Best method to clean soldering iron barrel

[Hogwild]

Hi friends:

I am quite familiar with keeping my Weller iron's tip in good shape. However, the barrel and nut have become rather oxidized and have a fair bit of that white residue on them. What is the proper method to clean those?

Thanks

 

[HarryY]

Steel wool or a wire brush should work.

 

[Hogwild]

HarryY:

That's easy enough. It doesn't matter if you scratch the heck out of it? Is there a method that doesn't leave so many scratches?

 

[HarryY]

Fine steel wool should work.

I think l used a wire wheel on one of mine before with a lighter touch.

 

[Hogwild]

Thanks Harry.

 

[Enzo]

I'd grab a wire wheel and my Dremel before steel wool myself, but it is really the same thing to the iron.

Do you use a damp sponge to wipe the tip? If so, the white reside may just be mineral scale left from evaporating water on the thing.

I never worried about the cosmetics, they don't affect the heating. I have wire wheels in my Dremel selection of steel, brass, and even fiber. Pick a less aggressive brush if you like.

And replacement barrel/nut are readily available for not a lot of money - bright and new. I keep a spare one in my soldering dawer in case the one on the iron gets damaged.

 

[Refugee1]

I bet that a few weeks after you have cleaned the barrel the tip end will become warn out enough that the tip starts falling out all the time.
You will then have no choice but to buy a new barrel like I had to a couple of years ago.
It cost about half the price of an element.

 

[HarryY]

The steel wool I'm talking about is fine steel wool like what's in an SOS pad.

 

[Refugee1]

The tip end wears out from inside over time so that it no longer holds the tip. It is the little lip at the tip end that eventually gives up and lets the tip fall right out.

 

[Conrad Hoffman]

A bit OCD aren't we? If it's stainless steel, use some Barkeeper's Friend on a wet paper towel. It contains oxalic acid and is quite effective.

 

[kamis]

The only proper way to clean oxidized surfaces on soldering iron barrel and shaft is a brass wire brush. Harder than oxides, softer than iron plating . Recommended by many soldering iron manufacturers.Use pure brass wire brush, not brass plated steel wire.