Review on 🔧 Lesnow Desoldering Removal Dispenser with No Clean Solution by Billy Berry

I've been seeing alternatives to the NTE solder wick for a long time. I have always bought NTE because I have many years of experience with it. But NTE costs $10 apiece, and alternatives cost about half that. So I decided to try the Lesnow No-Clean solder tape and compare it to the NTE No-Clean solder tape. At first glance, the Lesnow and NTE packaging are almost identical. Same size, shape and strength. The Lesnow copper braid is darker than depicted on the Revain website and darker than the NTE braid. I have tested both products on two common tasks: 1. Removing solder from through components. The Lesnow braid does not absorb solder as well as the NTE braid. It also doesn't get hot and the solder pools on the surface of the braid rather than being absorbed into the braid. I have not been able to achieve a loose connection on any of the seals I have tested with Lesnow braid. The NTE braid removed most if not all of the solder, leaving the parts mostly pad-free. In my opinion, there are three reasons for this: a. Lesnow's copper braid looks darker compared to the NTE braid, which is pink. This can be caused by some tarnishing of Lesnow braid, or Lesnow braid is copper alloy to reduce cost instead of pure copper. b. The Lesnow braid is not as finely woven compared to the NTE braid. This is very important for the solder pickup of the braid. A coarse braid doesn't work as well as a thin one. in. The NTE braid has a very small amount of dry flux in the braid which promotes wicking but leaves no trace on the pad. The Lesnow braid doesn't seem to have the same type and amount of flux. The design and composition of the NTE braid helps it absorb solder much better than the Lesnow braid at reasonable temperatures.2. Removing excess solder from thru hole and surface mount pads. For small areas of excess solder, Lesnow and NTE braids worked well, leaving the pads clean and ready for re-soldering. However, for large solder joints, the NTE braid ran much faster with less heat. I was not happy with the performance of the Lesnow solder wick compared to the NTE. The additional costs for NTE are worthwhile in the wiring effort.