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Hey folks,

How do you go about cleaning up solder joints on silver plate? I'm talking about the excess solder that runs a bit outside the joint or the streaks that sometimes stay after heating and wiping excess solder away.

On my raw brass horn, I just use a little bit of sandpaper, but I'm afraid of scratching the silver if I do that on a silver horn. Any other methods I could employ?

Not meant to be snarky, but the easiest way is prevention. Clean, good fit, heat control, etc. Otherwise, look for a product called "Miracle Cloth". Works pretty well.

Yeah, once it has occurred it's occurred. Silver tends to attract lead solder more than most any other type of surface.

I am no expert, but when I need to care I only use lead-free solder on silver because the lead will just stick to the silver and turn things ugly and black. Tin will only turn things a different shade of silver-ish color, and it can be polished up pretty well. also, you can use a graphite pencil and draw on the areas where you don't want solder to stick when you heat and wipe, and that dirties up the metal to help the solder not want to stick. I've heard a sharpie can be used this way too. Use a scraper CAREFULLY, close to ferrules and polish, especially where you had to heat. After the fact, just do the best you can.

It also helps to avoid getting flux on top of the silver plating and to heat as specifically as possible regarding where the heat is directed. It also helps to be able to steady one's forearm so as to not accidentally move the solder away from precisely where one wishes it to go.

Obviously, the idea with soldering is to build something first, shine it up later, and put a finish on it last.

To attempt to do this stuff in the wrong order is going to involve some special skill levels and/or some tricks.

Several tricks like using correction fluid(White Out), pencil, or Sharpie to mark the boundaries of your solder area should contain the flow, assuming parts are fit precisely. The Sharpie comes off with denatured alcohol as does the correction fluid.

Jewelry supply shops sell solder masking mud. It's a pain to use though. If there is a big glob, heat it and blast with compressed air. Then heat it again and soak up the remains with dry cotton.