Thanks for the explanation about "scratch". Harry, would it be more correct to say that you were trying to break the surface tension of the molten solder blob in order to make it run along the joint?
I understand Royce's comment about the process failing if you have to scratch it. I did a little bit of silver soldering the other day and had just about given up on one joint. The solder blob had partially melted and had an uneven surface and a slightly darker color. If I'd had a scratch rod I'd have used it. As it was I turned up the Mapp gas a little bit and held the torch steadier adjacent to the joint and the solder, most of it anyway, eventually wicked along the joint.
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
At 09:01 AM 7/10/03 -0700, you wrote:
Well, maybe that's not the correct term,
It absolutely is the correct term, in fact there is such an animal as a "scratch rod" for soft soldering. This is nothing more than a piece of steel rod with a crook and a pointy end on it. It's used to scratch through the solder puddle to encourage it to adhere where it refuses to adhere. Royce is also pretty much correct when he says that in silver soldering if you need to use a scratch rod the process has failed. But every once in a while I try using scratch to save a joint and it sometimes helps, sometimes not.
Regards, Harry
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