Stripping scrap copper cable in the UK before sale
Updated: 17 October 2026
A coil of old cable may contain more valuable bare copper, but that does not mean every metre deserves to be stripped. For anyone considering stripping scrap copper cable in the UK, the decision comes down to cable construction, volume, labour and the yard’s current grades, not a five-year-old price quoted online. Thin flat twin and earth is often slow to process, while thick round singles can suit a £22–£41 bench tool. Our [cable peeling machine comparison](/hub/tools/cable-peeling-machine) is for the second situation. Before buying, ask a local licensed yard what it will accept, how it grades your cable and what evidence of identity it needs. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
A coil of old cable may contain more valuable bare copper, but that does not mean every metre deserves to be stripped.
A coil of old cable may contain more valuable bare copper, but that does not mean every metre deserves to be stripped. For anyone considering stripping scrap copper cable in the UK, the decision comes down to cable construction, volume, labour and the yard’s current grades, not a five-year-old price quoted online. Thin flat twin and earth is often slow to process, while thick round singles can suit a £22–£41 bench tool. Our cable peeling machine comparison is for the second situation. Before buying, ask a local licensed yard what it will accept, how it grades your cable and what evidence of identity it needs. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Feed | Stated range | Best suited to | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Orifesio Orifesio 6-channel | Fixed holes | 3–17 mm | Mixed round offcuts | 9.2 | about £40.99 | View offer |
| Best value |  CREWORKS CREWORKS WSM-SL25-00 | Single blade | 1.5–25 mm | One thick round size | 8.2 | about £28.49 | View offer |
| Alternative |  LILOOVKE LILOOVKE HS | Single blade | 1–25 mm | Supported round cable | 7.8 | about £21.99 | View offer |
On this page
When stripping may be worth the afternoon
Thick round singles are the strongest case for stripping at home or in a small trade workshop. They contain a useful proportion of copper, feed more predictably through a suitable bench machine and reduce the number of adjustments per kilogram. A pile of repeated 16 mm² or 25 mm² singles is a different proposition from a carrier bag of domestic offcuts.
Thin 1.5 mm² and 2.5 mm² twin and earth is often the weak case. Its flat shape may wander on a single blade or fit poorly in round channels, and removing two layers of material takes time. Electricians discussing cheap machines have commonly said they begin bothering only with larger cable, sometimes around 6 mm² or 10 mm², but that is experience from particular workloads, not a universal threshold.
Run a timed sample before committing. Strip perhaps five representative metres, weigh or assess the clean output, and ask the yard for current grades for both the stripped metal and the cable sold whole. If the extra return does not cover your time, waste handling and tool cost, sell it insulated. If you continue, the cable stripper how-to guide explains mounting and shallow test cuts.
Why old kilogram prices are not a quote
An Electricians Forums thread from 2021 mentioned roughly £1.30 per kilogram for insulated cable and more than £5 per kilogram for bright copper. Those figures illustrate why people consider stripping, but they are not today’s market prices. Metal values move, yards apply their own grades and deductions, and bright wire may require cleaner material than a first-time seller expects.
Merchant recovery percentages have the same limitation. Dunmow Group publishes rules of thumb for comparing whole cable with recovered copper, but those percentages describe that merchant’s examples rather than a guaranteed yield from your batch. Plugging them into a calculation without weighing your own cable can produce a false profit.
Ask for a same-day or recent quotation from the yard you plan to use. Describe the cable honestly, including whether it is armoured, tinned, dirty or partly stripped. A machine around £30 can be a rational experiment for a substantial pile of thick round cable. It does not make thin cable valuable or your labour free. The cable stripping machine buying guide helps match feed layout after the economics make sense.
How legitimate yards pay
In England and Wales, section 12 of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 prevents a scrap metal dealer from paying cash for scrap metal. Payment must be by a non-transferable cheque or electronic transfer, and dealers must verify the seller’s name and address. A request for bank details or identification is part of the regulated transaction.
Scotland has its own cash-payment restriction for metal dealers under section 33A of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. You should not expect a legitimate Scottish dealer to hand over cash either. Northern Ireland is not governed by section 12 of the 2013 Act, so check the current requirements with the local council and the receiving yard rather than importing the England and Wales rule.
A householder taking their own old metal to an authorised facility is not the same fact pattern as operating a scrap metal business. If you begin buying, collecting or transporting other people’s cable, licensing and waste-carrier rules may apply. GOV.UK says private household-waste collectors should be checked as upper-tier waste carriers. In England, registration details and fees depend on the activity, including whether a business transports only waste it produced itself.
Deal with insulation without burning it
Never burn plastic insulation off cable. It creates harmful smoke, contaminates the material and is not a legitimate shortcut. Dunmow Group states that yards refuse burnt copper, so burning can reduce acceptability as well as creating environmental and fire hazards. Mechanical stripping should leave you with separated metal and plastic, not ash-covered conductor.
Keep the removed insulation contained and ask your local authority or recycling centre which waste stream accepts it. GOV.UK directs householders to local disposal arrangements and advises checking the registration of private collectors. Trade waste follows different arrangements, so an electrician should use the business’s authorised waste route rather than putting commercial quantities into household facilities.
If you only have a small bag of thin flat cable, the responsible answer may be to sell or recycle it whole and buy no machine. If you have clean, dead, thick round offcuts in repeatable sizes, compare a modest bench tool with the expected labour. Our best cable stripper machine guide names options for that narrower case, not a promise that stripping pays.
Common questions
Is stripping 2.5 mm² twin and earth worth it?
Often it is not worth the time with a small bench machine, because the cable is thin, flat and slow to feed. Ask a yard for current whole-cable and recovered-copper grades, then time a representative sample. Sell it whole if the additional return does not cover your labour and waste handling.
From what size do electricians usually bother?
Forum contributors have mentioned starting around 6 mm² or 10 mm², but that is a rule of thumb rather than an industry threshold. Volume, cable shape, local grades and the equipment already owned all matter. Thick round singles generally make a stronger case than thin flat domestic cable.
Can a scrap yard pay me cash for copper?
Not if it is a scrap metal dealer in England or Wales, where section 12 of the 2013 Act requires a non-transferable cheque or an electronic transfer. Scotland also restricts cash payments under separate legislation. For Northern Ireland, confirm the current local rules before travelling.
Do I need a dealer licence to sell my own offcuts?
GOV.UK does not describe a householder taking their own scrap to a yard as automatically needing a dealer licence. Buying or collecting other people’s metal is materially different and may trigger scrap-dealer and waste-carrier requirements. Check with the relevant local authority before starting that activity.
Can I burn the insulation off?
No. Burning plastic creates dangerous emissions, may breach environmental controls and can cause yards to reject the copper. Use lawful mechanical separation where it is worthwhile, or sell the cable whole. Dispose of separated insulation through the appropriate household or commercial waste route.
What should I do with the removed plastic?
Contain it rather than mixing it back into the metal. Ask your council or recycling centre whether it accepts that insulation and follow its sorting instructions. Businesses must use an authorised commercial-waste route. Household recycling arrangements should not be assumed to cover trade quantities.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources for scrap-metal payment, household waste, and work equipment. Listings are the amazon.co.uk captures for these twelve ASINs, not a live reload on 17 October 2026. Prices on amazon.co.uk move.
- Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, section 12 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, scrap metal dealer licence (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, section 33A (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, waste carrier registration in England (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, dispose of household waste (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- HSE INDG291, PUWER (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- Electricians Forums, scrap copper cable strippers (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- Dunmow Group, stripping versus selling whole (retrieved 17 October 2026)