Copper Scrap Grades: How to Get Paid Bare Bright Prices
To get the most money for your copper, you have to separate your load into the four primary grades: Bare Bright, Number 1, Number 2, and Light Copper. Most scrappers feel a real sense of frustration when they see the yard boss take a look at their truck and give them a single, low “Mixed Copper” price. You have put in the sweat to find the metal, but because of a few pieces of solder or some old paint, your entire paycheck gets dragged down to the lowest common denominator. It feels like you are losing the race right at the finish line.
The solution is to do the grading yourself before you ever pull onto the scale. When you present a “clean” load that is already sorted, you take the guesswork away from the buyer. You aren’t just a guy with a truck anymore, you are a professional supplier to the secondary market. When you know the grades, you control the conversation and you protect your profit.
Bare Bright Copper: The Holy Grail
This is the top tier of the copper trade. In the yard, we call it “Bright and Shiny.” To qualify as Bare Bright, the copper must be at least 16 gauge (about the thickness of a pencil lead) and it must be 99% pure.
It cannot have any insulation, no paint, no solder, and absolutely no oxidation (that green or dark brown crust). It should look like a brand-new penny. This usually comes from stripping large-gauge power cables or heavy industrial wire. This is the grade that every yard wants because it can be melted down and turned back into high-end wire with almost no processing. If you have this, keep it in its own clean bin and don’t let a single piece of “dirty” copper touch it.
Number 1 Copper: Clean but Dull
Number 1 copper is essentially Bare Bright that has lost its shine. It must still be 99% pure and at least 1/16th of an inch thick. It can be dull or have a bit of a “cocoa” color from age, but it must be free of all “attachments.”
That means no brass fittings, no solder, and no paint. If you have a clean copper pipe but it has a soldered joint on the end, it is not Number 1. You have to cut those joints off. In the trade, we say “clean your ends.” If you take five minutes with a pipe cutter to remove those silver-colored soldered joints, you turn a Number 2 pipe into a Number 1 pipe. That small move can increase the value of that pipe by 10% to 15% instantly.
Number 2 Copper: The Workhorse Grade
This is the most common grade in the secondary market. Number 2 copper is still 94% to 96% pure, but it shows its age. This is where you put your “dirty” copper.
It can have light oxidation, some paint, or lead-solder joints still attached. It can also include “hair wire,” which is the very fine, thin strands you find in lamp cords or small electronics. Even if that hair wire is clean and shiny, most yards will still grade it as Number 2 because it is so thin that it “burns off” during the melting process. Don’t waste your time trying to make hair wire look like Bare Bright; just put it in the Number 2 bin and move on.
Light Copper and Sheet Copper
This is the thinnest grade of copper, usually less than 1/16th of an inch. You find this in roofing flashing, gutters, and old decorative items. It is often covered in tar, paint, or heavy “patina” (the green crust).
Because this material is so thin and often very “dirty” with non-metal attachments, it carries the lowest price of the four grades. However, it still carries a much higher price than brass or aluminum. If you are scrapping a roof or an old kitchen, keep your “sheet” copper separate from your “pipe” copper.
The “Secret Sauce”: The “Hair Wire” Strip Test
I want to give you a tip that will save you a lot of time and energy when you are stripping wire. This is the “Hair Wire” trap.
Did you know?
Many beginners spend hours using a mechanical stripper on thin, 14-gauge or 16-gauge “multistrand” wire, thinking they are going to get Bare Bright prices.
The Tip:
Before you strip an entire roll of wire, take a small piece to your local yard and ask them how they grade it. Many yards will never pay Bare Bright for “high-strand” wire, even if it is clean, because the surface area is too high and it creates too much “dross” in the furnace.
If your yard is going to pay you Number 2 price for that wire whether the insulation is on it or not, then don’t strip it! You are better off selling it as “Insulated Copper Wire” (ICW) and using that saved time to find more scrap. Only strip the thick, solid-core wire where the jump to Bare Bright is guaranteed.
Integrity and the Yard Boss
When you are grading your copper, the most important rule is: don’t try to hide the bad stuff.
Some folks try to “salt” their Number 1 bin by putting Number 2 copper at the bottom. I am telling you, the yard boss has seen it all. He has a “metal sense” that you wouldn’t believe. If he finds “dirty” copper in your clean bin, he won’t just downgrade that one piece – he will downgrade your entire load and he will never trust your sorting again.
Play it straight. If you have a bin of Number 1 and there are a few pieces you aren’t sure about, put them in the Number 2 bin. Being known as an “honest sorter” is how you get the highest quotes over the phone. When the yard knows they don’t have to double-check your work, they will give you the “pro” rate every time.
Check your local laws regarding the sale of different grades. Some states have stricter record-keeping for “Bare Bright” because it is often associated with utility theft. Keep your job-site photos and receipts handy.
Ulysses’ Safety Reminder:
When you are “cleaning your ends” with a pipe cutter or a saw, watch your fingers. Copper is a soft metal, but it produces very sharp “slivers” that can get under your skin and cause a nasty infection. Wear your gloves and use a deburring tool to smooth out those edges. And if you are stripping wire, always pull the knife away from your body. A slip with a utility knife can end your day faster than a flat tire.