For soldering catches and joints to cheap metal brooches that have been silver-plated or gilt, ordinary tinman's solder is used. Both catches and joints can be cheaply purchased, hard-soldered on to small plates, square, oval, or crescent shaped, to suit all kinds of brooches. Take one of these and hold it with an old pair of soldering tweezers in the flame of a spirit lamp, and give it a coating of solder on its under side. First wet it with the flux (hydrochloric acid killed with zinc, as used by a tinman), and then place a small portion of solder on it, and hold it in the flame until it flows all over the plate. It can be assisted to flow evenly by a copper wire, which is also useful to apply the acid flux. Having " tinned " the catch, clean (by scraping bright) the brooch, and place the catch in position. Direct a gentle blowpipe flame to it until it is seen to settle down and the solder flows. Then wash it immediately in warm water to remove the acid and dry in sawdust, kept in a warm place. Use as little solder as possible, and only clean the brooch where the solder is required to run.

Attention to these points will ensure a neat job.