I was wondering if anybody knows how to remove the strain relief on a WE cloth cord? there is no real gap where the ends come together & I don't want to destroy the wire insulation underneath by prying on the strain relief. I want to move the strain relief past the frayed section. the rest of the cord seems to be in good condition, beside being stretched out.
I have carefully use diagonal cutters. Some are harder to get started than others. Then used an old style F connector (TV)
To recrimp.
Sometimes looking at a picture doesn't provide enough information, but it appears to me as though there is a sufficient amount of extra wire available, to cut the strain relief off the cord. Just make sure you have enough length in the 3 internal conductors to re-create the correct length in each of the 3 wires once the strain relief is opened up and moved down the cord past the damaged area. Once the strain relief is cut off the cord, cut off the 3 internal conductors on the remaining side. Use a pair of side cutters to open the strain relief by placing the strain relief in the open jaws of the side cutters, and allow the jaws to spread the strain relief along the saw tooth seam. Once it's open, you can remove what remains of the damaged cord, and open the strain relief even further, and move it to it's new location on the cord. You can also use the same procedure to cut each individual conductor off of each of the three self piercing spade connectors, and open them up with the side cutters in the same fashion as the strain relief. Once the old wire is removed, use a very small flat blade screw driver to straighten the wire piercing blades inside each of the spade connectors, and carefully re-install them in the freshly exposed red, black and white handset conductors. You can actually re-close the barrels of the spade connectors a little bit at a time using a small pair of Vise Grips, or a pair of pliers. Just close them gradually, moving the pliers around the outer circumference of the connector until both halves of the connector's barrel have come back together. The Western style of strain relief is actually quite easy to open if the damaged cord / wire is cut off both sides, and using side cutters to wedge open the saw tooth seam.
Jeff Lamb
Thanks key2871 & Jeff, needed to be pointed in the right direction.
This thread and replies have helped me too. Thanks guys! :)
I took an ordinary flat bladed screw driver, then ground the blade down to the width of the gap on the teeth of the restraint, and grind the blade thinner. ( They make screw drivers for gunsmith use, that are already ground down to the shape you would need). Then I carefully insert the screw driver tip into the teeth, and twist. It only take a very little gap to move the restraint.
D/P
Dan - That's a great idea. Can you post a pic or two of your tool? I need to make one of those.
Yea, I've used flat blade to open the seam, but other times use dikes to get it done. Just have to be careful about gouging the restraint, and or cutting any wires.
I fought the strain relief off. The wire rubber/plastic. The wiring under the strain relief looks like cloth. is it rubber over cloth?
Yes it is. In the past I've found the wire is initially coated with a very thing layer of something which is usually black or dark brown in color followed by a wrapping of cotton fibers. It isn't really cloth since it doesn't appear to be woven on a loom as cloth usually is, but appears to be a group of cotton fibers applied as a flat layer wrapped around each conductor in a direction similar to the stripes on a barber's pole. The final coating is rubber.
Jeff Lamb
I'm hoping if I cut the covering back further, I will find rubber coating again. Is this true?
Yes. Originally, when the cord was made, the individual rubber covered conductors extended through the cord for the entire length, from the spade connectors at one end, to the spade connectors at the other end.
Jeff
There was a post a while back where someone suggested using a drill to remove cut-off conductors inside the restraint -- for example, where the cord had already been cut near the tel.set, or where the ends were not salvageable.
Here are photos of the blade to remove strain reliefs.
D/P
Thanks Dan for posting those - I will have to make one. I have a WE coil cord where the base restraint is mounted 180 degrees off. The cord wants to flow toward the back of the phone instead of toward the front... As you mentioned, probably just a slight expansion of the metal will allow it to rotate. I'll probably hold the "u" part of the restraint in a vice - a finger-holding method is likely to draw blood, I'm afraid.....
I agree, not much makes you feel stupider than stabbing yourself with a screwdriver :) :)
Quote from: oldguy on August 13, 2018, 11:24:51 PM
I agree, not much makes you feel stupider than stabbing yourself with a screwdriver :) :)
Except maybe doing it twice....
I worked with a guy that seriously cut his left hand with a box cutter.
The plant manager came out to the machine he was operating, and inquired how it had happened. So he commenced to show him.
AND DID IT AGAIN.
Shows you can't fix stupid.
D/P