Editing Soldering iron (section)

==History==
[[File:Benzinlötlampen_und_Lötkolben.jpg|thumb|Historical soldering irons (front) and torches (back)]]
Before the development of electric soldering irons, the typical soldering iron consisted of a [[copper]] block, with an appropriately shaped point, supported on an [[iron]] rod and held in a wood handle.  Immediately before use, the iron was heated over a fire or in a charcoal [[brazier]], and it had to be reheated whenever it became too cool for use.  Soldering irons were primarily used by [[tinsmith]]s and [[coppersmith]]s to work with thin [[sheet metal]].<ref>C. Tomlinson, Ed., Solder, [https://books.google.com/books?id=hPgGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA664 Cyclopædia of useful arts & manufactures, Vol. 7], George Virtue, London, 1852; pages 662-666, page 664 discusses soldering irons.</ref>

A large copper block was required in order to have sufficient [[thermal capacity]] to provide
useful heat after removal from the fire, and copper is expensive.  This led to the development of
soldering irons that had a small copper tip attached to an inexpensive [[Cast iron|cast-iron]] block.<ref>John H. Trowbridge, Improvement in Soldering-Irons, {{US Patent|53545}}, granted Mar. 27, 1866.</ref>  Some irons even had removable and replaceable copper tips.<ref>Lester Patee, Improvement in Soldering-Irons, {{US Patent|29039}}, granted July 3, 1860.</ref>

The first electric soldering iron had a very lightweight platinum tip heated by [[electric current]] flowing through the tip itself.<ref>Charles E. Ball, Soldering Iron, {{US Patent|236,972}}, granted Jan. 25, 1881.</ref>  By 1889, electric soldering irons were being developed with a [[resistance wire]] wrapped around the back end of the copper head and enclosed in a protective shell.<ref>Willard M. Miner, Electric Soldering-Iron, {{US Patent|421,185}}, granted Feb. 11, 1890.</ref>  Alternatively, the [[heating element]] could be enclosed in a relatively light-weight hollow copper head.<ref>Arthur E. Appleyard, Electric Soldering-Iron, {{US Patent|455010}}, June 30, 1891.</ref> 

In 1894, the American Electrical Heater Company began  [[manufacturing]] electrical soldering irons on a large scale in Detroit. They started  producing them and  shortly after American  Electrical Heater Company  released their line of soldering irons. In 1905, ''Scientific American Magazine,'' published a tutorial on making a soldering iron that
clearly explains how early irons were made.<ref>Arthur Weeks, How to Make an Electric Soldering Iron, [https://books.google.com/books?id=M6MzAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA283 Scientific American Vol. XCII], No. 14 (Apr. 8, 1905); page 283.</ref>

In 1921, a German company founded by Ernst Sachs developed an electrical soldering iron similar to American Electrical Heater Company iron. in 1926, William Alferink applied for a patent for the first soldering station.<ref>William Alferink, Combined Holder and Automatic Circuit Breaker for Electric Soldering Irons, {{US Patent|1675401}}, July 3, 1928.</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=November 29, 2018 |title=History 101 - The Modern Soldering Iron |url=https://handtoolsforfun.com/history-101-the-modern-soldering-iron/}}</ref>