If you’re working with a new soldering tip you need to make sure it’s primed for use. “Tinning” is the application of a thin covering of solder on your soldering tip.

Proper tinning will eliminate corrosion from extreme heat on the tip and ensure an effective coating of solder when working. The oxidation that occurs when you fail to tin disrupts the alloying process and creates poor solder connections or cold joints.

Tinning the tip improves conductivity, making soldering quicker and easier. Some components are heat sensitive so the quicker you can solder them, the less likely they are to be heat damaged.

Even when your soldering iron is not in use, you should keep a layer of solder on the tip.