Desoldering Braid

Desoldering Braid

Request Information

Request Information

Desoldering Braid

*=required field

Fast & Easy PCB Repair & Rework with Desoldering Wick

Techspray wick has been a mainstay at PCB rework, repair and prototyping stations for over 30 years. Available in 6 different widths, pretreated with rosin flux, no-clean flux, or unfluxed.

It is available in static dissipative bobbins for static sensitive environments, and in two different flux types as well as unfluxed:

  • No-Clean desoldering braid - coated with proprietary flux that only leaves a slight clear residue, which does not cause dendritic growth, corrosion, or other service issues. Cleaning after using Techspray No-Clean wick is optional.
  • Pro-Wick desoldering wick - coated with a fast-activating rosin flux for lightning-fast solder removal.
  • Unfluxed desoldering braid - ideal for customers that use an aqueous flux or who are required to maintain the same flux throughout board assembly and rework.

All Techspray desoldering braids are effective solder removers, are effective on lead and lead-free solders, are compliant with RoHS, and do not contain SVHC as defined by REACH.

For more information, check out our Ultimate Guide to Electronic Soldering.


Specifications: Meets or Exceeds MIL-F-14256; NASA NHB 5300, 4 (34-1); NASA NPC 200-4; NASA SP5002; 1821:HP 8690-0588; 1823: HP 8690-0577; IPC Standard-J-STD-004

Filters

Environmental & Safety

No-Clean Desoldering Braid No-Clean Desoldering Braid
Desoldering braid without any corrosive ionic flux residues, so cleaning is optional
Pro-Wick Desoldering Braid Pro Wick Desoldering Braid
Pro-Wick desoldering wick enables the fastest solder wicking action
Unfluxed Desoldering Braid Unfluxed Desoldering Braid
Unfluxed desoldering braid allows you to use your own flux -- ideal for aqueous process

FAQ's

How do I desolder with solder wick / desoldering braid?
Step 1: place the wick over the solder to be removed and then place the hot soldering iron over the braid.

Step 2: Place the tip at an angle that maximizes heat transfer through the braid to the solder. Use a clean tip that you have just tinned with fresh solder to maximize heat transfer. Heat will be moving up the copper, so be careful not to burn yourself.

Step 3: Apply slight pressure and wait for the solder to melt. Don’t get in too big of a hurry at this point. Allow the tip to dwell long enough on the wick to heat the wick and then the solder on the other side. You will see the wick begin to absorb the solder. Hold the tip and wick in place until the wicking action has stopped.

Step 4: Remove the wick and braid at the same time. Removing the iron before removing the wick can cause the wick to become soldered to the board. If that does happen, reheat the braid so that you can remove it.

Check out our video how on how to use desoldering wick.
Can I use solder wick after the expiration date?

Out-of-date solder wick can create a performance issue. As more oxidation builds on the copper braid, it will take longer to activate and draw up solder. It will slow down a little month-to-month until eventually the performance will be unacceptable. We estimate this to be 2-years based on average storage conditions. Wick in storage wrapped up tight can last longer, while a loose bobbin sitting on a benchtop will probably go bad sooner.

An operator will generally have a feel for how wick performs and will have an opinion on when performance is unacceptable. The main risk of using out-of-date wick is thermally stressing the working area, adjacent components, etc. When an operator tries to make due with old wick that is underperforming, they tend to turn up the heat on their iron, or keep the tip in contact with the wick and work for a longer period of time. 

So whether or not out-of-date wick is considered good depends on the criticality and conservativeness of your process. An average shop would keep using it until it stops working well.  A very conservative process (e.g. for class 3 electronics) could require wick in stock to be discarded at the expiration date, and loose bobbins at workstations replaced periodically (i.e. weekly or monthly).

How are Techspray's desoldering braid products classified?

Techspray uses 2 types of flux: Prowick line is a natural gum rosin. Per J-STD-004 Section 3.2, the Prowick is classified as ROL0. Per British Std. EN 29454-1:1993 and ISO9454-1:1990, Prowick has a classification of 1.1.1.B. No-Clean flux is a synthetic (non-colophony)flux. Per J-STD-004 Section 3.2, it is classified as REL0. Per British Std. EN 29454-1:1993 and ISO9454-1:1990, the No-Clean flux has a classification of 1.2.3.B.

Articles

Desoldering How-To Guide
Desoldering wick (also known as solder wick, wick, or desoldering braid) is a common method of removing unwanted solder using flux and braided copper wire.  It is commonly used to aid in removing faulty components, to correct solder bridging, or for any other reason that solder needs to be re...
Read This Post
Ultimate Guide to Electronic Soldering
What is soldering? Soldering is the joining of two metal surfaces mechanically and electrically, with the use of metal called solder. Solder secures the connection so it doesn’t break loose due to vibration or other mechanical forces. It also provides electrical continuity, so that the electr...
Read This Post

Videos

You did not finish submitting your information to request a sample