Silver soldering is a process where two or more pieces of silver are joined together permanently with an alloy of silver. To fuse the components together neatly, the solder alloy must have a lower melting temperature than the silver itself. The solder will melt, and then be drawn into and along the joint by capillary action. The pieces of silver being joined will not actually fuse together; rather the solder will fuse with each separate piece.
Despite the seemingly simple nature of the soldering operation, it can take the amateur many frustrating attempts before a successful joint is achieved. Much of this frustration can be avoided if the process is approached methodically, and the basic guidelines are followed. The entire soldering process is best taken as a series of individual steps. If these steps are adhered to and fully completed in turn, then a strong joint can be achieved time after time. It is best to begin with simple joints, as each type of joint is mastered an amateur silversmith can soon combine them into more complex pieces of work.
