Applicant has discovered that articles comprising inorganic surfaces that are difficult to bond can be more effectively soldered or brazed with a solder or braze containing rare earth elements where the rare earth (RE) elements are substantially kept from contact with air at soldering temperatures, i.e. the RE elements are exposed to air for no more than a few seconds at soldering temperature. This can be efficiently accomplished in several ways. The result is efficient, strong bonding of materials previously considered difficult to bond.