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Remove solder from silver dollars

Q. I have a few silver dollars that someone made into a bolo tie. I have gotten the dollars loose from the tie back but now need to remove the metal or glue that was used to hold them together.

Donald Benjamin
retired business owner - Missouri
2006

1923 Silver Dollars on eBay

A. If it was solder, you can go into any RadioShack and ask them for the proper tools to remove it. If I recall, it just takes a soldering tool and some special tape like stuff - fairly inexpensive.

If it was glue, I've got no idea... but try searching the archived letters, you might find a hint or two.

Good luck!

Jim Gorsich
Compton, California, USA
2006

A. Hi.
Yes, you can very easily remove 98% or more of the solder with a cheap electric soldering iron [on eBay or Amazon] and very inexpensive "solder wick" [on eBay or Amazon] -- $10 or $15 will cover both. Whether you can get 100%, absolutely no remnants or wetting left, I'm not expert enough to know :-(

As for glue, any solvent you try is quite unlikely to damage metal; they dissolve organics like paint and glue.
Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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