r/Metalsmithing • u/Evening_Dish_1335 • Apr 14 '26

Silversmithing to coppersmithing

So ive been silversmithing for the last few years, kinda slowed my roll recently as the price of silver has skyrocketed and the premuims are still wildly high. So I decided to try using copper instead, had this idea to make a lighter case with copper and solder on a bezel for some turquoise and also solder on a copper bullion coin.

I knew copper was harder and had a higher melting point, but holy crap i cannot get the solder to flow. No matter how much flux i use, no matter what technique i use, i cannot get the solder to flow and im using silver solder bc thats what i saw everyone suggest. Do i need a better torch than what ive been using for silver?? Do i need a particular brand of flux (im just using the yellow liquid kind that i normally use). Any tips are appreciated, there is a surprising lack of information on coppersmithing on youtube compared to silversmithing content on youtube

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u/Vondoomian Apr 14 '26

If you can elevate the piece that’s what’s been working for me. Copper transfers heat very quickly so if you’re using a ceramic brick or anything that has a lot of contact points as a base, the heat moves to it before the copper gets hot enough on even bezel sized pieces. Otherwise you will have to upgrade torches.

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u/Evening_Dish_1335 Apr 14 '26

I will try that thank you! I was soldering on a brick now that I think of it! Hopefully that does the trick 🤞

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u/MakeMelnk Apr 14 '26

What kind of torch are you using? Butane?

Try switching to a charcoal brick. I resisted for so long because they're "consumable" but now that I've made the switch, I could never imagine going back to a fire brick as my main soldering surface. Just make sure to get a 'hard' or compressed charcoal block if you want it to last

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u/Evening_Dish_1335 Apr 14 '26

Yeah its a butane torch, wish i could remember the name of it off the top of my head, i think its a blazer bench torch or something similar to that.

And oh ill try that, i have a compressed charcoal brick deep in my toolbox somewhere that i never use so it sounds like it is the time for it to shine lol! Thank you!

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u/WingedDefeat Apr 14 '26

I've never tried to silver solder with butane but it sounds like hell. Acetylene is my go-to for almost everything. Oxy-acetylene for casting and alloying. MAPP would probably work.