Old solder

[JACRITCHIE]

Hoping someone can help. I have started trying to solder silver after a year or so and I having a lot of difficulty melting the solder, it it possible that my solder is not good anymore. They do not have a very silver colour and look rather tarnished.

[Dennis]

Solder strip does not have a best by date but must be clean and untarnished. Give it a good rub on both sides and the edges with medium sandpaper, or a Scotchbrite pad, or a hard glass fibre brush before use and it will be fine. Dennis.

[JACRITCHIE]

Thank you very much. I was about to renew it all. My pickle is good so I am at a loss as to what I am doing wrong

[china]

Are you having trouble melting the solder or getting the solder to flow and join the two parts, not melting will almost certainly be lack of heat, not flowing is most likely a cleanliness issue.

[JACRITCHIE]

It's a melting issue. And I cannot understand, I've really tried heating
as I used to in the past and I've been testing heating with different flame strength but it's all getting very frustrating and confusing?
Thanks for your help

[Dennis]

Clean it as I said, and use plenty of flux: borax, or Auflux.
Test on a bit of scrap metal. I'm sure it will work.

[CJ57]

I’d say it’s dirty too.Even take a needle file to it and then as Dennis says

[JACRITCHIE]

Thank you for your replies and advice. You were correct, I have sanded my solder and today is a bright new day.
Cheers