Using my coal forge, I wanted to weld an eye from a spring steel clip used on railroads. I brought the material to a good orange heat, beat out one end, scarfed that end, and then bent it back to form a loop. I then fluxed it with straight borax, buried it in the coal fire, and brought it up to a yellow-white heat. When I took it to the anvil, one tap sent the entire unwelded eye to the floor. It literally fell apart from a tap. The steel showed some cracking, which was not there when I shaped it.
I tried another piece of spring steel, this from an automobile leaf spring. I drew out the end, scarfed it, folded it around in a loop, and then fluxed with straight borax. I buried it in the fire and brought it up to a yellow white heat. It looked like a good temp to weld. I took it to the anvil as quickly as I could. Before I even tapped it with my hammer, it fell into two pieces. It just disintegrated.
Does anyone have any idea what I did wrong? Too much heat? Borax eating steel? Bad ju-ju?