Cleaning anti-flux from threaded earposts

Hi everyone,

I am wondering if someone can help me figure out how to clean/remove
the (yellow mustard) anti-flux from 14k gold threaded ear posts.

To give you a little history of how I got into this situation
tonight. I was soldering 14k “threaded” ear posts into small bars of
gold and melted my first post. So I adjusted my torch so it wasn’t
as hot and brushed “anti flux” on the the threaded ear post. I don’t
know why, but he anti-flux is not coming off of the treaded area of
the post and I don’t know how to get into the treaded area clean
without damaging the actual tread. So far the only thing I’ve tried
is the ultrasonic which just cleaned the area slightly. I’m at a
loss of ideas and would love to know any tricks that might help.

Thanks in advance for your help,
Laurie Chapman

Laurie- Pickle then sonic for a good while then steam. It’ll come
clean.

When flux mixes with yellow ochre or other anti solder compounds it
makes a mess. I try not to use it. Just use good torch control to
avoid solder flowing where you don’t want it.

On another note. I really don’t like threaded posts. They are
irritating to push through the ear. It can be like barbed wire. They
loosen and strip out over time and have to be tightened or replaced,
the threads trap ear gunk and bacteria as well.

I prefer the Protektor or Guardian locking posts and nuts. You can
pull a tight turtle neck sweater on and off without loosing an
earring. The can also be shortened at the base and then have the nut
click in at the longest notch so that the post doesn’t stick out much
past the smooth nut. You can wear them 24/7, sleep in them, and talk
on the phone without the post sticking you in the side of the head.

Have fun and make lots of jewelry.

Jo Haemer
timothywgreen.com

Run a threading die over it. Rob

Hello Laurie,

Have you soaked it in hot pickle? Even if that doesn’t totally
remove the anti-flux, it might make it soft enough so that you could
gently screw the back on to the post, thereby working the stuff off.

I use WhiteOut, and it definitely flakes off in the hot pickle.

Just a thought,
Judy in Kansas, where the tomatoes are tapering off and the beans are
done! Time to start cleaning up the garden for
winter. Won’t pull the zinnias until all the flutterbys are gone.

Flux it, heat is just enough to make the flux glossy, then pickle
it.