What are the threads in with the center conductor of some audio cabling?

[Randall]

I just got some samples of small shielded cabling from Markertek, Mogami W2330 Miniature Unbalanced, and W2368 Shielded Mini Mic cable. Both have soft white thin threads mixed in with the copper center conductor under the internal insulation. The larger of the two cables was pretty difficult to separate the copper from the threads before snipping the threads off and tinning the copper, and I think I lost a few copper strands in the process. On the smaller cable, I tried just tinning the copper with the tiny threads still mixed in, it seemed to work OK. Question is must the threads be removed with such small cable? I have routinely removed the stuff on 'regular' sized mic and instrument cable with no fuss, but this tiny stuff is quite difficult to do with my mitts.

[olddawg]

My guess is that it helps keep the cable from kinking and reduces enterelement capacitance. I do know what the stuff has made soldering shielded cables a bitch for decades. I usually trim what I can, flux, and go for it.

[stokes]

Dont know what it is or why it is,but its never been an issue with me.I just ignore it and solder as if it were just part of the stranded copper core.

[Enzo]

Filler to keep the innards round under the jacket. I am sure you have seen the twisted pair wire under gray PVC jacket that is all lumpy around the spiral.

[Randall]

Interesting reply from Mogami:

"There is an option there. The fiber can be left in place if it does not get in the way of soldering. Or it can be removed, usually by heating the conductor which causes the fiber to shrink back away from the copper. "

Interesting to me because I was wondering if soldering with the fibers would contaminate the solder joint. Seems not.

[g1]

I like how they offered you 2 options, but they both involve heating it up with your iron.
Or they thing it might shrink and yet still remain in the way of your soldering?