I you need to hang on to little bits of hot metal with a vice, or a pair of pliers, cut up some cardboard strips to insulate it, might be dificult if you use only a torch, I use a large soldering iron, either a 175W electric, or a large one that needs heating with the blowlamp. I have a plumbers devise used for making wiped joints, also used for wiping the solder off joint, it's called a mole skin, actually it is some material like Corderoy A cotton cloth, folded in a 4" x 4" square X about 1/2" thick, it was among my grandfathers plumbing tools.
Ian S C