Removing Solder

On bare brass, you can always buff solder residue off. But buffing silver plate will also remove the plating.


Is there any good technique to remove solder residue from silverplating that doesn't also remove the plating?


Reply #1 - Oct 4th, 2009,

Till now I use a not too sharp knife since silverplating is harder than tin/lead you can feel when you’re down to the silverplating but if there is a better/saver way to do it I'd be very interested.


Reply #2 - Jul 8th, 2012

I am slow to come to the knife to remove solder. But I got a triangular knife designed for that purpose, and it does aid in riding at least some of the solder.

Reply #3 - Feb 25th, 2013

I use a moist cloth, heat up the solder, and wipe with a fast movement. Now there will only be some very thin tin layer back. It can most often be buffed away; with enough care the silver plating can even be saved.



I found some silver plate on eBay that seems like brass polish and is used almost same way. Just, when you dry it off, it leaves some silver. It is not strong enough for intense wear areas, but smaller lacks silver can be covered that way.



I also had to make a replacement for a piston valve rod on a silver instrument. I made it of brass and used this silver plate 5 years ago, It still lasts.


Reply #4 - Feb 25th, 2013,

I've never moistened the cloth; I'll give that a try. I've seen that silver replacing solution, but never used it. I usually use a plug and

plate kit from Caswell. It doesn't give very durable results either, but it is better than nothing.



Reply #5 - Feb 28th, 2013

Ditto on the moist cloth. Ferrees has a solder "scrapper". Looks highly polished and might not do too much damage even in my hands.


I've seen those triangular scrapers too. I have some fine stainless tools that I use only when necessary.



Everything with silver is much more finicky. There is a lot to learn about working with silver instruments. The one guy I know with a full shop, is cautious when he approaches a silver instrument.

If the unwanted solder is on the inner side of an outer tube, you can thread a wire through the tube that is attached to a cloth, so the wire is through the tube but not the cloth. Then heat the tube so the solder will flow and pull the wire/cloth quickly through the tube with some pliers. It works best if you can clamp the tube steadily and use both hands for heating and pulling on the wire.