Copper wire solder

This wire solder is self-fluxing, made of copper, and contains phosphorus. Although it has a slight grey color, it matches copper much better than silver or low-karat gold solders. Additionally, it even patinas like copper! The solder is 1mm thick (18ga) with a melting point of 1310F (710C) and a flow point of 1460F (793C). Even though it already contains flux, additional flux will allow for a better flow of the copper solder.

When using this solder, it is important to clean and flux both the solder and the metal to be joined. This can be done by lightly sanding and washing each piece with dish soap, preferably Dawn, then rinsing and drying. If dirt and finger oils are present, the solder will not flow. To prevent solder flow in certain areas, a product called Fire Shield can be used.

For the best color match, it is recommended to use the least amount of solder possible and to pickle as usual. If needed, lightly sand the seam, then reheat, pickle, and lightly sand again. Repeat this process until the desired color match is achieved. This process draws the copper to the surface, covering the silver color that is typical of copper solder.

It is important to note that high copper content solder takes longer to flow than silver solder, so extra time should be allowed for this. Additionally, because the solder is brittle, it is advised to cut it into small pieces rather than hammering it flat. Each package contains 3 feet of solder.