It was in the USA that I first heard them referred to as a "Sodering Irons" .. I assumed at the time that it was a mistake and that "Soldering" was the only correct term.. I was assured though that in some parts of the US the term "Sodering" is quite common.
Chris
--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Piers Goodhew <piers@...> wrote:
>
> I thought Wikipedia would have the answer, but it does not.
>
> I'm guessing it predates soldering - as we have clothes "irons" (which
> may have actually been iron (wikipedia again deficient)) and the
> phrase "strike while the iron is hot" - which I take to mean a
> branding iron and they usually are iron 'cos that's what guys on farms
> have handy.
>
> Just a generic phrase for hot metal from back when there weren't many
> around?
>
> It's also just occurred to me that you'd want the handle to be iron
> because it doesn't transfer heat well, and it's probably a bit hard to
> fuse iron and copper manually.
>
> PG
>
> On 16/10/2009, at 7:38 PM, Stefan Trethan wrote:
>
> > BELL SYSTEM PRACTICES
> > Plant Series
> > SECTION 075-160-301
> > Issue 2, August, 1961
> > AT&TCo Standard
> > SCREWDRIVERS
> > SELECTION, USE AND MAINTENANCE
> >
> > <http://www.telephonecollectors.org/DocumentLibrary/BSPs/075Division/075-160-301.pdf
> > >
> >
> > Quote:
> >
> > <Do not stick a screwdriver in either the
> > flame of a furnace or torch, or a pot of hot
> > solder, as this will destroy the temper of the tool.
> > Never use a screwdriver as a substitute for a
> > soldering copper.>
> >
> > This is the only reference to a soldering copper I have ever seen, but
> > it immediately caught my eye since I always thought iron is the wrong
> > name.
> > Anyway, it's just odd that they would use a name that doesn't appear
> > to exist anywhere else.
> >
> > ST
> >
> > On Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 9:54 AM, AD5VJ Bob <rtnmi@...>
> > wrote:
> > > No not sure, it has been a while. Could have been copper though I
> > know it heated up really fast and stayed that way for quiet a
> > > while.
> > >
> > > Bob AD5VJ
> >
>