I have been using both a liquid acid flux and a zinc cloride paste and have had good success on brass and n/s but trouble on stainless. I remember that some of you have said that you use Eutectic 682 flux for stainless. Where can I get a single bottle of it or if some of you know of another flux that works as well with stainless please let me know.


Gary Mulkey
gary@fallcreek.net

Not sure where I heard it (and I never tried it) but I heard that muratic acid makes a good flux for soldering guards. Maybe someone here has heard this also. I am sure the fumes would make it difficult to work with but it probably does a good job of cleaning.

Check out this thread, found part way down the SRJ Forum. Lots of commentary on Eutectic 682, and also a note that R.J. Martin has some flux available.

pub42.ezboard.com/fcustom...D=11.topic (http://pub42.ezboard.com/fcustomknifedirectoryforumfrm5.showMessage?topicID =11.topic)

Loveless and I tried Muriatic acid long ago with not a lot of success, as I recall. Wouldn't hurt to try it though. Yes, watch those fumes!! 682 does a good job for me.

Boys: I've got the stuff. I'm going to put it in smaller bottles-I'll figure out a price and get back here with it.
I need some 157 Solder-lost mine when I moved.
WANNA TRADE? Only 157 solder wanted-no Allstate, please.

RJ

R.J.,

I don't have the solder to trade but would like some of the flux. Let me know when you have a price.

Gary Mulkey

R.J.

How much solder do yo need? Like I said, I don't have a lot but can let you have some to get you by.

Steve: 5-10 feet would do nicely. At 1" per knife, that'd get me by for a while. At some point, I'll get a big roll and we can divy it up among the forum members.
I explained to the Eutectic rep that they're missing out by only offering such large quantities-he understood, but, said his hands were tied. Too bad.

RJ

51 Bramblewood St.
Bridgewater, MA 02324

Steve: I have some eyeglass quality Nickel Silver rod I can send you, if you use that. It's 1/8" DIA.

It's in the mail, R.J.

Good idea on your suggestion for the Eutectrod. Maybe that's the way to go, make it avail. on the CKD. I bought mine in 1977 and still have some left.

Thank you for the offer, but I don't think I'll be able to use the n.s. rod. What do you use it for?

Steve: I got it from a friend of mine in the wire business. I don't use it for knives anymore, but, I make a neat solder removal tool from it. I'll send you one to try, OK? It cuts/burnishes the solder joint to a perfect radius without scratching the blade or guard. Not that you need any help in that area, Steve, <GRIN> but, you might like it anyway. I find it much easier than polishing with the Dremel.

Thanks much for the solder!!!!!!
I believe the Eutectic product is superior-have tried Allstate a number of times, never with perfect results.

Stay Sharp,

RJ Martin

Sounds like a good idea. I've used brass rod before, but never warmed up to the technique as well as with the "Bright Boy" disc. I'll give it a try, thanks!

I've used Allstate a time or two with good results, but am happy with 157.

RJ,

Appreciate your willingness to repackage some of the flux in smaller quantities. I will take some also when you are ready to ship.

Schuyler

Steve: Solder arrived yesterday. THANKS!
I plan to try it out next week. Can someone please tell me how to post a picture?

RJ

Glad it made it.

Will you be using a torch, or a heat gun?

Just watch that flux carefully and when it re-melts, after crystallizing, it's at the optimum tmeperature.

Good luck. Le tus know how it goes.

Nohelp here on the photo posting, sorry.

Steve: I am going to try the heat gun. I have a nice Milwaulkee that I use for other stuff-should do the trick. After reading these forums in depth, I realize that I have WAY overheated the flux for years now.
Also, I found a tutorial right here that explains how to post a pic. A beautiful thing!

RJ

Sounds good.

Good luck.

Link us to that tutorial, please.

Guys: Results are in. The flux is an improvement over the old flux, but, I had trouble getting enough heat with heat guns (yes, I used two!) I have a very powerful Milwaukee that has a strong fan-it got the guard hot enough, but, the steel seemed to need to be a bit hotter.
I soldered two 410 SS pinned guards to Mirror finished BG42 blades. With a little coaxing, I got nice fillets at the front of the guard, and, got wetting even at the top of the guard.

I applied flux prior to heating-it crystallized as the carrier evaporated. Eventually, it turned brown, but, I didn't have enough heat to keep it at temp as I reapplied flux, then solder.
The melted solder was "reluctant". I ran a carbide scriber along the joint to get it to wet out.

Inner surface of the guard was machined (end mill), blade finish was mirror on one blade, hand sanded (top to bottom direction) on the other.
The solder did not penetrate the whole joint. Bummer.
I did get a clean fillet around the joint, so, it wasn't a failure.

I'm gonna try again with a propane touch, the way I used to.

The flux turned the blade grey, but, cleaned up nice with no pitting.

Steve: Any further instructions for me????

RJ Martin

AYou seem to be doing everything about right, maybe all you can do is continue to, "practice." Sounds like you feel the job is an improvement, just need to refine your technique. If the flux goes brown that sounds like it may be getting too hot.

As mentioned in my initial "treatise," on soldering, I find it almost impossible to get the solder to flow throughout the joint ---- unless you use the paste and actually "put it there," during assembly, before you start to solder.

When the flux re-melts, you're at temp.

I generally have ample heat with the gun, unless it's a really big fighter-type. It is slower than the torch, but much more controllable. It'll take me 5-8 min. to do a solder job on a hunter. How large were the blades that you were working on? Keep on trying and tkae it slow, is all I can tell you. I surely hope you can make it work.

Steve: They were 4" hunters, 3/16" stock. My gun has a strong fan, and, I think that I was blowing the heat away almost as fast as I added it. I agree about not getting full penetration when using wire solder-it's like putting a 1/4" peg in a 1/8" hole-not gonna happen!
When I have gotten my best results, I have a nice fillet of flux along the joint when I apply the solder, and there is enough heat so the solder just melts instantly and flows out. When necessary, a final application of flux completes the job.
The force of the fan was blowing away the extra flux, and, the solder didn't melt quick-like.
So, I will try again, going easy with the torch.
What is the surface finish on your knife/guard when you solder?

Thanks,

RJ

Must be quite a fan!

I have my blades polished to the final finish and the guard either polished or darned close. Probably at least a 500-600x finish. I also will polish, on the buffer, the bottom lip, or extension, of the guard, on a hunter, both on a double guard, so that I can look into it like a mirror and, seeing the reflection of the blade/edge there, make sure that the guard is perpendicular to the blade, or at least as closely as possible.

So, the guard face, on the exetnsions at the choil area is generally polished to a bright finish, prior to soldering.