Two Tips That Make Soldering A Pin Easier

Making a silver bird pin
Securing Irregular Shapes

If your shape doesn’t lend itself to being wired for soldering, like this bird brooch, cut notches in the base-plate. They will be sawed off later with the rest of the excess metal. There are 4 teeny tiny notches around the profile of the bird in this picture.

January 26, 2016
Making a silver bird pin
Use Graphite For Alignment

When soldering a pin back onto a brooch, use a piece of graphite (you know, for mechanical pencils) to ensure that catch and joint are lined up. The graphite will take the heat of your torch while your pin back stays straight.