Hi Kevin
i would go for something around the 0.3 mm range, or even slightly finer if you can get it. At 1/72 scale 0.25mm is equivalent to handles of about an inch in diameter, so 0.3 shouldn’t be too oversized. I wouldn’t use lead though, too fragile…..I would go for brass pin wire from someone like this…
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They are easy to make. Use snipe nosed pliers and make a series of “staples” by holding the wire in the jaws and folding down both sides. Size will vary slightly, so make more than you need and select those that are closest in size to each other.
I used to recommend Eileen’s emporium for this sort of item, but it appears that after a good thirty years trading, they’ve gone broke