Soldering tips transfer heat from soldering irons to melt solder and form strong joints between components and materials. There are many different types available to suit different tasks, including desoldering, with lots of interchangeable soldering equipment.

Whether you're searching for a specific shape or manufacturer, such as Weller soldering tips, we can help you find what you need. We stock a broad range of quality products from trusted brands under the Apex Tool Group, plus items by Plato Products, RS PRO, and many more. You'll also find accessories such as soldering iron tip cleaner to preserve your equipment, and soldering tweezers to make holding small parts easier.

Buy soldering tips through our website today and get to work in no time thanks to our quick shipping capabilities across North America. You can read more about the different types of tips below, as well as how to care for them.

What are soldering tips?

Soldering tips are the end components of soldering irons and guns that transfer heat to melt solder applied to a connection point. Sometimes referred to as 'bits', these tips are usually made of a copper core plated with iron. They come in a range of sizes and profiles to suit different jobs, components, and materials.

Most soldering tips are removable and reusable, but they do wear out over time and need replacing. Their condition is crucial to the soldering process, as it relies on effective heat transfer, so it's important to take good care of your soldering iron or gun tips.

What are common applications of soldering tips?

Soldering tips are relied upon in a broad range of industries and settings, from electronics to manufacturing, plumbing, and jewelry making. Their key functions are soldering, which means applying solder to form strong joints between components, and desoldering, which involves removing solder for repair and replacement tasks.

What are the different types of soldering tips?

Most soldering irons allow you to remove and install different tips to suit different applications or levels of precision. Common tip shapes you may need at hand include:

Conical: These tips have a tight, pointed, cone-like shape and allow you to solder at any angle. They're ideal for general soldering applications as well as more delicate work, as their point delivers heat across a small area.
Chisel: Another general purpose option, chisel tips have a larger surface area that helps them deliver increased heat and deposit solder over larger areas. They also make ideal desoldering tips.
Knife: Knife or blade soldering iron tips have flattened tips and are perfect for desoldering, depositing solder into narrow gaps, and drag soldering. These are among the thinnest soldering iron tips.
Bevel: The ends of bevel tips are cut off at an angle to help them hold large amounts of solder. They're also well suited to drag soldering.

How to care for your soldering tips

Soldering tips can harm the soldering process if they become unreliable in transferring heat. It's normal for them to wear out over time, but there are precautions you can take to extend their lifespan and ensure consistent results.

Use high-quality solder: Low-quality solder can contain impurities that build up on your tips and impede efficient heat transfer. Buying solder from reputable brands is one way to avoid this. Good-quality solder should melt readily at its intended temperature, so check the manufacturer's instructions.
Maintain optimal temperature: Turning up the heat on your soldering iron or gun can damage your tips, so aim to keep their temperature consistently close to optimal. Temperature regulation varies between soldering irons, but avoid using higher temperatures than your application demands.
Clean your tips: Use a clean cloth and some alcohol to wipe the tip before soldering, and try a soldering iron tip cleaner such as brass or stainless steel wool for any stubborn remnants. After cleaning, wet the tip with fresh solder to prevent oxidation.
Use flux: Flux dissolves the layer of oxidation that forms when metals come into contact with oxygen, preventing solder from wetting joints adequately.
Tin your tips: Covering your soldering iron tip in a thin layer of solder before and after soldering prevents oxidation, helps solder flow better, and ensures efficient heat transfer.

What are soldering tweezers?

Soldering tweezers are small pinching tools that allow you to hold small parts in place easily when soldering. They're commonly used when soldering jewelry.

Buy soldering tips and accessories online with RS

Whether you're hunting for Weller soldering iron replacement tips or another reputable brand, we have all the names, stock, and shipping services you need. With such a vast array of tip types on the market, filter by shape, manufacturer, size, and more to home in on your ideal parts.

Got a question? Contact our team or find advice and industry news on our expert hub.