How to solder a silver chain at home

Why do silver chains break? Top 3 reasons

• Defective product. But the store will not simply accept a broken chain back: an examination must be carried out to prove a manufacturing defect. If the examination confirms that the manufacturer is at fault, then the buyer will return the money spent - both for the decoration and for the examination.
• Hollowness. Yes, chains are often made hollow - this is not very practical, but it reduces the cost of decoration. Heavy pendants cannot be hung on such chains, and they can also break from the slightest mechanical impact.
• Wearing heavy pendants. To avoid putting too much stress on the chain, consider the weight ratio of the chain to the pendant.

Why does the chain around your neck break?

If you believe superstitions, this sign has a dual explanation.

• If the chain with a cross breaks, God gives you the right to choose your own path.
• Another explanation says that people with negative energy have appeared in the environment, who wish evil, cause damage, and the sacred symbol neutralizes this effect.
• If the chain with the cross breaks, but you managed to catch the cross, health problems lie ahead.

If we discard all signs and superstitions, the breaking of the chain is explained either by careless handling or poor quality of the product.

“Close my love around your neck, I live to adorn you - you are my jewel,” said Grace Livingston-Hill (American writer). Careful and careful handling of jewelry will prolong the joy of “communication” with it for many years.

What you need to know about silver soldering

• Silver melts at a temperature of 960 degrees. Of course, this indicator differs for different metals - for example, the melting point of copper is 1083 degrees. The melting point of the alloy will depend on how much pure silver it contains (exact values ​​can be found in specialized literature).
• To ensure high-quality soldering, it is important to carefully select silver solder. It is advisable to use refractory solder, which melts at temperatures above 240 degrees. All solders are marked for convenience; the number in the marking indicates the percentage of silver content. For example, in PSR-45 solder there is 45% silver, the rest is copper and zinc. In some cases, solders with a silver content of 70% are used. The higher the silver content, the stronger the connection.

Properly soldered seams are strong and resistant to corrosion. If the soldering is done well, the seam is not prone to deformation. To repair a silver chain, we recommend choosing solders with a high silver content: they give the best results. Ordinary tin should not be used for soldering silver: over time it will darken, the soldering area will become noticeable and unaesthetic.

Tools for repairing a silver chain at home:

• small soldering iron or gas torch;
• silver solder;
• flux;
• alcohol-containing liquid;
• acid solution;
• clips for fixing jewelry;
• wire cutters;
• small brush;
• sandpaper;
• asbestos sheet or brick (if using a gas burner).

What to do if the chain is stretched

Since silver and gold are soft metals, the weave can stretch out if not handled carefully. First of all, this applies to products made from low-quality alloys or with complex filigree weave. Under severe external influence, a stretched silver chain or gold weave becomes irreversibly deformed.

Heavy gold chains in the Sunlight catalog

If a gold chain of simple weaving has stretched, you can independently remove some of the “extra” links to the previous length. If the weaving is complex and multifaceted, then regardless of the material, it is better to seek the help of a specialist.

How to repair a silver chain using a gas torch

Before starting work, the product must be cleaned and degreased - treated with an alcohol-containing solution. The next steps are:

• Secure the broken parts of the decoration to a fireproof base. An asbestos sheet or ordinary brick is suitable for this purpose.
• Coat the places where the chain breaks with a thin layer of flux (this is convenient to do with a small brush). Place a piece of solder between the broken parts of the chain (it is convenient to separate the alloy strips with wire cutters).
• Gently heat the joint with a gas torch, moving the torch from the side. Try to ensure even heating. When the flux is hot, increase the flame, continuing to weld the metal and forming a solder joint.
• Wait for the soldered decoration to cool down.
• Clean the surface of the product from flux, remove any remaining solder with sandpaper, and polish the soldered area.
• The final treatment is to lighten the surface using an acid solution.

Safety precautions for repair work

Since soldering is a process that involves the use of acids, a high-temperature soldering iron and a gas torch, it is necessary to follow basic safety rules:

• work is carried out only on a fire-resistant surface;
• When working with acid, you must use tight rubber gloves and safety glasses;
• the gas burner flame must be extinguished whenever work stops;
• A special stand is used for the soldering iron.

The action of the acid is neutralized by simple baking soda. You need to put it on a saucer next to you to remove the acid if it suddenly gets on your skin. Afterwards, the surface of the skin is washed with water.

How to fix a silver chain using a soldering iron

For jewelry work, use a soldering iron with a thin tip and POS-60 solder with a melting point of 180 degrees. This solder is produced in the form of thin tubes filled with resin, which acts as a flux (protects the metal surface from oxidation). The procedure is the same:

• the surface of the decoration must be cleaned of blackness and dirt;
• heat the joints to a temperature above the melting point;
• place a piece of solder with flux at the joints;
• heat the surface of the product with a soldering iron so that the solder begins to melt and distribute evenly;
• You should wait until the decoration has cooled, and then clean the remaining joints with sandpaper.

Solder joint strength

Soldering allows you to join dissimilar materials. This is the main advantage of the method. But it is important to evaluate the strength of the solder joint, which is an indicator of the quality of work. This is affected by the size of the gap. At low values, the effect of capillary flow is best manifested, that is, the metal of the product dissolves in the solder. This effect increases the strength of the connection by 30-60%.

During work, we must not forget about safety measures. This applies to wearing gloves and a respirator. We must not forget about high temperatures, which can cause a fire.

Security measures

When repairing jewelry at home, be careful, the soldering process can be dangerous. In particular, when flux and solder are heated, toxic substances are released into the air, so you need to solder the chain in a well-ventilated area. An acid solution can cause a chemical burn (not only to the skin, but also to the respiratory tract), and a fire can occur from an open burner flame.

If you have never soldered anything before (we are not just talking about jewelry, but in principle about working with a soldering iron or torch), then think again before you start repairing the chain yourself. Maybe you should entrust the repair of your favorite jewelry to professionals?

Silver and its properties. When is silver soldering necessary?

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Silver is a “white” precious metal that is actively used to create jewelry. Its sacred properties have been known since ancient times, but it was precisely its physical properties, such as softness, plasticity, and fusibility that made it popular in the jewelry industry.

When it is necessary to restore a broken piece of jewelry or correct a deformed area, silver soldering is used.

Soldering silver is used not only for repairing jewelry, but also for making new products or updating old ones. 925 standard is used as a basis.

Soldering a silver ring

Soldering process on a gas torch step by step

Action plan when working with a gas burner:

1. Darkening and traces of oxidation are removed from the surface of silver.
2. A layer of liquid flux is applied to the soldering area.
3. A small piece of solder is applied to the soldering site. Its dimensions should be comparable to the dimensions of the faces being connected.
4. A flame from a torch is supplied to the soldering site, but so that the solder is not blown away.
5. Once the solder begins to melt, the torch flame is gradually increased until the solder becomes molten and forms a single edge joint.
6. After cooling, the joint is cleaned and polished. It is necessary to smooth out all roughness and clean off the remaining flux.

Technique for soldering a silver chain with a soldering iron

In order to understand how to repair a silver chain using a soldering iron, you must complete the following steps at each stage:

• Surfaces are cleaned of dirt and degreased with acid, and then wiped with a flannel cloth. It is advisable to perform everything on a sterile surface. This means that the fireproof stand is also pre-wiped and degreased.
• Two surfaces for soldering are heated with a soldering iron. It is important that the temperature of the surfaces becomes higher than the reflow temperature of the solder, otherwise it will not be possible to solder the silver chain.
• Molten solder coated with a layer of flux is applied to the surfaces.
• The surface is additionally heated with a soldering iron until the flux melts. The soldering iron tip transfers the melt from one surface to another, forming a connection.
• After cooling, a small groove forms at the joints, which must be sanded to a smooth surface.

If the master solders 925 sterling silver, then the polishing is done with high-precision tools.

Soldering a silver chain with a soldering iron

Solder quality: how to fix it efficiently

Soldering efficiency directly depends on the quality of the solder . In workshops where they repair jewelry, high-quality alloys based on silver with the addition of purified copper or tin are mandatory.

To give the solder a silver shine, up to 20% zinc powder is added to it, which, when melted, forms the corresponding color.

You can make solder yourself, but for this you will need a muffle furnace and the starting elements: tin, silver or copper. If soldering is done at home yourself, then it is better to buy a ready-made rod or wire. In this case, you can count on the quality of the future connection .

High-quality solder has the following characteristics:

• it has a uniform shade; if the solder is made in powder form, then it has a uniform structure;
• When melted, the solder does not bubble or “splash,” as this means the presence of contaminants in the alloy.

To test, you can preheat and melt a small piece of solder.

Soldering iron for silver

Section question - answer

Is it possible to solder silver with a regular soldering iron?

Expert opinion

Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich

Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop

Unfortunately, soldering silver with tin is not possible due to the different densities of the metals. Tin is able to connect the edges, but even with the slightest mechanical force the decoration will collapse again.

How to repair a silver chain with your own hands at home, is it real?

Expert opinion

Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich

Jeweler 6th category

You need to buy special tools and accessories, ensure your workplace and work safety, use the manual and carry out the repairs yourself.

When you need the help of a jeweler. Table: cost of services in your city

If you urgently need the help of a jeweler to repair silver jewelry, then it would be advisable to contact a workshop at the nearest address. A set price list is provided for each type of soldering.

Soldering prices vary depending on the type of work and region.

Krasnoyarsk:

Tyumen:

SPB:

Moscow:

Novosibirsk:

The price is also determined by the complexity of the decoration and the amount of work.