[Jewelry making - Article 00790] - Re: [Orchid] Reclaiming copper wire

[Pam]

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Hi Mike,

    Burning the insulation off sounds like a dangerous fumes proposition
    and will not only discolor your wire, but anneal it (soften) it as
    well. When you heat copper it will go through color changes that can
    be removed by pickling it in a mild citric acid solution. You can do
    an archive search for citric acid and other pickling solutions. 

    To avoid the smell, the mess and the clean-up you can try stripping
    the casing off with a very sharp x-acto knife (or similar).
    Straighten out the wire as best you can so there aren't lots of hills
    and valleys. Hold the knife flat against a solid surface, like the
    back of an old wooden chair or an anvil, so the blade is horizontal
    with the surface. Slip the cased wire under the blade, make a cut
    into the casing and then pull the wire while stripping the case off.
    Patience is the key and you'll have an occasional knick or scrape. 

    I wouldn't bother with any copper wire 19g or higher. This wire can
    be purchased so inexpensively at any hardware store it's not worth
    the time. Remember, time is money! 

I hope this helps,
Best of luck!
Pam


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