Thanks Jim Beam & Jim Yank - you were both right.
I was leery of putting too much heat to contact - especially before I got
spare. Thought I might melt the plastic in the housing & end up with a
useless mess, but re-flused & held iron over pitted area untill solder on
good area melted & flowed in to fill. After filing, contact looks like new.
I guess I could have saved myself $20, but I'm ok with it & a little better
at soldering now. I even filled in the back side where the lead attaches to
the switch. Doesn't quite look like the factory solder - but close. I'd
warrantee it for 5 years.

Thanks again

Jim
"jim beam" <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in message
news:fMadnVd_eY6IPHzVnZ2dnUVZ_o3inZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> jim L wrote:
>> Still can't get pitted area on old switch to take solder. I'm using
>> rosin core solder with flux, but no go. BTW, it's a lead free flux -
>> but the only flux available @ local hw store if that makes any
>> difference. I'm not an expert on soldering by any means, but - would
>> acid core stick - or has metalurgy changed to where nothing will work?
>> I no longer need this switch, but would like to be able to repair it for
>> practice and my own curiosity.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
> suspect you need a higher wattage iron. those are big fat copper cables -
> they suck heat like crazy.