[nkaminar]

Here is my take on soldering and crimping. This is from some information given to me many many years ago early in my career.

Most of the crimping done is not done correctly. The crimping tools you get at the hardware store do not provide a good enough crimp. You will need to use the ratcheting type of crimper that is properly adjusted. To see if you have a proper crimp you need to cut a sample in half and examine the crimp under a microscope. The strands of the wires should be pressed together to form a gas tight crimp and the connector should be tight. the gas tight crimp will keep the oxygen out and prevent corrosion.

I was told that soldering will cause stress in the wire that could eventually cause failure. The solder wicks up the wire and forms a ridged section that does not bend. The wire bends where the solder ends and that is where the wire will break if it gets enough movement. I was told that the crimp connector does not have this problem because of the plastic part that provides a form of stress relief.