Working with Goertz Wire:
Alpha Core's Goertz wire has a thin, (.005 inch) of polyester film surrounding each of the two leads in their teflon jacket. I would discard the outer jacket. The polyester film is wrapped and lapped in the middle. The wire is also stamped on the opposite side making things more difficult. The best tool I found was a safety razor blade, with one side protected. These are used for scraping paint from glass and sold in small boxes in hardware stores. I recommend a smooth metal work surface or similar material. The lapped polyester can be easily loosened with the tip of the razor blade.
The primary technique I used consisted of holding the blade tipped slightly off the surface while held in a pinching position. The index finger is slightly under the safety edge, while your thumb presses on the mid-area bending the blade flatter near the cutting edge. The tip is the effective point; and it is worked in slicing motions just at the exposed edge of the material. You'll find the material peeling upwards once the edge breaks off the surface.
Of course, it isn't that simple. It is easy to cut, rather than peel as the loosened material becomes larger. The impressed lettering always impedes intact peeling. Getting an exposed edge is accomplished by first cutting the material from the thin copper edges. Scraping works here. I also sliced across the surface a number of times where I wanted exposure to stop. Once this is done the flat surfaces can be worked upon.
You will be fooled into thinking you’ve finished. The material is difficult to spot in the areas missed. Use a good light source and tilt the metal to catch the surface features. These spots can be numerous when beginning, particularly on the stamped side.
After some experience, the work would progress smoothly. I could prepare two ends in about 30 minutes. If you're preparing just the panel tab wires you'll have 16 ends to do. The final step to using Magnepan's spring clip retainers is making the hole in the prepared Goertz wires. The exposed thin copper is easily caught by the drill and can be crimped. If you have clamps and the right work area, a continuous drill speed will work.
I made the mistake of using a hand drill at first. You can also punch the holes with the right sized nail if you've got a throw away wooden board. If you file the rough edge on the opposite edge of the hole and put that side facing up, the Magnepan clip will bridge over any raised edges.Lastly, the aluminum foil of Magnepan's treble circuit is easily shifted on the metal connector surface. To straighten them it was recommended by Magnepan to use a rounded edge of a small diameter tool. A wooden toothpick or the plastic cylinder of a stripped q-tip can work the fragile material. You could also spray the connectors on the plates with Pro-Gold.
Should you plan on bending the wires you should have a rod or such for wrapping the Goertz to the proper position. I used needle nose pliers and had difficulties, particularly with the outer silicone casing in place.