Adriaan Gerber Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Fellow Ferrophiles, From time to time I get tiny black spots in my soldering and it is a beast to clean up. My only trick is to reheat the solder and hope this time it flows better. I was wondering if anyone had some better ideas. I have been cleaning up the joints as well as I can to minimise junk that can get trapped. Also I tin the blade and guard seperately before joining them, that helps too. I think one thing that happens is when I have the blade point up, the solder melts and drips out the back, leaving holes. Sometimes a speck of dirt bubbles up. Any pointers on soldering and its cleanup process would be appreciated. Thanks much, Adriaan Adriaan Gerber http://www.adriaangerberknives.com sharp@adriaangerberknives.com (207) 667-1307 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sid Wittman Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I have found with soldering that you get the best joint when using the absolute minimum of heat required to get the job done. Pinholes are usually a sign that the solder was overheated. I'm not sure if that's what you are describing though ? Potentially, a government is the most dangerous threat to man's rights: it holds a legal monopoly on the use of physical force against legally disarmed victims Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Thomas Obach Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 yep, and keep the gap very tight.. ! loose will give lotsa problems G North Shore Forge & Ironworks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Johnston Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 While the solder is still flowing, I use a flux brush that I have cut the bristles off short. I brush off any excess solder and it seems to clear up any pinholes and crude. Heating from the front and applying the solder from the back (as little as possible) seems to work best for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Hoffman Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Strike the joint with a toothpick wet with flux while the solder is still liquid, but with no heat on the joint. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Helmes Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Get a really good liquid flux. Get everything super clean. http://www.jeffhelmes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 You can maybe saturate a bucket of water with ALOT of borax, then heat the billet to more then boiling temperature and submerge it in the borax water, the water will evaporate and blow out the holes a bit and the borax will be deposited in there. Just a theory. Let not the swords of good and free men be reforged into plowshares, but may they rest in a place of honor; ready, well oiled and God willing unused. For if the price of peace becomes licking the boots of tyrants, then "To Arms!" I say, and may the fortunes of war smile upon patriots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stephens Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 You can maybe saturate a bucket of water with ALOT of borax, then heat the billet to more then boiling temperature and submerge it in the borax water, the water will evaporate and blow out the holes a bit and the borax will be deposited in there. Just a theory. Sam -- I think he's talking about silver soldering guards, not welding billets. By the way, the theory you are talking about is advocated by JPH in The Master Bladesmith. -Dave -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stephens Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 I'm with Sid on this one. Overheating causes pinholes for me. Clean joint, tight fit, and thoroughly cold fluxed, then bring the whole thing up to flow temp evenly and slowly. Mike -- Great idea with the short bristle flux brush. --Dave -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Johnston Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Credit where credit is due. This came from Wayne Goddard and it works great. I have almost no clean up when I do my part. One more thing that works well (again from Wayne) is to use a couple very small snipits of solder placed against the guard on the tang. That way you don't tend to over solder and just get enough to do the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adriaan Gerber Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Thanks guys, for all the tips, I'll be using them next time. Adriaan Adriaan Gerber http://www.adriaangerberknives.com sharp@adriaangerberknives.com (207) 667-1307 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike miller Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 I use a 1/16 inch wire sharpened to a point to help drag the solder to where you want it when liquid. I dip the end in the flux and move it to where i need it . Allows you to use very little flux to fix those holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Gillespie Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 the last few times i soldered i remembered a trick my father showed me that he use on piping that he runs. the last time i did it i sanded to 220 grit, fluxed lightly, laid a strip of silver solder on the joints and heated up till it was starting to melt and let the solder follow the heat through the joint. works great so long as you dont use too much solder. u do this for any habaki i make now as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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