# Soldering stainless steel?



## shankus

I am trying to permanently put small split rings onto my berkeley point mini clips.
These are the small stainless steel split rings from the Sandwich Shoppe. When installing them onto the mini clips, the steel becomes permanently sprung open a bit, due to going onto the large base of the mini clip.
I have not been able to solder them closed. Is silver solder the answer, or do they have to be brazed, or some other method?
I have been thinking of permanently joining them for a while, then on the last berkeley point group buy, I got a snap shackle. The snap shackle has a split ring on the locking pin that is permanently joined like I wanted. I thought it was solder, but apparently, it isn't...


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## tsg68

Stainless can be silver-soldered by a jewler, I believe, but I would make small rings out of stainless rod and TIG weld em shut if I wanted them permanent.

Tad /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


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## cosco

It can be done with normal Sn based solder. You will need to use special flux liqid for stailless steel.


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## red_robby

i'm pretty sure you'll have to use a small torch, a soldering iron will not get hot enough.


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## whiskypapa3

Sears used to sell a "Stainless Solder", it was Allstate 430 with a small plastic bottle of (chloride/flouride) flux.
It's current names are something like "StayBrite" or something with "Silver" in the name. They come in short plastic tubes with the solder wrapped around a bottle of the flux. The instructions say use with iron or torch.

I have soldered thousands of jump/split rings with both an iron and a small ( #20 hypo needle) hydrogen torch. Clip the ring with a couple of alligator clips,clean with mild water/detergent mix (Windex?), dry, a small drop of flux, put a blob of solder on the tip of the iron and transfer it to the ring. Wash well! ! !

The hydrogen torch was a cute thing. Made its own hydrogen out of distilled water, ran it through an alchohol bath to dry it and add just enough alchohol vapor to make the pinpoint flame visible. A bit of overkill for a onesy-twosy operation though.

The solder is also great for making permanant battery connections...

WP3


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## PeterB

You can solder steel very easily with normal solder after cleaning it with H3PO4 Acid.


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## shankus

I was using a torch. I figured I'd have to, since holding the ring closed with something would act as a heatsink.

I'll look for that stuff in Sears.

What kind of acid is "H3PO4 Acid"? (not in chemical notation)


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## whiskypapa3

Phosphoric Acid, nasty stuff, good flux but eats skin and flesh. Used also in surface treating (Parkerizing steel, color anodizig Titanium) some metals and derusting ferrous metals (Naval Jelly) .

I think he may have been jokingly saying Coca Cola which has a tiny bit in it. Not enough to color anodize titanium though. It's the basis for the Coke eating meat myth.


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## Darell

So the big question in my mind now: Is Naval Jelly a good source of this stuff to prep SS for soldering? Darell's got some of that goop out in the shop!


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## whiskypapa3

Hmmm... I always uded the "Hi-Priced Spread" myself but try it on a piece of scrap and see. You may find it works.

The SnPb (sorry, Tin/Lead) solders on Jump/split rings turned black after a while, "StayBrite" stays silvery.


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## LightChucker

Have you considered epoxy or super glue?

Chuck


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