Hi Steve!
As for the cable: For shortening you would have to use silver solder. Here in Austria I got a set with flux and a solder with a low melting point (350°C) at a local hardware store (but I'm sure it is available at many places). You can work with the normal blow torch here and it works for steel, brass, stainless and copper. This is the problem with the ready-made cables, because they often use some kind of zinc alloy or something like that for the nipples, so if you shorten it, you need a new nipple (from brass or steel).
This is how you do it: You apply the solder to the point where you plan to cut the cable. Outherwise it will fan out when you cut it. Cut it and then put it through the bore of the fitting and use a centre punch or pin of some kind and a hammer to fan it out. Then you pull it back into the nipple, apply the flux and solder. File away any excess solder or overlaying cable when cooled down.
If you were nearby, I'd say drop by and I'll show you, but unfortunately its quite a piece to Münster from here.
The cable usually hangs loose, I bent a small loop from welding wire and attached it to the middle front mudguard bracket to fix the cable a bit, so that it doesn't rub against the mudguard and fork legs all the time.