The Hottest New Side Hustle Is Stripping Copper Wire and Posting About It

Record-high copper prices have helped revive scrap selling, and TikTok has turned stripping wire into both a hands-on side hustle and a source of online content. Creators film tutorials, time-lapses, and large-scale dismantling projects, while some frame the repetitive work as a social activity, such as a “girls night” or date night. Lawfully obtained copper can generally be sold in the US, though Minnesota requires a license. Its resale value depends on quality and whether insulation has been removed; stripped copper brings more, but the work can be slow. An economist notes that copper theft tends to rise when prices climb and when financial hardship makes the potential reward seem worth the risk.

For many creators, the more reliable earnings may come from views and product sales than from the metal. One woman documented saving $20,000 toward a home, but six months of stripping yielded only $99 from 30 pounds of copper; a single viral video reportedly earned $1,446. Other creators showcase hundreds of pounds of wire, with one claiming that two hours dismantling an air conditioner produced about $47 worth of copper. TikTok Shop affiliates promote wire strippers, and one seller says the niche tool became his best-selling product, while AI-generated ads now crowd the same market. Offline, scrappers may work in teams, share profits, and help one another source, transport, or donate metal - community ties largely invisible in solitary-looking videos.