I thought those $15 coax strippers from the truck stop were junk, but they've been my main tool for a year now. | Cable Installers - The Design Community Hub
Saw a forum thread where a guy swore by those cheap strippers for low voltage work. He said the trick is to not crank down the adjustment screw too hard, just enough to score the jacket. Honestly, sometimes the simple tools just work if you know their limits.