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Period Solder

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  • #1

    Period Solder

    Hello all! I tried the search function, yet it yielded negative results, so here it goes. I apologize in advance if this has already been discussed. I have a canteen that is in need of repair beyond a simple beeswax treatment and I am going to attempt re-soldering on a bottom edge. Is there any sort of documentation regarding then solder used back then? Is modern day solder acceptable for this task? I thought I'd throw it out there for you guys before I accidentally destroy a perfectly good canteen. Thanks for the help!

    Regards,
    [SIZE="3"][B]Chris Montague[/B][/SIZE]
    Associate of the 10th Virginia Infantry/5th Wisconsin
    Member of the Battalion of the Common Soldier

    Golf Co, 2/23 Marines
    Ar Ramadi/Al Fallujah, Iraq
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Period Solder

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe most period solder was lead based? I've had one canteen for 23 years and I'd say it's probably 75% solder at this point. I just used modern stuff, but it's my federal bulls eye so it's covered up with a cover.
    Brandon English

    "There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory, but, boys, it is all hell."--William T. Sherman

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Period Solder

      That's kind of what I figured, but it wouldn't be the first time I'd be surprised in the hobby.

      Regards,
      [SIZE="3"][B]Chris Montague[/B][/SIZE]
      Associate of the 10th Virginia Infantry/5th Wisconsin
      Member of the Battalion of the Common Soldier

      Golf Co, 2/23 Marines
      Ar Ramadi/Al Fallujah, Iraq

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Period Solder

        If the Canteen is an Ulrich. He will repair it for you for the cost of shipping.
        Thank You,

        Brent Dacus

        The AC Admin
        The Company of Military Historians
        Member, Civil War Preservation Trust

        Are you reading? I still am...

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Period Solder

          Hallo!

          Correct...

          "Solder" can vary but NUG it "was" an alloy of lead and tin. Sometimes with traces of other metals)
          Basically, it was typically alloyed in order to better solder different metals.

          IMHO, much akin to the movement to go "environmentally friendly' and remove the lead filling backer from stamped belt plates with gray epoxy resin... over the years there has been a movement to replace the "lead" solder in tinware.

          Curt
          Curt Schmidt
          In gleichem Schritt und Tritt, Curt Schmidt

          -Hard and sharp as flint...secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.
          -Haplogroup R1b M343 (Subclade R1b1a2 M269)
          -Pointless Folksy Wisdom Mess, Oblio Lodge #1
          -Vastly Ignorant
          -Often incorrect, technically, historically, factually.

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          • #6
            Re: Period Solder

            Originally posted by Chris Montague View Post
            I thought I'd throw it out there for you guys before I accidentally destroy a perfectly good canteen. Thanks for the help!

            Regards,
            A perfectly good canteen does not leak. Couldn't resist that comment.

            However a word of warning. If your spout is pewter do not touch it with a hot iron. Been there and done that fixing a spout joint and put a hole in the spout. I have repaired small leaks with 50/50 solid core solder in the body seam of the canteen.. In Va. it can still be bought for uses other than plumbing where it is in contact with drinking water. If you can't buy any ask anybody over age 50 if they have some. There is usually a roll around someplace. The trick is to get flux into the hole so that the solder will flow in. Heating the fluxed canteen with a hair dryer usually melts the flux and gets it flowing. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. It's worth a try. If there is lots of rust inside the canteen you might want to invest in another.
            Jim Mayo
            Portsmouth Rifles, Company G, 9th Va. Inf.

            CW Show and Tell Site
            http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/j_mayo/index.html

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Period Solder

              Thanks for the advice Jim. You're right, it is a perfect canteen, except for the leak :cry_smile Touché good sir. Touché. Curt, I've found some old school solder that I think would be perfect, but I thought I'd run it across here to see if I could get any additional info. As far as I can tell, it doesn't appear to have a copious amount of rust, but I could be wrong. I'll give it a shot! Thanks for all the help everyone!

              Regards,
              [SIZE="3"][B]Chris Montague[/B][/SIZE]
              Associate of the 10th Virginia Infantry/5th Wisconsin
              Member of the Battalion of the Common Soldier

              Golf Co, 2/23 Marines
              Ar Ramadi/Al Fallujah, Iraq

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Period Solder

                One good source for 50/50 and 60/40 lead solder is stained glass supply shops..and if you do have to mess with an area near the pewter spout a soldering iron that has a thermostat control either externally or internal will do the trick..it also helps to "hold yer mouth right"..a light touch is required:wink_smil..how do I know? well..as owner/operator/CEO/and gofer for the now defunct "Mitchell Studios" stained glass I repaired several pre and post war church windows and sundry others..and that old lead is very soft and tricky..give it a try and BTW be sure the area is VERY clean and shiney..should be a "piece of cake"
                Gary Mitchell
                2nd Va. Cavalry Co. C
                Stuart's horse artillery

                Comment

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