Lead cover on telephone wire.

[remy3424]

I know others have also used bypass pruners of the little stuff the poster has, just score around the center of the short pieces with the pruner (it will also be used to cut to length), break, pull one side off and then grab the wires and pull out of the remaining sheathing...no need to make this any harder than it needs to be. The big 2-3" cables use a pneumatic air hammer with a body cutter bit or whatever they are called and cut to length with a sharp axe and a big swing, trying to pull the wires from those takes more of a man than I am today. Have done way over 1000 pounds of phone cable...almost all I have been given, have paper, not plastic insulation on the phone wires. A splice or 2 have had some plastic insulated wires. Better chance of the recycler buying the copper if it hasn't been burnt.

[Keyman]

Well I took some time today and gave the different ideas a try. Boy oh boy this stuff is old and a pain. A lot of water has gotten inside. The phone wires looked like they were fabric wrapped. No date ribbon inside. I nicked and bent a piece and it did crack all the way around. That wire that had fabric on it was hard to pull. Then when I grabbed another piece it was different. There was a solid copper single wire in the middle about 16 guage, and coated with some type of rubber. It did not want to pull. I know it might take awhile, but I am going to melt this over a wood fire. I will have to wait for 4 or 5 more weeks to see the ground and do this. There is still 4 feet of snow here, and we do not plow our yard, just pack down with snowshoes or the iron dog. (snogo, or snow machine)

[obssd1958]

My experience has been different. I collected a couple hundred pounds of lead sheathed telephone wire, and started out trying to split the lead and pull the wire. Very difficult and time consuming. So I decide to just melt it all, flux and scoop off the copper wire. Started out with just a couple of small pieces, and after fluxing, watched the small copper wires dissolve into the mix. There was quite a bit of crud to skim off the top - but none of it was copper wire.
I did this on a turkey fryer, but I don't think the alloy ever got hot enough to melt copper.
I wish I could explain it, but I can't.

[Keyman]

My experience has been different. I collected a couple hundred pounds of lead sheathed telephone wire, and started out trying to split the lead and pull the wire. Very difficult and time consuming. So I decide to just melt it all, flux and scoop off the copper wire. Started out with just a couple of small pieces, and after fluxing, watched the small copper wires dissolve into the mix. There was quite a bit of crud to skim off the top - but none of it was copper wire.
I did this on a turkey fryer, but I don't think the alloy ever got hot enough to melt copper.
I wish I could explain it, but I can't.

So that is part of my question, if the copper went into the soft lead, did the lead then become hard? If so how hard, and did you have problems casting? Keyman

[Rickf1985]

So that is part of my question, if the copper went into the soft lead, did the lead then become hard? If so how hard, and did you have problems casting? Keyman

Oh Boy, I can see where this is headed. You might want to take a gander at this thread about the copper bit. https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...-into-Lead-Tin
My personal opinion on copper is that even if you do manage to dissolve some into the lead you will never be able to be consistent with the alloy. And copper supposedly makes lead tougher, not harder. Unless you have your own personal XRF tester to use wheneve you like it is not worth it since you will never know what you have.

[Keyman]

Tougher lead I can deal with. I had a phone call from the people that sell XRF Testers, as I sent them an email, and boy oh boy they are proud of those devices. I can see that I could test my toxic spices and other food items. Might be a great way to go on a diet with testing all you eat first. I read some of that link above, and do not think copper will be my big worry. Toxic fumes will want to get me first, while doing the first melt. Keyman

[GregLaROCHE]

You can buy hook blades for utility knives. They are used a lot buy roofers to cut asbestos shingles. Attach one end of the cable to something solid and then you can use both hands to split the lead down the full length.

You should consider selling the copper if it’s worth your while.

[fjrdoc]

My father worked for the phone company many years ago. Most of the lead that I have for casting was from lead encased wires. My dad showed me how to use a hatchet and a hammer to cut through the outer layer of lead. It can then be peeled open and the wiring removed. I still have some lead in my stockpile from when he was still alive.

[Bmi48219]

You can buy hook blades for utility knives. They are used a lot buy roofers to cut asbestos shingles. Attach one end of the cable to something solid and then you can use both hands to split the lead down the full length..

If you have a piece of wood with a slot cut into it the depth and width of the cable couldn’t you inset a razor knife blade so the sharp edge protrudes into the slot far enough to cut through the jacket material. Clamp another piece of wood over the wire trough to keep it down on the blade and pull the wire through.

[Sasquatch-1]

I would say get an old Stainless steel or cast-iron frying pan, put it in your fire and lay the cable on the frying pan like you are browning sausage. Take the cable out and let it cool and then peel back the lead casing. (You could do this with a couple of pliers or screwdrivers to give you leverage.) This way you can catch the lead and also not have to worry too much about the moisture. I would dump the lead into another melting pot so I would not get a deep accumulation in the pan. You did say you already had it cut in short lengths.

[Mike W1]

As a splicer I opened a lot of cables over 30+ years. The smaller lead sheathed ones are easy. Cut into smaller sections and cut a score around the diameter of the cable in the middle. Then bend it back and forth and it'll break the sheath. Slide and pull the stuff out. The larger ones are most easily opened up with an air chisel. You don't even have to anchor one end. Just hold the blade at an angle to the sheath and have at it. I always salvaged the copper so tied a knot and threw it on the pile and lit things up. Takes long to tell than to do it. We had a knife and hammer to do it and I'm pretty sure it beat the ax/hammer thing by far. Air chisel is superior to both!

[Keyman]

Will try air chisel as I have one. Thanks all for great ideas.

[15meter]

Late as usual, if you're not aware there's an air hammer chisel specifically for ripping seams.

Two non-cutting "fingers" ride on the surface with a cutting blade at 90 degrees.

If the cable is left long, as in longer the better for weight so you don't push the cable instead of cutting, it will work better.

It's surprising how fast you can walk down a piece of cable with an air hammer.

[steveu]

FWIW,
I used a nail bar and a 2lb shop hammer to split the cable and separate it from the copper wire. Worked well for me, better than a chisel.

[gwpercle]

I use a rather sharp old meat cleaver and small hammer to cut a slit in the sheathing ...
then pliars / channel locks or vice grips to peel the lead off , pullthe wires out .
Much easier to smelt without all the copper wire and insulation in there .

The plairs and vice grips help get things apart .
Gary

[Ohio Rusty]

Nice score !! The lead covering the paper covered copperwires is super soft and great !!I used a hammer and sharp chisel and cut the lead down the whole length. Then I was able to easily open the slit with a screw driver and remove the copper wire. I got good money for the wire at the recycler. The lead is the best I have found for muzzleloading roundball.
Ohio Rusty ><>