Jewellery Tip - Thermo Loc

Paste solder is great stuff, and I use it often, especially for chain making. It does have some quirks however, and one of them is that the more you have used, the harder it gets to push the paste out.

A solution that I have found works for me is to make extender handles onto the *syringe with Thermo-Loc. Thermo-Loc is a plastic material that softens in hot water, becomes malleable, then hardens as it cools.

I also use it for setting stud/post earrings and cufflinks, and holding items when engraving. I bought mine from Sutton Tools, after they gave me a free sample at IJL one year. You get 15 sticks in a pack, and as it is reusable -  it should last for ages. Very useful stuff!

*If you use metal clay in a syringe it should work for that too!

Sticks of Thermo-Loc

Crude but practical - extender handles for paste solder...

... makes it much easier to use once you get towards the end of the paste!