How to solder a silver ring?

The technique of soldering can be impressive, especially when you are a beginner in jewelry. Moreover, many of you ask us every day about the right method to adopt, the gestures to apply, the right tools to have in your workshop...

To answer your questions, Lucie gives you her tips and advice, in this video, to learn the basic technique to braze metal and the different tools you will need. As a reminder, brazing in jewelry is the jargon used in jewelry to weld together two pieces of metal.

In a previous video, she had already shown you the technique of brazing with silver paste brazing, which requires some experience and knowledge in the soldering technique.
This time, she teaches you how to solder silver with small pebbles and soldering flux, a more accessible method... even for beginners.

For her example, she chose to solder a ringmade from a silver band. But the process is the same for all silver jewelry, whether it's a necklace, bracelet or earrings.
After this video, you have no excuse to finally create your silver jewelry from scratch.

If you are just starting out, we recommend that you use brass rather than silver. Brass is less expensive than silver, so if there are any failures, it won't be too bad. Once you've mastered it, move on to 925 silver.

What to solder a silver ring with?

To make a silver ring, you will need some materials (available on our site):

• Silver bands with designs,
• a needle file,
• a blowtorch,
• a refractory brick, which allows the heat to spread well around the piece,
• a silver plate or small ready-made pebbles,
• tweezers and fire tongs, to handle the straw and hold your still hot pieces firmly,
• a jeweler's stack to cool your piece after soldering,
• soldering flux. What is soldering flux? It's a liquid that helps protect the metal during soldering,
• a borax brush to dose the soldering flux,
• a soldering bath. What is a derochet? It is a solution, composed of sulfuric acid and water, which is used to clean the parts and remove the traces of oxidation and borax after welding. Do not hesitate to take a look at our technical sheet to understand this essential step in the making of a jewel.

You will find all the necessary tools at the bottom of this article.

Soldering with a liquid soldering flux

In the first part of the video, Lucie shows you how to solder a silver ring with small pearls and liquid soldering flux. You can prepare your strawberries ahead of time by cutting out different sizes from a metal plate. That way you'll always have some on hand, then just choose the one that best fits your project.
Don't forget to anneal your silver ring, shape it and file both ends before soldering.

How to use the soldering flux: Using a borax brush, apply the flux to the entire piece, then to the straw before soldering. When it comes to silver, it is necessary to heat the entire part before focusing on the area to be soldered.
Once your soldering is done, it is necessary to immerse your part in a bath to remove traces of oxidation and borax.

Soldering with a spray solder flux

In the second part of the video, Lucie uses the same method but with another soldering flux: the Firescoff. This is a ready-to-use liquid soldering flux in spray form, which has several advantages:

• It is guaranteed to be free of toxic substances, so it is not harmful to your health.
• It does not give off any harmful vapors.
• It allows you to solder faster by reducing the soldering time by 60%.
• It is easier to use for beginners.

How to use the soldering flux ? When you have heated to 100°C, spray the flux all over the workpiece, then apply it to the straw that you are about to solder. You don't need to dry your part to remove traces of oxidation: a little warm water or ultrasound is all you need. One less step in the manufacturing process of your jewel, it is the ideal soldering flux when you are a beginner.

Lucie's little tip: to know when the piece has reached the ideal temperature before spraying the flux, just put a small drop of water on your piece. When the water evaporates, the room is at the right temperature. It's time to apply the Firescoff, then the straw before brazing.

The brazing technique is not that difficult. Don't be discouraged: like all jewelry techniques, it takes patience and practice over and over again before you get the soldering perfect.
Once you've got the process down, get started on creating that silver ring or bracelet.

Precautions to take before you get started: tie your hair back, wear protective gloves, a mask, protective clothing, eye and face protection. It is advisable to work in a well ventilated area.