Bolsters

[Barbababa]

Have any one soldered nickel silver bolsters on to aluminum liners? Is it something special that I need to do to make that work, or is it just like soldering to brass or steel?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I don't think you can solder aluminum to brass (nickel silver is white brass).

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Anything attached to aluminum has to be a mechanical attachment. You can't solder it.

 

[A.McPherson]

Huh, that's interesting!

Is that because it heats and cools so rapidly?

Or is it some other quality that makes aluminium unable to be soldered?

Maybe the formation of aluminum oxide?

 

[AVigil]

pin it

 

[Brad Martin]

It can be with the steel first tinned in 56% silver solder then joined with an aluminium alloy solder which will have a heating problem using the recomended 1080°F- 1120°F (582°C - 605°C) tempreture.

I think the oxide means too much heat is needed for a tempered blade.

 

[Natlek]

I don't think you can solder aluminum to brass (nickel silver is white brass).

Nickel silver has same hardness like normal brass ?

 

[Brad Martin]

Nickel silver is harder than brass.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Two things:

1)
Nickel silver is brass - it is a white brass 60% Cu, 20% Ni, 20%Zn
Yellow brass - 60-70%Cu, 25-35%Zn, reminder varies

2) Hardness comparison is not direct. It depends on the type of brass. I see the internet regularly saying that nickel silver is harder than brass, but when you pull up the specs it doesn't seem so.
nickel silver - Brinell 90 (HRB is listed at 45, which is Brinell 80?)
yellow bell brass - Brinell 100 ( that would be HRB63)