Discover the art of solder welding and how it can help you better your jewelry repairs.
Soldering is one of the most essential skills for a jeweler to learn — it’s an art and science that holds jewelry together, both literally and figuratively. Whether you’re assembling a new piece, resizing a ring, or repairing a broken chain, soldering allows you to create strong, seamless connections between metal components. At the heart of this process is solder — a metal alloy that melts at a lower temperature than the pieces being joined, allowing jewelers to fuse elements without compromising the integrity of the design.
What You Should Know Before Soldering
Before you pick up your torch, there are a few key things to keep in mind that can make all the difference in a clean, successful solder.
Use a Neutral Flame
The ideal flame for soldering would be a neutral flame, which is when the inner cone is clearly defined and has equal volumes of oxygen and gas. This balanced flame provides consistent heat without damaging or contaminating the joint, helping your solder flow clearly and evenly.
Choose the Right Solder
Solder is typically available in four types: hard, medium, easy, and ultra-easy. Jewelers often use these solders in stages, starting with the highest melting point and working down to prevent earlier joins from re-flowing during later work.
- Hard solder: melts at the highest temperature and provides the strongest join
- Medium solder: melts slightly lower than hard and is great for intermediate joins
- Easy solder: melts at a lower temperature, making it perfect for final joins or delicate components
- Ultra-easy solder: has the lowest melting point and is best used for quick fixes and tricky repairs where heat control is critical
Choosing the right solder type helps maintain control over the soldering sequence and ensures strong, clean joins throughout the piece.
3 Soldering Methods
14K Easy Solder for Earring Posts
A common soldering task jewelers work on is attaching earring posts to earring backs. This process requires precision and a good understanding of heat control — especially when working with 14KW gold, which can be a bit trickier due to its alloy composition.
- Prep the parts: Dip both the earring back and post in a solution of alcohol and boric acid. This helps prevent oxidation during heating.
- Heat and pick up solder: Using your torch, heat your soldering surface and pick up a small piece of 14KW easy solder with your pick.
- Attach solder to the earring back: Melt and place the solder on the back of the earring head while paying close attention to where the post will attach.
- Attach the post: Carefully position the post onto the earring back, then apply heat evenly until the solder flows and bonds the two pieces.
- Place the earring in the pickle: Rinse the piece in a pickle solution to remove any oxidation or flux residue.
- Check alignment: To ensure the post is centered, gently spin the earring. If it wobbles or spins off-center, the post may need adjustment. A properly set post will spin smoothly and remain aligned.
14K Easy Solder for a Solitaire Setting
Attaching a head to a shank is a foundational skill in ring assembly, especially for solitaire settings where precision and alignment are everything. Here’s how to securely solder the head to the shank using easy solder.
- Open the shank: Gently open the top of the shank with a mandrel just enough to fit the base of the head. If the opening is too wide, you can carefully close it slightly for a better fit.
- Fit the head: Position the head into the shank. Make sure it sits securely and evenly before moving on.
- Prep the piece: Dip the ring in a solution of alcohol and boric acid to protect it from oxidation during soldering.
- Apply Firescoff® Flux: Evenly heat the ring with your torch, then apply a drop of Firescoff® to the joint. Heat the area again to activate the flux.
- Add solder: Pick up a few chips of the solder, then place them on each side of the head where it meets the shank.
- Solder the joint: Heat the area until the solder flows evenly and bonds the head to the shank securely.
- Clean in pickle: Rinse the ring in pickle solution to clean off oxidation and flux residue, leaving you with a clean, professionally joined setting.
14K Hard Solder for Ring Sizing
Ring sizing is a frequent and essential task at the bench. When increasing the size of a ring, it’s important to use a strong solder, like 14K hard solder, to ensure a durable, long-lasting join.
- Prep the piece: dip the ring in a solution of alcohol and boric acid to protect the metal.
- Apply Firescoff® Flux: Evenly heat the ring with your torch, then apply a drop of Firescoff® to the joint. Heat the area again to activate the flux.
- Pick up solder: Using your soldering pick, heat and pick up a small amount of 14K hard solder.
- Apply solder: Place the solder on each side of the sizing insert (resizer) and allow it to flow through the gaps, creating a seamless bond.
- Clean in pickle: Rinse the piece in pickle solution to remove any oxidation and remaining flux, leaving a clean surface ready for polishing.
Stuller is Your Place to Go
Whether you’re attaching an earring post, setting a solitaire head, or resizing a ring, having the right tools and materials is essential for clean, professional soldering. From solder types and fluxes to torches and tweezers, having the right tools and supplies for each step of the process is important to maintain precision and quality.
At Stuller, we offer a wide range of soldering tools, supplies, and educational resources to support jewelers at every skill level. No matter the project, you can count on us to help you build strong connections. Explore our solder offerings and make sure your bench is stocked with everything you need to do your best work.