Posted by Sheri on July 23, 2003 at 10:05:27:
In Reply to: soldering iron cleaning posted by Rick on July 20, 2003 at 16:48:45:
Hi, Rick -- During soldering, I "dust" the excess hot solder from the tip of the iron using a damp sponge. Rather than wipe the tip on the sponge, I use the sponge to lightly brush the excess solder off the tip, into the sponge tray. When the tip develops dark spots that heat unevenly and prevent the solder from melting, I rub the tip of the hot iron, together with a drop of solder, on a block of Sal Ammoniac (available in glass supply stores). The Sal Ammoniac causes the solder to adhere to the tip of the iron, returning it to its original bright finish. Hope this helps. I'll be interested to hear others' comments as well.
Good luck!
Sheri