In reply to petegunn:
The easy answer is to preplace it.
If you must place on lead then there are a few options.
Sharpen the end of the cord by melting and shaping to a point the rest for a week while your fingertips recover from the burns.
Tape a length of fuse wire to the end of the cord to add stiffness, leaving some write protruding as a pilot.
If the thread is short enough use a no 1 wire with the nut pushed upto the swage.
All rather bothersome seeing as you have collected the beta already, ab down and preplace it.