Cable stripping is the process of removing plastic or rubber insulation from copper wire to expose the bare metal underneath. Stripped copper commands a significantly higher price than insulated cable because the buyer doesn’t need to process out the insulation. For heavy-gauge power cable (65%+ copper by weight), stripping is worthwhile and can be done with a bench-mounted cable stripper. However, stripping light-gauge or fine-stranded cable (42% copper or less) is not recommended — the insulation accounts for roughly 35% of total weight, and fine strands create a serious cut hazard without proper equipment. At endless metals in Auckland, we buy both stripped and insulated cable. Our team can advise whether stripping your specific cable type is worth the effort.