You can chop up a pre 1982 penny for replacement soldering iron tips.

[Faradave]

Just jam em in there

 

[Pommie]

It'll probably fail just like that 1982 condom.

Mike.
Edit, you can't be that old. Fill in the missing blank.

 

[DrG]

Just jam em in there

Well, I suppose...

Before 1982, the US made copper cents (not pennies) that are basically 95% copper. Thereafter, they have made zinc cents that have a small amount of copper- basically a plating. In 1982, they made both types, easily distinguished by their weight; copper=3.11 gms vs zinc=2.5 gms.

Because of the increasing value of copper, the copper cents have been hoarded. The practice is somewhat reminiscent of the hoarding of pre-1965 silver coins.

Copper has sometimes reached values that make a cent worth more than a cent in melt value. In the US, it is illegal to melt coins for their metal value.

Some "investors" believe that, eventually, the cent will be discontinued and no longer legal tender, allowing them to cash in on the copper. This is problematic in a practical sense (you have to collect and store a lot of them, wait for something that may not happen in your lifetime, then melt them, then sell them - and have the price of copper remain high enough).

I think some practices (hoarding for melt and using them as solder tips, or fuses) may be ill-advised. But, we all make mistakes.

 

[Ian Rogers]

My soldering tips a £3 each... They last for............. well a really long time.. The one in now was put in 2017 sometime.

Finding a pre 1982 penny then spending half a day making it fit, then having to tin the tip daily... A lot of hassle if you ask me..

 

[rjenkinsgb]

I think it would take more than half a day (and more than one penny) to make the Antex type I use!

 

[unclejed613]

if you have a tap and die set, and some 8AWG solid copper wire you can make replacement tips for soldering irons like the radio shack pencil iron

 

[shortbus=]

But isn't it true the tips may be copper under the skin but any I'm aware of are iron plated. to keep the copper from dissolving by the solder, in use.

Older and very cheap irons typically use a bare copper tip, which is shaped with a file or sandpaper.[citation needed] This dissolves gradually into the solder, suffering pitting and erosion of the shape.[citation needed] Copper tips are sometimes filed when worn down. Iron-plated copper tips have become increasingly popular since the 1980s.[citation needed] Because iron is not readily dissolved by molten solder, the plated tip is more durable than a bare copper one, though it will eventually wear out and need replacing From - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldering_iron#Tips

http://www.zeph.com/replacementsolderingtips.htm Every reputable site says the same, tips are iron plated.

 

[Faradave]

Na man, I'm sayin just the tip, not the entire shaft. But I honestly didn't think mods would let me **** post like this lol. I grabbed a handfull of pennies and ~1/3 of em were pre-1982 and for a guy like me who bought a soldering iron with a flimsy tip who is determined to get his moneys worth, it would be a mistake to call this ill advised. It's not only as good as when I 1st bought it, it's better cause now it's breaking the law.

See, just jam it in there. Youtube vids of it soldering like new upon request