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Soldering Information
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What's the difference between "hard" and "soft" solder?
Much costume jewelry is held together with "soft" solder — a tin based low melting temperature solder, applied using an electric soldering iron. This is similar to the rosin core tin/lead solder used for electronics and the acid core tin/lead solder used by plumbers.
Silver and gold jewelry is assembled using "hard" solders and a torch — usually oxy/propane or oxy/acetylene. "Hard" solders are alloys of silver or gold that melt at slightly lower temperatures than sterling silver or the various karat alloys of gold. The confusion arises because the lowest temperature "hard" solder is sometimes called "soft" solder. A better term might be "easy" for the lowest temperature hard solder. "Hard" solder typically comes in "easy," "medium" and "hard" grades. A complex piece would be started with hard solder, the next elements would be applied using "medium" solder an the last parts tacked on with "easy" solder. This way the solder holding the first elements would not flow or move when the rest of the parts are assembled.
The "hard" solders we carry come in 0.25oz sheets, in easy grade, medium grade and hard grade. You DO need a flux (available separately) to use them.
The "soft" solders used in the home or the electronics industry are not formulated for use on jewelry. For jewelry you'll want to use a silver-bearing tin-based solder made specifically for that purpose. Rings & Things carries Staybrite® jewelry soft solder (R&T item #69-092). Staybrite comes complete with a special flux that cleans the surfaces and makes for a strong bond. The other common brand is called "Tix" solder.
Staybrite jewelry solder is available in the Rings & Things showroom as well as our online store. Staybrite can be used with a small electronics type soldering iron, a soldering gun or iron, or, very carefully, with a torch.
A note of warning: If you use a tin-based "soft" solder on a piece of silver jewelry you can never use a torch and hard solders on it again. When you heat silver that has had tin based soft solders used on it, the area around the tin solder amalgamates with the tin and melts away. The tin and silver combine to become a very low temperature melting alloy. Your piece can be destroyed under heat as the metal melts away from the soft solder patch.
The correct spelling is SOLDER, although we always pronounce it "sodder." For more, see our line of soldering supplies.
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