A handheld soldering iron, comprising: a power supply; a workstand; a handpiece including a soldering iron tip comprising a hollow cylindrical base, a pointed distal end and a proximal end with an ID feedback device including a conductive material coating, which when read provides authentication information on the soldering iron tip, wherein the ID feedback device includes a conductive material coating, and the handpiece is coupled to the power supply and the workstand, receiving power from the power supply and heating the soldering iron tip to perform soldering on a work piece, one or more processors programmed to perform steps comprising: reading information on the conductive material coating from the ID feedback device of the soldering iron tip; determining whether the read information on the conductive material coating from the ID feedback device corresponds to authentication information for the soldering iron tip; continuing supply of power to the handheld soldering iron if the read information on the conductive material coating from the ID feedback device corresponds to authentication information for the soldering iron tip; stopping supply of power to the handheld soldering iron if the read information on the conductive material coating from the ID feedback device does not correspond to authentication information for the soldering iron tip. a power supply; a workstand; a handpiece including a soldering iron tip comprising a hollow cylindrical base, a pointed distal end and a proximal end with an ID feedback device including a conductive material coating, which when read provides authentication information on the soldering iron tip, wherein the ID feedback device includes a conductive material coating, and the handpiece is coupled to the power supply and the workstand, receiving power from the power supply and heating the soldering iron tip to perform soldering on a work piece, one or more processors programmed to perform steps comprising: reading information on the conductive material coating from the ID feedback device of the soldering iron tip; determining whether the read information on the conductive material coating from the ID feedback device corresponds to authentication information for the soldering iron tip; continuing supply of power to the handheld soldering iron if the read information on the conductive material coating from the ID feedback device corresponds to authentication information for the soldering iron tip; stopping supply of power to the handheld soldering iron if the read information on the conductive material coating from the ID feedback device does not correspond to authentication information for the soldering iron tip. determining whether the read information on the conductive material coating from the ID feedback device corresponds to authentication information for the soldering iron tip; continuing supply of power to the handheld soldering iron if the read information on the conductive material coating from the ID feedback device corresponds to authentication information for the soldering iron tip; stopping supply of power to the handheld soldering iron if the read information on the conductive material coating from the ID feedback device does not correspond to authentication information for the soldering iron tip.