Thanks everyone for the info. One piece is still missing (at least for
me) - how do you actually strip a clean cut twin-lead wire?
Beachcomber's retelling of his father's method - burn everything around
the wires - sounds good, except that if I do that in the basement
(where the wire terminates and air circulation is minimal) - the
resulting smell will probably be grounds for divorce and a major
violation of zoning regulations

Nevertheless, I'm willing to use that method as a last resort. Question
- is it actually the last resort?