I like using Cardas lead silver solder with a little copper. A joy to work with . Lead free solder is useless. Too narrow a temperature flow range. Resolder a lead free joint and you get moonscape. The fumes are not lead but flux, and you should not breath lead free solder fumes either. Lead free joints crack easier and behave like a cold solder joint. On a tube socket, lead free can be a disaster. If it works great for you I tip my hat. In my hands, I only make leaded work. Sonically lead free was too bright as well. Jallen
Recommended Soldering Iron
My son wants to build his first headphone amp (kit). He's asking for a soldering iron for Christmas. Can anyone offer up some information on what I should be looking for? He wants to start off with one of those Altoid can amps and work up to tube. I don't want to go too cheap but rather a decent one he can sell if he loses interest. He's 19 so we don't need the Easy Bake Iron. Any information is greatly appreciated.