silver solder and blue

[stude 283]

Hello all,
I've been using solder-it silver solder paste from lowe's and so far I'm quite impressed.My question is can this be used without harming existing blueing?Do you have to remove blueing under part to be soldered on?

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

My question is can this be used without harming existing blueing? Do you have to remove blueing under part to be soldered on?

Not sure about the temp swing of the product your using so cannot give a credible answer to your first question.

As far as your second question, yes you must remove the blueing and clean/degrease under the part your trying to solder.

 

[Bill Hall]

Even when using soft solder, I tend to turn some of the metal around the joint blueish/brownish from the heat. I'm thinking the heat coloring will show through the bluing. If you're really really careful, it's possible to solder steel without turning the metal dark, I just never want to limit myelf to being that careful.

And like Apprentice said, you need clean bare metal-to-metal to make the solder stick, no bluing. Bill

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

I have made a career out of soldering, that said,

I use the low temp hi force 44 solder from Brownells with the appropriate flux and an acetylene tank with an A-5 tip, use plenty of heat stop and tin both pieces. The tinning should be thin, a paper thin joint will be much stronger than a thicker one.

I have had good luck with this set up as the heat is very directed to a small area. I have attached a large turtle front sight to a Trade Gun barrel and never left a mark, the barrel was brown and thin, so not the same as a blued heavy weight.