Good Afternoon everyone. I was watching this video [Knives]---Sanjo Industrial Cooperative "Echigo Manufacturing Network" and saw that the smith's method of forge welding is not as I learned to do. It seems he uses either metal filings or ash applied onto the metal at an orange heat (possibly before scale develops) then presses the metal to be welded on right onto the flux. The new metal is not hot, and the smith just uses his fingers to set it in place. After taking a welding heat on the bar, it appears that the smith uses a power hammer to set the weld. Now, what was the flux he was using? I remember reading that wood ash could be used, but that grinder filings were not a good flux. Does this method of welding work well? Any input will be helpful.

Just get 20 mule team borax; get the peice a dullish orange, pour a liberal amount of the borax on, then get it to a "welding heat" (bright yellow). it should sound like rice krispes after you just poured the milk on :)

yeah, i was wondering too, looks too easy.

Many of the commercial fluxes contain iron filings *not* grinder swarf. It deos seem to help get the weld but is not suggested for decorative work as it leave "iron pimples" that will need to be cleaned up or for billet welding as it messes the pattern some.

Thomas