Why is there a resurgence in the use of pure copper soldering irons?

Pure copper soldering iron tip, also known as "bare copper soldering iron tip" in the soldering iron industry, in order to make a clear distinction with the "alloy soldering iron tip" in the name of the dominant position in the market nowadays.

Bare copper soldering iron tip, is directly with pure copper substrate, through the milling process, to make the production of geometric shapes, can be put into use. The outside does not do any processing. But the disadvantage is that copper is easy to oxidise under high temperature conditions, the formation of copper oxide powder, brought into the solder joints, affecting the quality of the solder joints. Another defect is that it is easy to corrode and deform under the action of solder and flux. Alloy soldering iron tip, is on the basis of bare copper soldering iron tip, the outer layer through the electroplating process, so that it can adapt to the requirements of lead-free soldering, not only to meet the requirements of environmental protection, but also can make the soldering iron tip more corrosion-resistant, in a longer period of time, the soldering iron tip is not easy to deformation of the contact surface of the iron tip and the product. From the overall economy and process requirements to consider, the current alloy soldering iron tip is the first choice for lead-free tin soldering.
The use of soldering iron tips has also gone through an evolutionary process over the decades, from pure copper soldering iron tips to alloy soldering iron tips. Due to the rise of environmental protection, lead-free soldering has become the mainstream of the market, so the demand for alloy soldering iron tips is rapidly surging, and for quite a long time, you can hardly see pure copper soldering iron tips. Why now seems to have more and more people began to use back to pure copper soldering iron tip?

First, the demand of special industries.

For example: leather, fabric, copper lamp soldering and so on. These industries, some of the previous process did not use a soldering iron, and then after the development, the introduction of soldering iron, the role is not solder, may just go to the burrs, thermal cutting.
Second, the cost factor:

Pure copper soldering iron head, because less of the latter part of the alloy treatment process, so from the production cost is less than a half. So the one-time purchase cost will be correspondingly much lower. Especially the large volume of the soldering iron head, such as 300W lamp soldering iron head, a single weight accidentally more than 100 grams or more. The material cost takes up a large part.
Third, can be reused:

The use of pure copper soldering iron head industry, most of the response is a large soldering point, large heat melting amount of working conditions, the fine degree of craftsmanship is not too high, when used for a period of time, the soldering iron head tip deformation, you can own by grinding, and then continue to use. This is the alloy iron head can not be compared. In the plastic to go to the first edge, when the pure copper soldering iron tip is coated by the molten gel, only need to sandpaper rubbing to remove the gel and can be restored to the state of use.