Mending a Leaky Kettle

The first thing to do ia to find the leaks. To do this hold the kettle between your eyes and the light, and if the holes are fairly large you can easily see them; if they are small fill the vessel full of water, when a tiny drop will soon form on the outside over the hole.

Having found the hole scrape the metal all around it as clean as a hound's tooth. See to it that your soldering copper is well tinned and hot enough so that it will instantly melt the solder when it comes in contact with it.

Rub the soldering fluid over the brightened surface with a bit of a pine stick cut flat on one end like a paddle and the acid will cut off the grease and dirt which would otherwise prevent the solder from sticking.

Now hold the solder in your left hand with the end of it over the hole, and with the soldering copper in your right hand melt the solder with it. The solder will instantly begin to flow, and if you have followed the above instructions it will fill the hole and stay there.