Harris

Harris Products Group traces its roots to 1899, when inventor John Harris developed the oxy-acetylene cutting method, leading to the world's first flame cutting torch. He founded the Harris Calorific Company in 1905 to manufacture cutting and welding equipment.

A second lineage began in 1914 when Joseph W. Harris founded the J.W. Harris Company, which expanded into brazing and soldering alloys still used as industry standards today. Lincoln Electric acquired Harris Calorific in 1990 and J.W. Harris Co. in 2005, merging both businesses into The Harris Products Group in 2006. The company now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Lincoln Electric with manufacturing facilities including Mason, Ohio.

Product Lines

Harris manufactures cutting and welding torches, multi-stage pressure regulators, and gas equipment used for oxy-fuel cutting and welding applications. The lineup includes swaged cutting tips and safety devices such as torch and regulator check valves.

On the brazing and soldering side, Harris produces phosphorus-copper and silver-bearing brazing alloys along with soldering supplies used widely in plumbing and refrigeration work for joining copper pipe and fittings.

Why Contractors Specify Harris

Plumbers and HVAC technicians specify Harris brazing alloys and soldering supplies because the phosphorus-copper and silver-bearing formulations are recognized industry standards for joining copper pipe, giving installers confidence in joint strength on potable water and refrigeration lines.

Harris regulators and torches pair with that same brazing and soldering work, letting a technician source gas equipment and filler metal from one manufacturer for a complete soldering or brazing setup.

How to Choose Harris Products

Selecting a brazing or soldering alloy depends on the base metals being joined and the service conditions of the joint, since phosphorus-copper alloys are typically used for copper to copper joints while silver-bearing alloys handle joints involving dissimilar metals or higher strength requirements.

For torch and regulator selection, technicians should match the regulator's pressure range and gas type, whether acetylene, propane, or oxygen, to the cutting or brazing task, and confirm the torch tip size fits the material thickness being worked.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Harris phosphorus-copper and silver-bearing brazing alloys?

Phosphorus-copper alloys are designed for copper to copper joints and do not require flux on copper, while silver-bearing alloys are used for joints involving dissimilar metals or applications needing added joint strength, generally requiring flux.

What gases work with Harris torches and regulators?

Harris gas equipment is built for fuel gases such as acetylene and propane paired with oxygen, depending on the specific torch and regulator model selected for a cutting or brazing task.

Are Harris brazing alloys suitable for potable water copper piping?

Harris brazing and soldering alloys are widely used for joining copper pipe and fittings in plumbing systems, with alloy selection depending on the joint's pressure and temperature service requirements.

What is a swaged cutting tip?

A swaged cutting tip is a torch tip design that Harris helped pioneer, shaping the metal to direct the cutting oxygen and fuel gas flow for cleaner cuts.

Who manufactures Harris Products Group equipment today?

Harris Products Group operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Lincoln Electric, formed in 2006 from the merger of Harris Calorific and the J.W. Harris Company.