How to Use a Punch Down Tool on a Phone Block

Strip the outer insulation from Cat5 or telephone network wire. Strip approximately 1 inch of the outer insulation from the cable to expose the inner wires. Inside the outer insulation are two to five individual conductors. Leave the insulation in place around the inner conductors.

Place the individual conductors into the network phone block. The block features small metal forks that the conductor will be pressed into to make the electrical connection. Lightly press each conductor onto the appropriate fork so that it stays in place as you prepare do complete the connection with the punch down tool.

Examine the punch down tool. The end of the tool looks like a tiny, "U"-shaped fork. On one side of the fork is a sharp blade that will slice off the extra wire after it is pushed into the connector. Make sure the blade is over the top of the extra wire that needs to be cut off, toward the outside edge of the phone block.

Push down on the punch down tool to push the wire into the metal fork. The tool will smoothly push the wire into the fork, establishing the electrical connection. At the end of the stroke, the tool snips off the extra wire, leaving a clean connection in the phone block.