Need some help identifying hook up wire

[rif]

I bought this years ago, I must have had a reason. I've attached some pix, but it's very difficult for me to get good images.

It is stranded, but the strands are tightly bound together. It was somewhat difficult to undo it and get a count (about 20 individual stands, but probably more).

The metal is shiny, but not like aluminum. Has more grey tones in it. The pix show it golden, but it's not at all.

The insulation coloring is odd, almost like the old telephone wires (see my Avatar for some cool art with telephone company wire). Four colors per wire.

If we can't figure it out, I'd be willing to mail some out.

 

[caffeinator]

Have you tried soldering it?  If it takes solder readily, the gray-ish color might mean it's tinned.

What gage do you think it is?

 

[rif]

It stripped on the 24/26 setting but not easily - the insulation didn't want to twist and break off. I thought someone asked for a pix for comparison - from top to bottom:

20g solid (from the bh kit)
22g stranded
22g solid
0.031 kester solder
Stranded wire, probably from a 9v or d cell holder
My unknown wire

I have a calipers but that's pretty useless on stranded. In any case I'm more interested with what is rather than the gauge.

 

[4krow]

Yah I remember the old tel cross-connect wire. And the other purple/white was used for something else but I don't recall. Of course, as you said these are stranded. Does the insulation streach when you try to strip it, or is it baked on?

 

[rif]

It feels slick, like it's leaving a residue on your fingers, but it doesn't. Once cut through completely, it slides off the metal wires easily. If not cut through completely, it doesn't stretch and twist off.  Once stripped and pulled off the metal, I could stretch it out if I grip both ends with pliers.

I don't know if we can solve this through words and poor pictures.  If anyone is willing, I could mail some, just PM me.

Then again, I'm sure it's fine wire to use and I may just go with that. But I'm sure there are plenty of others here like me -- I like to know everything about anything that crosses my path. 

 

[Paul Joppa]

Slippery and difficult to strip suggest teflon. Copper is usually plated before teflon coating, often with silver. Just sayin' ...

 

[rif]

Slippery and difficult to strip suggest teflon. Copper is usually plated before teflon coating, often with silver. Just sayin' ...

I'm going to assume that that's it.  Thanks everyone for your help.

I'll use it when I rewire my quickie.