I seem to have a surplus of pewter, that was either given to me or I
picked up as part of an estate lot. I have large disks that I can
sink or raise into bowls, and large sheets. The question is, what is
the bestsolder to use? When I took a pewtersmithing class back in
the 90’s, wewere using tin or tin/lead solder. I rather avoid lead
solder, and I can use tin solder, but it’s been so long since I last
soldered pewter, I’m hoping there are better solders these days that
I can get. Any suggestions on solder I can get for pewter? I have
some mystery solder, which I’m guessing it’s 60/40, I have Tix
solder, some Stay-Brite, but I tend to avoid soft soldering. Only
when I have a repair job that cannot bebrazed, I’ll use the
Stay-Brite.
After so many years of silversmithing (annealing, hammering,
annealing, hammering, so forth), it blows my mind that pewter never
work-hardens. Now, fold-forming may be great in pewter so I’ll have
to try that. I just want to try to use up the pewter I have. Much of
it is from the 50’s and 60’s, and even through they were stored in
outdoor sheds or moldybasements before falling into my hands, all of
it is still shiny, bright and not discolored. I’ve got 3 bowls sunk
and planished and debatingon what bases to make.
Still need to relearn to solder pewter. So different from brazing
silver. Sighhhhhh… give me silver anytime to braze. I live
for brazing. I love to braze.
Joy