If dealing with a copper tip - often they are large and glob solder all around....

The trick is to season the tip - and to plate it yourself.
1. clean it - file as needed a tip that you need.
2. heat it and as it starts to tarnish,
rub the area that you don't want solder on
around on a shoe or boot heal. - Use the inside area that doesn't show.
The solder won't ad hear to this - even with flux.
3. Now tin the working surface as needed...

Tinning won't occur where the rubber has 'plated' the tip.
Very useful on large irons.

Martin
Martin Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
NRA LOH & Endowment Member
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder



jim rozen wrote:
In article , Brent Philion says...

Is it just mild steel or something a little more resisitant to oxidizing?


The best ones are copper, which is iron-plated, then tinned with
solder. The iron plating renders the copper proof against oxidation.

This is why one should use natural sea sponges for the stand, not
cellulose ones. The synthetic ones tend to degrade the iron plating,
if over-wiped.

Wipe the tip immediately before using, and if the iron is to
lay idle for a time, tin before putting it back in the stand,
and do *not* wipe it.

Jim



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