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Cookies Week 38 - Kizer Gingrich Bush

practice soldering

Discussion in 'Shop Talk - BladeSmith Questions and Answers' started by rickmenefee, Jul 8, 2013.

  1. Jul 8, 2013 #1
    rickmenefee

    rickmenefee

    1,833
    Jun 26, 2005
    Anyone got a tip on how they practice on stainless. Every time a set up a guard its a train wreck. Never soldered much and I suck- Lovelss style demand soldering.
     
  2. Jul 8, 2013 #2
    Bill Hoffman

    Bill Hoffman

    564
    Jan 2, 2006
    Clean, clean, clean. Use a flux designed for stainless steel. Try "tinning"
    the parts to be soldered first, then assemble and solder.
     
  3. Jul 8, 2013 #3
    mete

    mete Gold Member Gold Member

    15,288
    Jun 10, 2003
    A 96% Sn/ 4% Ag solder with flux designed for stainless. Clean throroughly then DON"T TOUCH ! Heat part quickly. Let hot part melt solder , not torch.
     
  4. Jul 8, 2013 #4
    David Loukides

    David Loukides

    1,363
    Mar 17, 2006
    Last edited: Jul 8, 2013
  5. Jul 8, 2013 #5
    Bill DeShivs

    Bill DeShivs KnifeMaker / Craftsman / Service Provider Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider

    10,214
    Jun 6, 2000
    Use Stay Clean flux and 4% "silver solder."
    The joint needs to be bright metal- freshly filed/sanded.
     
  6. Jul 9, 2013 #6
    rickmenefee

    rickmenefee

    1,833
    Jun 26, 2005
    thanks I am going to try it again. I have made my mind up its time to learn to do it.
     
  7. Jul 9, 2013 #7
    elementfe

    elementfe

    1,414
    May 3, 2008
    My local welding shop has a little kit with Stay Brite solder and the liquid flux (stay clean?) that goes with it, works every time...well, it didn't work once on some sketchy wrought iron, but on stainless it's great.
    I ended up buying the 1lb spool.
     
  8. Jul 10, 2013 #8
    kc custom

    kc custom KnifeMaker / Craftsman / Service Provider Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider

    2,325
    Apr 20, 2005
    Rick somewhere in shoptalk there is a good pic of the solder job on this knife before
    I sold it. This comes directly from Loveless's book - as already mentioned clean city,
    + Bob L said to flood the joint with muriatic before applying the flux while hot. For godsakes
    do this with good ventilation. Best luck I've had with ss to ss.
    Ken.
    [​IMG]
     
  9. Jul 14, 2013 #9
    Smithy

    Smithy

    326
    May 11, 2012
    Cleanliness is next to Godliness when it comes to soldering anything. One thing that people often forget to clean is the solder itself. When soft-soldering, I will always take a piece of 180 grit sandpaper and clean the solder before I try to solder. Seems to help for me. ...Teddy
     
  10. Jul 15, 2013 #10
    timbit

    timbit

    1,011
    Jul 21, 2011
    Heat the joint up with your torch, back your torch away a bit and let the metal melt the solder. If the metal isn't hot enough to melt the solder, it won't flow well and you'll end up with a cold joint.

    You can get a HCl or muriatic solder paste that works beautifully with stainless. Use breathing gear,and eye protection in a well ventilated area. This stuff is nasty, you do NOT want the vapours in your eyes or nose. Make sure you apply a very small amount of flux, brush it on very thin. Your joints have to be bloody clean. Hot soapy water, scrubby pads, and freshly sanded is a must. Once you clean it, don't touch the join. The oils from your skin can mess with it. You'll want to use silver solder, or a solder with atleast 4% silver.
     
  11. Jul 15, 2013 #11
    leifjl

    leifjl

    757
    Nov 27, 2011
    This is absolutely true, particularly if your solders been sitting around the shop for a while. I use scotchbrite on it if it looks tarnished or just isn't flowing right.
    Also 56% with cad in it will braze anything well. Expensive stuff though.
     
  12. Jul 16, 2013 #12
    argel55

    argel55

    1,378
    Oct 30, 2005
    Get a piece of 1/16 brass rod and sharpen the end. Helps to drag the molten solder into place where it is not filling. Dip it in the flux also before you use it.
     

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