Jewelry making involves a lot of math and science, yep!
It’s one of the most difficult handjobs, especially if you don’t have the right combinations of tools. But with the combination tools, you will find jewelry soldering easier and more enjoyable. A flux is definitely one of the tools you must pay attention in order to achieve stunning results. Here, we bring you 7 of the best flux for soldering jewelry.
Our goal is to streamline the flux buying process by reviewing the best contenders available on the market. Enjoy!
IN A HURRY? Here’s Our Top Picks…
Preview | Product | Rating | |
---|---|---|---|
Harris SSWF1/4 Stay Silv Brazing Flux, 1/4 lb. Jar, White | 991 Reviews | Check Price on Amazon | |
WaterSoluble, All Weather Flux, 2 oz | 3,926 Reviews | Check Price on Amazon | |
Bocianelli Prip's Flux by Griffith 16Oz | 16 Reviews | Check Price on Amazon |
Last update on 2024-08-22 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What Is Flux & Why Is It Important?
Flux is a mixture of tin, lead, and antimony. But what does that stand for? It stands for “flux of tin”, which refers to the ratio of tin to lead. Tin and lead are both metals. The silver in the mix is merely added to make it easier to use. This liquid flux helps solder together wires and creates beautiful finished jewelry pieces.
Flux can be purchased at most hardware stores. It can be used with everything from soldering wire to body piercing jewelry.
What Are The Benefits Of Using Flux For Jewelry Making
Flux For Jewelry Making is a step-by-step process that will help you get more from your jewelry making.
Here are the benefits of Flux For Jewelry Making:
Prevents Formation of Oxide and Bases:
Oxide forms when the surface of a metal is exposed to air, water or oxygen. It’s toxic and can cause severe health problems for people working in the jewelry industry.
So, when you create your final product, you want to use an advanced process that ensures no oxide is formed on the surface of your product. By applying flux in advance of working with silver, you can prevent oxide formation and ensure a bright finish for your jewelry-making process.
Flux will also help protect your hand from any harmful chemicals used during the production process. Often, chemicals are put into metals after being smelted or melted to produce the products we use every day like jewelry. However, applying a flux early on in the process can help prevent this contamination.
Seals Out Air Pollution:
An important goal of any business is to reduce unnecessary risk. One strategy businesses can use to do this is to implement a system called Flux. The concept behind Flux is that it allows businesses to replace air pollution with good quality, clean air.
Flux removes bad air from the atmosphere by trapping it in specially designed filters. The waste products and pollutants naturally emitted during manufacturing are captured and filtered out into healthy fresh air.
This creates a healthier environment for everyone who breathes these clean, fresh winds. It’s a win-win situation for all parties involved – companies that don’t have to worry about toxic emissions, employees who don’t have their jobs jeopardized by polluted environments, and customers who will be able to breathe better.
Facilitates Amalgamation Between Different Types Of Jewelry Making Methods:
There are many different types of jewelry making in the world. For example, there is goldsmithing and gemstone jewelry, woodworking, leathercraft, pottery, etc.
With digital marketing, you can combine various procedures to create a new type of jewelry. For example, you can create a production facility that combines goldsmithing with woodworking or leathercraft. Additionally, you can use it as an amalgamation between different types of jewelry-making methods. This process allows consumers to enjoy more than one type of jewelry at a time through this digital marketing strategy.
Entering Small Places:
Flux is a virtual store that allows you to set up shop anywhere in the world. This means your shop can be where you want it, at any time, because Flux makes it easy to access your online store from anywhere.
Act As Catalysts To Boost Sales
The business of fashion is booming. So much so that there is a clear demand for new jewelry pieces. This surge in customer demand has led to an increase in custom jewelry businesses.
Top Rated Soldering Jewelry Flux Reviews
1# Harris Silv Brazing Flux
- Active range 1050°F - 1600°F
- Model Number: SSWF1/4
- Item Package Dimension: 2.38" L x 2.38" W x 2.25" H
- Item Package Weight: 0.27 lb
Last update on 2024-08-22 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Last but not least to appear on our list of the best flux for soldering jewelry is the Harris Silv Brazing Flux. It’s an all-purpose, low-temperature soldering flux used in silver Brazing. It’s suitable for soldering most ferrous and non-ferrous metal; it’s however, not recommended for use on magnesium, aluminum, and titanium. You could try all the silver Brazing Flux in this world, but you will never get a match for this.
If you observe any undesirable effect using this Flux, it could be that you are not using the right combination of tools.
The best solder to use with Harris Silv Brazing Flux is the high Sterling silver content solder. With this combination, you will surely enjoy 99.9% success soldering jewelry all the time.
Things we liked
- Good product
- Works for silver soldering
- Value for the money
- Great for brazing Copper to brass
Things we didn’t like
- You need to get the right solder
2# Sparex Granular Dry Acid
- Useful for pickling jewelry and metal components and removing surface oxidation
- Non-flammable and non-explosive
- Made in the USA
- Scales and pickles gold, silver and copper based alloys
- 10 ounce bag
Last update on 2024-08-22 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The second Flux to feature on our list of the best Flux for soldering jewelry is the Sparex Granular Dry Acid. Sparex is a longer-lasting, easy to use Flux for soldering jewelry.
It’s a worthy and safe replacement for dangerous sulfuric acid; very effective in cleaning and pickling metals. This Flux is very versatile as it has so many advantages over the rest of the other commonly used fluxes.
Talking about versatility, Sparex Granular Dry Acid Flux performs excellently in removing surface oxidation, scale, pickling silver, gold, and copper-based alloys. Above all, it’s non-explosive and non-flammable. 10 oz.
Things we liked
- Works great
- Great for removing surface oxidation
- Useful for pickling jewelry and other metal components
- Non-flammable and non-explosive
- 10-ounce bag
Things we didn’t like
- It’s not safe to use on copper mugs.
3# Prip’s Flux By Griffith
Last update on 2024-08-22 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The next Jewelry soldering Flux to make it to our list is the Prip’s Flux by Griffith. I’m sure this is something you can make by yourself; the recipes are not something abstract and are widely available in most stores. Prip’s Flux is a liquid, more like a light-duty Flux, but exhibits a tremendous metal protection ability against oxides.
The only flaws we found on this jewelry soldering Flux is that it’s somehow more difficult to develop coating compare to the above-listed fluxes; this is because of its inferior wetting power. The best method to use on this flux is to warm the metal first, brush or spray on the Flux, and then warm the metal and repeat the process.
To establish an air-tight shield against oxidation, this process has to be repeated severally. On the advantage side, Prip’s Flux is not water-soluble, you can choose to cool the piece in water rather than pickle, and by doing that, the Flux layer remains relatively unaffected.
Things we liked
- Works effectively
- Greatly work for gold
- It’s non water-soluble
- Protect all types of metal against oxide formation.
Things we didn’t like
- Limited return policy.
4# Ecoxall Chemicals Multi-Purpose Boric Acid
- BORIC ACID: Boric acid, also known as boracic acid or orthoboric acid, is white, odorless, and nearly tasteless. It looks like Granular table salt in the granular form or baby powder in the powdered form. With a purity of 99.9%, it is a powerful and reliable choice for various uses.
- MULTIPURPOSE CLEANING: Versatile in nature, this Granular powder is a highly effective multipurpose cleaner, excelling in tasks such as removing laundry stains, unclogging kitchen drains, getting rid of odors from clothes and shoes, and providing an efficient solution for various cleaning needs.
- INDUSTRIAL GRADE: With its industrial-grade strength, our Boric Acid Powder is engineered to deliver exceptional performance in various applications. This Granular powder works as the perfect drain unclogger, it removes tough clogs in various types of drains.
- LAUNDRY USAGE: Elevate your laundry game by incorporating this Granular powder, which acts as a potent laundry stain remover. Its industrial-grade strength ensures the efficient removal of stains, enhancing the cleanliness of your fabrics and it is also an effective laundry drain cleaner.
- DEODORIZING POWER: Experience the deodorizing capabilities of our boric acid, contributing to a fresher environment by neutralizing odors. Its high purity and strength make it a reliable choice for tackling unpleasant smells in various settings, making it an excellent shoe deodorizer and kitchen cleaner.
Last update on 2024-08-22 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Fourth on our list is the Ecoxall Chemicals multipurpose Boric Acid. It’s very Powerful and 99.9% purely anhydrous. It’s also referred to as hydrogen borate or Ortho-boric acid, a weak, monobasic form of Lewis acid of boron.
It’s an excellent Flux for jewelry soldering! Ecoxall Boric Acid exists as a white powder or a colorless crystal that can easily dissolve in water.
Apart from it being an excellent jewelry soldering flux, it’s also commonly used as an antiseptic, neuron absorber, flame resistant, or a precursor for other chemical compounds.
The chemical has the ability to dissolve in water and move with water through the soil. Boric acid can also be absorbed by plants, and most plant needs boron (a major component of boric acid) to grow.
Things we liked
- Value for the money
- The powder has medicinal values
- Fine Granular Texture
- Anhydrous
- High Quality
- Industrial Grade Strength
Things we didn’t like
- It’s the only Flux with no negative review.
5# LA-CO Regular Soldering Flux Paste
- Price For: Each Item: Water Soluble Lead Free Flux Type: Water Soluble Paste Material: Organic Working Range (Deg. F): Below 800 Specific Gravity: 1.11 Container Type: Jar Application: For Joining Copper to Copper and Copper to Brass Standards: NSF-61G, ASTM-B813 Container Size: 2 oz. Includes: - Country of Origin (subject to change): United States
Last update on 2024-08-22 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
LA-CO Regular Soldering Flux Paste is a multipurpose flux that protects your parts up to 1500°F. It’s a water-soluble flux that meets the ASTM B813 industrial standards. With UPC and NSF approval, LA-CO flux paste is the best flux for all copper soldering – be it copper to copper joining or copper to brass soldering.
It is an active water-soluble, fluoride-type, lead-free flux ideal for soldering all non-ferrous metals. Unlike other flux, the LA-CO Soldering flux begins to melt and dissolve oxides at 320°C.
The water-soluble paste leaves no residue in water piping; Cleans pipe upon application, giving room for the solder to run more smoothly around the pipe.
Above all, the paste formula can be cleaned up with hot water. In our opinion, LA-CO flux paste is an all-weather formula for use both in hot and cold climates.
Things we liked
- Great value for the money
- Can be used for soldering wires
- Great for electronics
- Works on copper jewelry
- About 50/50 air-paste ratio
Things we didn’t like
- There are few negative reviews about this product.
6# 8oz Liquid Zinc Flux
- All-purpose flux specially formulated for stained glass use
- Includes an application brush! Goes on easy without being runny or sloppy.
- Completely water-soluble, making clean up quick and easy
- Can be used with zinc, lead and copper foil. Wash all work within 6-8hrs.
- Made In The USA
Last update on 2024-08-22 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
8 oz Liquid Zinc Flux is a revolutionary Flux product for jewelry soldering. It’s also a great Flux for stained glass use. This product is completely water-soluble, easy to use, and can be used on all non-ferrous metals.
The Flux paste Washes off when soap and water are used. It contains No hydrochloric acid, no zinc chloride, and no ammonium chloride. For that reason, the Liquid Zinc Flux is non-irritating to the skin.
If you are the safety-minded type, this is just for you – the flux contains no corrosive residue. It’s the safest flux out there! In case of eye contact, rinse with running water for 15 minutes. It’s recommended you wear eye protection.
Things we liked
- Excellent size for the price
- Easier and safer to use
- High quality
- Well packaged
- Versatile
- Completely water soluble
Things we didn’t like
- Flux and foil go together
7# Handy Flux Jar with Brush
- Great for soldering and pickling
- Protects parts up to 1600 degrees Fahrenheit
- Begins to melt and dissolve oxides at 600 degrees Fahrenheit
- Can be cleaned up with hot water
- 7 ounce jar with a brush
Last update on 2024-08-22 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Hardy Flux is one of the most popular used fluxes for jewelry soldering. It offers so many advantages, one of which is its greater oxygen absorption ability.
Hardy Flux Jar with Brush is most preferred for operations involving oxide-forming base metals such as brass and copper, and also for jewelry soldering that calls for a lot of heat.
Besides its high oxygen absorption power, Hardy Flux has lots of amazing features. Among these is that the Flux turns clear at 1100°F, making it an excellent temperature indicator.
Another outstanding quality is the way it acts like glue. The paste formula can effortlessly be cleaned up with hot water. Hardy Flux can be used to hold a chip of solder in place when in use.
Things we liked
- Nice piece
- Easy to use
- Great for soldering and pickling
- Can be easily cleaned up with hot water
- The flux begins to melt and dissolve oxides at 600°F
- Protects parts up to 1600°F
Things we didn’t like
- No return policy
- Not suitable to work on copper.
Factors Consider Before Buying Flux For Soldering Jewelry-Buying Guide
The flux for soldering jewelry is more than just a tool. It’s also an art, a process, and a craft that requires expertise. However, if you are not familiar with the skills involved, it can be difficult to find the right tools to achieve stunning results.
Solubility
Solubility is the ease with which flux can be dissolved. Most fluxes dissolve in water, but others don’t. For example, some fluxes are totally insoluble in water; they simply turn to mush when exposed to water.
Solubility is measured by the number of times a given flux can be brought into a solution. Solubility values are usually expressed as micro-g/mL (milligrams per cubic milliliter).
Some commonly used solubility numbers include:
1M = 1 million times solubility / milliliters 1 mg/mL = 1 billion times solubility / milliliters 10M = 10 million times solubility / milliliters 1000 M = 1 trillion times solubility / milliliters
Oxidizer With Boric Acid:
EcoXall Oxidizer is an advanced electrochemical oxidizer used in soldering, welding, brazing, and other chemical processes.
It has a high concentration of abrasive material to facilitate the oxidation process at a very high temperature. It has a fast burning rate, making it economical and convenient for general soldering iron or electric arc furnaces. It’s also useful for preparing ferrosilicon (SiC) rods for direct bonding to steel.
The flux that comes with EcoXall Oxidizer is based on boric acid and ceric ammonium nitrate (CANN), ensuring stable oxidation characteristics. Keep reading to find out more about this amazing product!
Ability To Absorb Oxygen
If you’re an experienced jewelry person, you will probably have played with flux before. This may be one of the most important features you should consider when purchasing flux. The reason is that it determines how quickly and efficiently melted solder flows from your soldering iron.
The more oxygen in the air around your soldering iron, the more likely it is for the solder to melt at a faster rate. It’s not always possible to avoid oxygen; sometimes, it’s unavoidable if you don’t have shutters on your workbench or in your workshop. However, having an extra layer of protection against moisture is always a good idea.
Fluxes are classified based on their ability to absorb oxygen (O2) and retain this oxygen while allowing water vapor to escape (water vapor). O2-absorbing fluxes are those that can soak up high amounts of moisture while still retaining their O2 levels when exposed to air. On the other hand, water-removing fluxes won’t survive as long without water as they would if they were saturated with moisture while absorbing O2.
Non-Irritating Fluxes
Most soldering fluxes are made of mineral oil, a petroleum-based product. The oil will cause your work to become greasy and lead to the formation of oils on your fingers. In addition, some soldering fluxes contain chemicals such as benzene, which is toxic and should be avoided by anyone. We have researched the best fluxes for jewelry making to provide you with a list of products that are safe and easy to use.
Weather-Resistant Equipment
If you want to use your soldering iron safely, it’s essential to choose the right kind of equipment. Like with other tools, there are a lot of factors that determine how well an iron will work in a certain weather condition. If you will be working outside at any time, it is recommended to go for a rain-resistant soldering iron that can withstand harsh outdoor conditions.
Of course, this does not mean you have to go for the most expensive ones on the market. Instead, you can find good quality equipment that will serve your needs perfectly. You can always replace worn-out parts or buy a new one when needed.
Suitability For Metal
Fluxes are used for soldering and many other processes such as melting and welding; however, their suitability varies depending on the material. Metal fluxes have a wide range of applications from soldering to cutting or welding. We will take a closer look at which metal fluxes meet the requirements for soldering.
Welding – When we use flux for welding, it has to be selected according to the kind of metal: stainless steel, brass, and aluminum. If you want to solder an aluminum alloy, pick an aluminum flux. If you want to solder stainless steel or brass, then use stainless steel flux or brass flux. In the case of using gold melts, you should use a gold-grade metal melt.
Soldering – Solders can be classified into two types: low-alloy and high-alloy. Low-alloy solders are typically used when you want to solder nickel (nickel), iron (iron), manganese (manganese), chromium (chromium), and molybdenum (molybdenum). High-alloy solders are used when you want to solder silver (silver).
FAQs
Do You Need To Use Flux When Soldering Jewelry?
If you’re in the jewelry-making business, you may think that using flux is a must. Sure, it can be helpful when soldering, but not everyone needs to use it. Actually, many people have no idea what flux is even. You will not find any of them using flux at all when soldering their jewelry.
So how does this apply to your business? When soldering jewelry, you need a flux that will work with the different types of jewelers tools available in your local stores. Those tools include fluxes for soldering wire and solderless, fluxes for soldering gold wire and solderless, and so much more!
What Flux Is Used For Gold Jewelry?
The main use of flux is to protect the jewelry during soldering. However, there are other uses as well. For example, it also protects against oxidation, which may damage the surface of gold, silver, or copper surface and leaves a protective film on the surface during soldering.
A deep-cleaning flux can be used to remove impurities from silver and gold surfaces and make the metal resistant to oxidation. A rich-cleaning flux can clean oxidized metals, leaving them more resistant to corrosion by acids or water. One of the most popular fluxes is an alkaline flux (or an acid-free flux). These types of flixes can remove traces of nickel and sulfur from surfaces that are not coated with any protective coating, such as gold, silver, and enamel.
As for how many different types of fluxes are available in general stores like The Source for jewelry-making supplies, we couldn’t possibly list all their varieties in this post. But we do want you to know that there are a lot!
Can You Solder Without Flux?
Believe it or not, yes. But if you want to ensure that the solder is stable and doesn’t fall off, you will need flux.
Flux helps create a good base for your soldering iron while it melts at the correct temperature. You can also use fluxes as a lubricant for the soldering iron itself. One of them is flux core or rosin core. The flux core provides maximum surface area for the melted solder to prevent any oxidation between the wire and the soldering iron. It does this by shielding the current from entering the wires allowing you to melt solder without affecting your soldering iron’s accuracy.
Another important feature that many fluxes have is heating up quickly. If it’s too hot, it will burn up and heat your workpiece rather fast, so we recommend using a less reactive flux like rosin core which is more flammable than other types of flux cores that are usually used in the electronics industry, such as carnauba wax, paraffin wax and even some petroleum-based ones.
What Is The Best Flux For Silver Solder?
The answer to this question depends on the type of soldering you’re doing. For example, if you’re soldering a screw, flux is key. If you want to make jewelry, it’s not as critical. But in either case, the right flux and temperature are important. You can use any flux for silver solder except for t-flux (t-fluid). You should only use t-fluid when your solder is super hot.
It’s worth noting that some fluxes require you to warm up the metal before using them. For example, some fluxes require you to hold the metal at a certain temperature when using them with soldering iron.
Is Used As A Flux For Soldering Of Gold Or Silver Jewelry?
Flux is a flux, but it’s also used for soldering jewelry. It can be used in gold jewelry to give that shiny look and maintain the shine of the gold. Sometimes, you might use it for silver jewelry too. But not all fluxes are created equal. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, there are many different types of fluxes available on the market today, but they all work similarly to melt metals together and create solder.
The type of flux is an important aspect when choosing which flux you should use. The amount of flux you put on each piece of jewelry will directly influence how well it will stay together and how shiny the finished product will be. This article will help you decide if your chosen product needs additional fleshing or not!
Do You Need Flux To Solder Gold?
Solder is a critical component of the jewelry-making process, especially for gold. To solder your jewelry, you need flux to apply a solder layer on your material. The best choice for this task would be the flux made by fluxcrafter.
The body of this product is made up of pure hydrogen peroxide, which will react with the metal to make it stronger and strengthen the bond between the two materials.
It’s important to note that because this product is used in an oxidizing environment, it’s recommended that you use a flux made by Jatoba Flux soldering kit or another compatible brand.
Why Is The Solder Paste Used Along With Flux?
Solder paste is a paste that’s used to attach the gems to the bracelet. It comes in two different forms: white and yellow. The white paste is applied when the bracelet is made, and the yellow paste is applied after it’s been made.
Both forms are used to put the gems on to be joined together.
You can use either depending on what you’re doing with your bracelet at that moment—like, say, making an engagement or wedding ring!
What Flux Is Best For Jewelry Soldering
As the name suggests, flux is an alloy that helps create solder. The word “flux” comes from the French word for “flux”, which means “flow.” Then, it makes sense that these alloys will help create a solder flow between two parts joined together by plating.
“Fluxing” also refers to the process of soldering with a flux. Solder is a mixture of two or more metals and other elements, such as tin and antimony (from antimony tetroxide or Sb 2 O 3 ). The mixture is usually heated with heat to dissolve the metals’ impurities, making the resulting material flowable and smooth. Because of its ability to melt metals at high temperatures, it’s used in many industries today-including electronics, aerospace and automotive manufacturing. Flux can be used when adhering another material such as epoxy resin or resin admixture to metal.
Conclusion
We hope you had a nice time going through our review of the best Flux for soldering jewelry. If you are waiting for our final verdict on which is the best Flux to use, we are sorry because there we’re leaving that choice to you this time.
The main purpose of using a flux is to prevent the formation of oxides while soldering. The choice of a flux depends on many factors like the type of work, scale, and user personality.
All the products listed are great in their unique ways and will put the final touches on your homemade jewelry.
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