Getting rid of lead solder?

Dwight Gruber · 11-09-2002, 04:40 PM

The 1918 Artillery I just bought has been messed with in a particular way. Some mutant previous owner has drilled and tapped the back of the toggle and attached a piece if steel, filed with a notch as a rear sight (yes, the tangent sight is still there, yes, the front sight has been filed down to accommodate the new, lower sight [img]mad.gif[/img] , yes it seems like a pretty stupid thing to do). This new sight piece was then lead soldered into place.

Now, I have, with careful application of a soldering iron (aided by the fact that this previous mutant owner did a pretty poor job of it), removed the offending sight. What I am left with, however, are gobbets and dropules of solder on the surface of the toggle, and a hole (not the drilled-and-tapped one, but a second hole, I told you this previous owner was a mutant) which is filled with lead solder.

What I would like to know is, is there an easy way to get rid of this solder without harming the finish on the rest of the piece? The soldering iron just moves the stuff around, putting the toggle on the stove top and heating it up enough to melt it out seems pretty drastic, I don't really have any kind of workshop so advanced tools and techniques are, for the moment, out of my ken.

Any words of wisdom will be truly appreciated.

--Dwight

Stu · 11-09-2002, 05:01 PM

Hi Dwight. If you can get the solder to melt you might be able to suck a great deal up with some de-soldering braid. This is designed to remove solder from a workpiece.

It's a ribbon of woven fine copper wires that will literally suck up solder from a surface. You can get it at Radio Shack or similar.

Hope this might be of some help. Stu

John Sabato · 11-12-2002, 10:36 AM

I would try heating the front sight boss with a propane torch or stovetop and watch it carefully... You can heat it just enough to see the solder melt and then brush off the solder with a common scrub brush that has fibre or natural (not nylon) bristles... an old shoebrush should work okay. Or you can use a soft copper brush (a shotgun cleaning brush might work). Hot Salt Blueing solution alse will disolve soft solder... but I would have it rust blued...

Let the assembly air cool to room temperature... DO NOT QUENCH it in any kind of liquid because it will drastically change the temper of the barrel steel.

Since the toggle has already lost it's collector value by being drilled, I would send the whole thing to Thor for refinishing... He could probably have the holes in the toggle filled with weld and then polish it off to a more pleasing appearance... or maybe you could just replace the drilled toggle link with another one and file off the rear sight...

G.W. Gill · 11-12-2002, 09:39 PM

Penlite butane torch and previously mentioned brush will remove the solder. Torch is 6 or 7 bucks or you could borrow a cigar lighter from a buddy. Tap the hole. Fill, cut, file and polish. All this can be done at the kitchen counter. Most of us black powder guys have done this several times. Good luck and have fun with your Luger! <img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" />

11-09-2002, 04:40 PM	#1
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,890 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,282 Times in 424 Posts	Getting rid of lead solder? The 1918 Artillery I just bought has been messed with in a particular way. Some mutant previous owner has drilled and tapped the back of the toggle and attached a piece if steel, filed with a notch as a rear sight (yes, the tangent sight is still there, yes, the front sight has been filed down to accommodate the new, lower sight [img]mad.gif[/img] , yes it seems like a pretty stupid thing to do). This new sight piece was then lead soldered into place. Now, I have, with careful application of a soldering iron (aided by the fact that this previous mutant owner did a pretty poor job of it), removed the offending sight. What I am left with, however, are gobbets and dropules of solder on the surface of the toggle, and a hole (not the drilled-and-tapped one, but a second hole, I told you this previous owner was a mutant) which is filled with lead solder. What I would like to know is, is there an easy way to get rid of this solder without harming the finish on the rest of the piece? The soldering iron just moves the stuff around, putting the toggle on the stove top and heating it up enough to melt it out seems pretty drastic, I don't really have any kind of workshop so advanced tools and techniques are, for the moment, out of my ken. Any words of wisdom will be truly appreciated. --Dwight

11-12-2002, 10:36 AM	#3
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	I would try heating the front sight boss with a propane torch or stovetop and watch it carefully... You can heat it just enough to see the solder melt and then brush off the solder with a common scrub brush that has fibre or natural (not nylon) bristles... an old shoebrush should work okay. Or you can use a soft copper brush (a shotgun cleaning brush might work). Hot Salt Blueing solution alse will disolve soft solder... but I would have it rust blued... Let the assembly air cool to room temperature... DO NOT QUENCH it in any kind of liquid because it will drastically change the temper of the barrel steel. Since the toggle has already lost it's collector value by being drilled, I would send the whole thing to Thor for refinishing... He could probably have the holes in the toggle filled with weld and then polish it off to a more pleasing appearance... or maybe you could just replace the drilled toggle link with another one and file off the rear sight... __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

11-09-2002, 05:01 PM	#2
Stu User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 451 Thanks: 4 Thanked 25 Times in 16 Posts	Hi Dwight. If you can get the solder to melt you might be able to suck a great deal up with some de-soldering braid. This is designed to remove solder from a workpiece. It's a ribbon of woven fine copper wires that will literally suck up solder from a surface. You can get it at Radio Shack or similar. Hope this might be of some help. Stu

11-12-2002, 09:39 PM	#4
G.W. Gill User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Southeastern USA Posts: 369 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Penlite butane torch and previously mentioned brush will remove the solder. Torch is 6 or 7 bucks or you could borrow a cigar lighter from a buddy. Tap the hole. Fill, cut, file and polish. All this can be done at the kitchen counter. Most of us black powder guys have done this several times. Good luck and have fun with your Luger! <img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" />