although ceramic materials in general have a slightly higher specific heat than steel the lower specific gravity or density of ceramics reduces the amount of heat required to bring the curring edges to operating temperature experience has shown that the melted insulation material does not have the tendency to adhere to ceramic as it does to steel thus the blades remain free of any debris and the resulting portion of bare electrical wire is cleaner and better suited for its ultimate electrical connection other embodiments of the present invention may use in place of the one piece pressure responsive set of electrically insulative arms 10 two separate arms hinged together at the rear ends thereof and a spring disposed adjacent to and between the rear ends of the arms still other embodiments may use nonelectrically insulative arms or provide means for a non manual application of pressure to accomplish the movement of the arms toward and away from each other in the preferred embodiment the conductor 14 is imbedded within the set of insulative arms 10 and the stop number mount 28 is located external to the arms 10 other embodiments may locate the conductor 14 external to the set of arms 10 and may not use a stop member 30 or a stop member mount 28 the ceramic blades 16 of the preferred embodiment consist essentially of aluminum oxide and have tapered clamping edges 20 with semi circular mating recesses 22 the blades 16 are removably attachable to the conductor 14 at the blade mounts 26 and have resistance heater elements 18 imbedded within and positioned parallel to the clamping edges 20 other embodiments of the present invention may use blades 16 consisting of a similar ceramic material of lower.