: Anything the tip hits while heated will suck the heat out of the tip, best to
: lay it on something so the tip is in the air.

: Bill H.

I was just kidding about the holster...but still good advice.
I finished cutting the nylon today and got the kayak skinned and sewn. The soldering iron worked great, as did wiping off the tip with a wet rag. Thanks for the wonderful suggestions.
Now on to a few other questions:
I plan to use ZAR to paint the hull. When do I add the coloring to it? I purchased a small tube of yellow oil paint as suggested by Dave Gentry, and did not know whether to add the yellow color all at once, or in stages? What should I use to apply the paint to the nylon skin (brush, foam brush, epoxy type scraper)? And how many coats of paint do I need to properly seal the kayak?
Guess that's all for now.
Thanks again to all for the quick help and educational replies!
Kyle H.