soldering sterling

[Polly]

We don't really do much with soldering, but I can tell you the basics.  (I have soldered jump rings ... that's about it.)

You arrange the metal pieces the way you want them, clean everything (all oily fingerprints, etc.), put a drop of Flux (such as our #64-004 Griffith Flux) on the spot to be joined, <I>lightly</I> dry the flux with a torch before applying solder, then with the end of your piece of solder (such as our #64-107 easy solder) touch the spot to be joined.  
The Flux helps the solder flow nicely across the area to be soldered.

I recommend the book <U>The Complete Metalsmith</U> by Tim McCreight  (whether you buy it from us or somewhere local).  
This book contains everything you need to know about Materials (metallurgy to plastics), Surfaces (polishing, reticulations, mokumé...), Shaping (drawing, die forming...), Connecting (soldering, rivets, adhesives, tabs), Casting, Stones (lore and setting), Mechanics (pins, chains, closures), Tools (store-bought, or homemade), health and safety, photography, conversion charts and more!
Over 2,500 simple, clean illustrations assist the text.
List price is พ.95.  It is well worth it.

[Polly]

Yes, it is best if you clean the parts.  It helps the solder flow where you want it.
(Also, Flux helps the solder flow, so if your jump rings don't have writing on them and aren't too oily, you probably don't need a separate cleaning step.)

Yes, there is a Sterling solder. (We sell 20g "easy" - melts at 711 C/1325 F, and "medium" - 757 C/1390 F).

You CAN use solder other than Sterling solder ONLY if the item will never be silver soldered in the future.  For example, if you repair a Sterling ring with a tin-based solder, and then try to hi-temp silver-solder it in the future, the old tin solder rapidly eats through the sterling, destroying the ring.

There are many other types of solder, and each one is "regular" for different purposes.
Types you might already have at home are acid-core or rosin-core (electrical, I think).  The acid core should work, but Stay-Brite or Tix would be better.  The rosin core will NOT stick well to silver.

Probably the best quick & easy way to solder jump rings -- using a soldering gun intead of a torch -- is to use Stay-Brite (low temp silver solder).  However, the note above applies ... you can't hi-temp silver solder it afterwards.

Our #69-092 Stay-Brite is .5 oz of low-temp silver solder, and a .5 oz bottle of Flux.  Tix solder is a similar product.  One or both should be available at most Lapidary / Rock shops, and possibly even a model railroad shop.

More info:  We now have a link to a bit more information about high temperature and "soft" soldering:  Solder page

[mikericson]

I am looking for information on how to solder silver wire, for example, jump rings.

Would love any help I can get.

Thanks, Kell

[mikericson]

Do I just use regular solder?  Or is there a sterling solder.  Is it necessary to clean and treat the metal?  I want to solder 18 gauge large jump rings-approx 1/2 " in diameter.

Thanks.