Heavy "cable," for logging winches yarders ... source? Ideas?

[DennisT]

I'm looking for something very flexible to simulate, roughly, 3/4-inch steel cable of the type used on logging yarders or large winches.  Some of our guys get a black, "string," material from a seller on ebay that markets it as Tonka truck repair parts.  I have some.  Looks pretty good, but it's black.  I'm thinking I'd like something of a light gray or silver color.  There may be none.  But it never hurts to ask, and if anyone has any ideas I'd like some tips.  This will be for 1:20 scale and, actually, some for 7/8th. scale.  Thank you, Dennis

[Bills72sj]

Bicycle brake cable. If you need something fatter, then automotive speedometer cable, though I doubt you will be able to wrap it around any scale spools. Another option is lanyard cable for race car hood pins. What you are looking for is called wire rope but very SMALL wire rope. You could also try kite string and dye it grey. It definitely would be flexible enough to spool. Another option would be heavy duty thread for sewing canvass tents and awnings. Good luck on your search.

[stitchdup]

If you have a fly fishing store close by, they might have some of the braided line for tying flies. It looks a lot like metal wire. You can also roll a file sideways on ordinary clear line and it then looks like wire if you press down hard enough

[Fat Brian]

This might be closer to 1/2" in 1/20 scale but it will look the part.

[DennisT]

Good ideas, thank you all.  I will need very flexible material, so that's some restriction.  But I think we're getting somewhere on this.

[espo]

Check out the jewelry section at HL or JoAnns. I have found some real interesting items that can be used in our modeling. 

[DrKerry]

I use cord from retractable key fobs, we use them at work for our badges and they break every now and then. Cable works well for 1/2 to 3/4 inch cable for the wreckers I've done....

[DennisT]

I like the key fob possibility.  What is the line made of???????  I looked on line and can see these very similar but none are metal line, not sure about these.  Or are yours actually string?

[DrKerry]

8 hours ago, DennisT said:

I like the key fob possibility.  What is the line made of???????  I looked on line and can see these very similar but none are metal line, not sure about these.  Or are yours actually string?

It's like a black nylon cord, flexible too. I used a key fob and hid it in one of my ramp trucks so that when the line isn't out pulling a car onto it it'll retract back to the truck. Pull it out to hook the car etc.. 

I show it in this video of my hauler...