Incase you forget what die is used for what, this little kit comes with a card with pictures of every die and the types of connecters each die is used for and wire sizes. that is EXTREAMLY helpful. The dies are each labeled A,B,C, ext. Also the case which holds the dies is also labeled in each slot for A,B,C, ext. So there is no confusing where each die goes or what they are used for.In conclusion, this set is well worth the money paid for it and is extremely helpful and comfortable to use. Not only that but it gives a good solid professional crimp every time. I have used this set hundreds of times. I have also installed 2 stereos in 2 different cars using this set and it was such a great tool to use. It not only made the job easier but it also made the job more solid and reliable. So please do yourself a favor and get this set, you will not regret it!

KF CPTEC Crimping Tool for insulated and Shrink butt terminals, Wire Crimping Tool, AWG 20-10 Ratcheting Wire Crimper Available for Insulated Nylon Connectors - Wire Terminal Crimper Sold by: Electrical products city for $17.99 on 13 Sep 2023.TLDR: Excellent for Nylon insulated crimp terminals with short or long barrels.I have several crimp tools, several bought from here on Amazon and few from elsewhere. And while they look the same to the untrained eye, they are actually vastly different. Some work great on heat shrink insulated terminals, some work great on non-insulated terminals and some work great on nylon insulated terminals and some work great on thick nylon insulated butt splices. Do yourself a favor and get the right tool for the job. I will illuminate some of these others at the end in side notes so you know what not to use these on. These work great on these nylon insulated terminals:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZWP5QRB/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZWND8GF/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1The attached pictures show how I use them. I have no idea if that is how they were designed to work but these work great using this method. Strip your wire 1/4 inch. You do not want copper strands protruding into the blade or socket area of these QD terminals. Pre-mount the terminal in the crimper as shown, squeeze the ratchet just enough to hold it in place but not crimp. Also, mount the terminal so you can make TWO crimps side by side. Look at the metal barrel where the copper wire goes inside the plastic and align the terminal in the jaws at one end of the length of the barrel allowing for a second crimp on the other end. I always crimp the end of the metal barrel closest to the actual terminal blade or socket first. Push the wire in the back until the wire insulation buts up against the plastic inside the terminal barrel. Then squeeze the ratchet all the way until the handles hit and let go. Remount and make a second crimp. This makes for a really good and strong crimp connection. These can be used with nylon insulated terminals that have short metal barrels or long metal barrels with a double crimp while other crimpers work best on just long metal barrels.Use the correct size terminals for the wire you are using, these terminal sizes are based on stranded wire. So yes, the size of 12AWG stranded is different from 12AWG solid and I do not recommend using crimp terminals on solid wire by just a crimp alone.Side notes: Although I have crimped and then soldered uninsulated, bare terminals like these onto solid. Not one or the other but both crimp and then solder and the solder AFTER crimp is important. Regular solder is fine. If you want to use silver solder then crimp is not necessary. HOWEVER, it is best to use the special terminals for solid wire that use different means to secure the solid wire to the terminal, usually a screw of some sort. Using needle nose you can often pull the metal piece out and discard the nylon shell if you just need bare terminals. These terminal barrels are split, some are split and soldered together, and some are solid barrels usually found on non-insulated terminals. As long as the terminal is Nylon insulated, these crimpers will work fine. But they do not work well on non-insulated terminals, not even moving down a size in the jaws.Side notes: If you plan to work with all the different types of terminals and you are just starting out to buy your first crimp tool, I suggest these: https://www.amazon.com/KF-CPTEC-Crimping-Tool-Set/dp/B0B68V9NHL/ref=sr_1_8?crid=12U2UIZV2B5BY&keywords=crimp%2Btool%2Bfor%2Bnon%2Binsulated%2Bterminals&qid=1696457758&sprefix=crimp%2Btool%2Bfor%2Bnoninsulated%2Bterminals%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-8&th=1Side Notes: The Tool Aid S&G 18900 Professional Ratcheting Terminal Crimper was one of the first I bought here on Amazon and they work wonderful on long barrels with a single crimp. Such as butt splice connectors.Side Notes: If you are doing large AWG battery cables for automotive, agricultural or industrial equipment, then look for the Hydraulic Cable Lug Crimpers with the hexagonal dies. Even at 12AWG they really do excel but make sure it is a LUG (solid long barrel) terminal which in 10-12AWG is hard to find but they do exist. For example: https://www.amazon.com/AIRIC-Tinned-Tubular-Terminal-Connectors/dp/B07WZRKR7T/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1E7C1D3M71AUD&keywords=12%2BAWG%2Blug&qid=1696458591&sprefix=12%2Bawg%2Blug%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-3&th=1

Not bad for the money but I believe that they could have made something in the jaws a little stronger than just using toothpicks for screws! I’ve had several issues with the tiny screws backing out and falling. I used Lock-tight where they didn’t and it only works so much because it looks more of a structural strength issue with not using proper size fasteners in the first place. Bad design far as the type/size of fasteners used !