What’s a Cotter Pin and how to use one when soldering jewellery
What is a Cotter Pin?
A cotter pin, also known as a split pin, is a metal pin designed for fastening two parts of a mechanism together (think tractors and machinery) but in the world of jewellery making they’re also a really useful tool when it comes to soldering.
How to Use a Cotter Pin
Use them to hold small component parts in place so that they don’t roll away
Use them to raise up your jewellery so you can get your flame underneath your piece for even heating
And as stainless steel is a great heat conductor they’re perfect for protecting previous solder joins and findings from accidentally melting!
And the best bit? These unassuming little pins can be found in pretty much every hardware store the world over!
(But you can also find them in the Essential Tools Lists if you want to buy them online)
