Soldering and brazing are thought to have originated very early in the history of metalworking, probably before 4000 BC. Sumerian swords from c. 3000 BC were assembled using hard soldering. Soldering was historically used in making jewelry, cookware and cooking tools, assembling stained glass, and other uses.
Soldering is the process by which two pieces of base metal are joined to each other by a filler alloy (filler metals are alloy metals which, when heated, liquefy and melt to flow into the space between two close fitting parts, creating a brazed or soldered joint). The tool used to make this type of joint is called a soldering iron, and the alloy from which the connection is made is called a solder.
In recent use, the soldering iron’s tip would have been heated in a small, open-flame, gas fired ‘furnace’ on a workbench until sufficiently hot to melt the solder — then it could be used until it cooled enough to need reheating. In practical usage, soldering irons were often found in pairs, so one could be re-heating while the second was being used, then vice-versa.
Description: Traditional Soldering Irons comprise a copper head attached to a wooden handle. The head can be pointed, have a chisel edge or be set at right angle to the shaft to form a ‘hatchet’ iron depending on the application.
Features and Applications: Soldering irons are easily self-made from a piece of 20mm or 25mm square copper stock, attached to a file-type handle. The ‘irons’ are heated with a gas torch and copper is chosen because of its ability to store and retain the heat then transfer it to the workpiece.
Pictured is a soldering iron heated by a blowtorch (see separate page). Both items are in the CSS Museum.