A flexible shaft is a device for transmitting rotary motion between two objects which are not fixed relative to one another. It consists of a rotating wire rope

Wire rope

thumb|Steel wire rope Wire rope is a type of rope which consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a helix. Initially wrought iron wires were used, but today steel is the main material used for wire ropes....

 or coil which is flexible but has some torsional

Torsion (mechanics)

In solid mechanics, torsion is the twisting of an object due to an applied torque. In sections perpendicular to the torque axis, the resultant shear stress in this section is perpendicular to the radius....

 stiffness. It may or may not have a covering, which also bends but does not rotate. It may transmit considerable power, or only motion, with negligible power.

Flexible shafts are commonly used in plumber's snakes

Plumber's snake

A plumber's snake, sometimes known as a "toilet jack" or "electric eel", is a flexible auger used to remove clogs in plumbing that cannot be loosened with a plunger....

. They are popular accessories for handheld rotary tool

Rotary tool

A rotary tool is a hand held power tool with a variety of rotating accessory bits and attachments that can be used for cutting, carving, sanding, polishing and many other applications....

s, and integral parts of rotary tools with a remote motor, which are called "flexible shaft tools". They are used to transmit power to some sheep shears

Sheep shearing

Sheep shearing, shearing or clipping is the process by which the woollen fleece of a sheep is cut off. The person who removes the sheep's wool is called a shearer. Typically each adult sheep is shorn once each year...

. They are also sold to connect panel knobs to remote potentiometer

Potentiometer

A potentiometer , informally, a pot, is a three-terminal resistor with a sliding contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider. If only two terminals are used , it acts as a variable resistor or rheostat. Potentiometers are commonly used to control electrical devices such as volume controls on...

s or other variable electronic components.