🔥 How to Solder Jewellery - A Beginner’s Guide with Tools

Want to solder jewellery but don't know where to begin. No problem, you can definitely learn to solder, even if you’ve never held a torch in your life. All you need is a few key products, and some practice and you’ll be soldering jump rings, chains and silver rings like the pros

Here’s your step guide to jumping in to your soldering project complete with links to everything you'll need.

🧰 Soldering Supplies 

Before you turn up the heat, make sure you have your whole soldering set up ready to go:

1. Soldering Surface

Start with a fireproof surface such as a steel bench or a bench protected by fireproof bricks. Aim for a soldering block or board - good for protecting your bench and reflecting heat. You can also buy a set of soldering boards.

2. A Torch

Butane torches Simple to use, and perfect for beginners and small jewellery projects. We stock reliable and user-friendly butane torches. Another option is the Smith Little Torch. This torch is the one you need if you also plan to cast metal in the future.

3. Solder

You can use extra easy, easy, medium or hard solder, depending on your project. Check out our silver solder options - tested and trusted by jewellers like you!

 4. Flux

Flux is an important material for allowing your solder to flow and it's anti-oxidising. We love Handy Flux, and use it in all of our workshops - grab a jar to support your soldering experience! Another option is a borax cone and ceramic dish. 

5. Pickle Pot + Pickle

You will need this to clean your metal after soldering. (Don't worry - our pickle isn't scary.) Our Citric Acid Pickle is non-toxic food grade and pharmaceutical grade, and works great for your studio pickle. You will also want to grab a slow cooker to keep your pickle warm for clean-up.

6. Copper Tongs & Tweezers

These are perfect for moving your metal and solder safely. Check out our tweezers and soldering tweezer set.

7. Solder Pick or Third Hand Tool

The third hand keeps items steady while you solder and the titanium solder pick allows you to move solder without it sticking to the pick. Make sure to check out our third hands and soldering equipment.

Bonus:

We also have soldering kits available, which give you everything you need all in one handy kit.

🔧Soldering in 7Easy Steps

1. Clean your metal

Use emery paper or a file to clean the pieces you're soldering, since solder doesn't like dirty metal! Washing your piece in soapy water also helps remove any oil and dirt from your hands that has transferred to the metal.

2. Set up your join

Line the pieces on your soldering block exactly how you want them to join and make sure they are touching with no gaps.

3. Add Flux

Brush some flux on the join.  This helps the solder to flow nicely and protect the metal. Sometimes it's easier to heat the flux first so it doesn't bubble when you add your piece of solder. 

4. Add the solder

Use your soldering tweezers or solder pick to place a piece of solder on or under the join.

5. Heat it with your torch

Use slow circular motions to heat the entire piece evenly. Watch very closely - the solder will melt and flow in a blink of an eye once it's hot enough.

6. Cool and pickle

Quench the piece in water and put it into your pickle pot to clean off any fire scale. Take it out of the pickle and brush with a brass brush.

7. File, emery and polish your piece 

Use files, emery paper, polishing paper or a jewellers cloth to finish the piece.

👏 You did it! You just soldered your first piece of jewellery!