For anyone who have ever needed wire for shrouds and jib stays knows the only place to get wire is from fishing tackle stores. That is not a problem, the problem is that wire or steel leader is coated in plastic. To get that plastic coating off it can only be done by melting it off. For a short length of wire it is not a problem, but how do you melt plastic off a long length of wire?

You can try to melt off the plastic as a wire bundle at one time. Good luck, you'll just get a flaming mess and melted plastic sticking on everything. Is there an easier way? Yes. Normally to burn off the plastic coating you would move the wire over an open candle flame. This works but it takes time and is a hassle, but there is another way, have the flame do all of the work.

Next time you need to burn off a long length of wire, suspend ten feet of wire at a rough 30-degree angle. Make sure the wire is straight and not too taut in an area of no moving air, over a concrete floor. At the lower end of the wire take a lighted match and start burning a spot of the plastic coated wire.

Once the wire starts burning, a little flame will start to slowly travel up the incline length of wire burning off all of the plastic. If the flame goes out, just re-light it and start the process over again. Within ten minutes or so you will have watched that little flame clean off the entire length of wire without you having to do any work. Is that simple or what? So next time you need shroud or jib stay wire, you now know how to get it!