Subject: Soldering 14K

From: [email-masked] (Keith Hearn)
Date: 21 Oct 1993 15:49:49 -0700

Ok, here's a jewelry question for all of you our there:

I'm working on a 14K necklace, my first time working with gold. I've done a
  bit of jewelry work with sterling before. I'm finding that after I've
  soldered, the gold looks like it's got a thin, copper-colored layer on
  it. I'm assuming that this is due to the copper in the alloy I'm using (I
  got it from River Gems, if anyone knows for sure what they use to make
  their 14K alloy). I'm using River's easy 14K solder.

Is it normal to have this layer appear when soldering? What's the best way to
  remove it. I've got some pickling solution (also from River) that seems to
  work fine on the sterling, but it takes a long time soaking in it to
  remove the copper color from the 14K. I don't recall off the top of my
  head what the brand name is, but I'm pretty sure it's the same stuff as
  Sparex. It comes as a white powder and you mix it with water. 

Is there something better for me to use to remove this layer?

  Keith

-- 
Keith Hearn                   \    There are times when
[email-masked]             \       I think a nuclear war
Pyramid Technology Corporation  \            might benefit mankind.
(408) 428-7304 or (408) 263-2701 \  Delenda est Barney.