Unbridging a Bridged Solder Connection

Very often, when trying to attach leadwires to solder tabs or even tinning solder tabs, the close proximity of the tabs can cause one to bridge the two solder tabs together.  This connects the leadwire junctions and leaves the strain gage in a non-functional state.  Normally solder wick might be your first thought. But a more simplified approach to the problem is to separate the junction by simply “dragging” a heated soldering pencil tip between the two pads.  The excess solder will follow the hot pencil tip  and break the link between the two pads.