Welded handle top tools

[Rich Hale]

I posted this in another thread and feel that It may be of value in a new thread.
For wotever kind of topp tool you use and would llike a handle this works..Punches slitters, drifts, hot cuts or one of my favorites a center punch that lets me mark hot steel withouit my hand sizzling

I have welded alot of tool steel to mild handles. All of them H 13 or S 7. Many of my first attempts cracked at the weld, some did not. i solved this by this simple method: I take the pieces in place and then heat to a dull red. i weld together and heat to non magnetic,,Into a bucket of vermiculite til the next day. I remove and heat just the working end in a coal fire until non magnetic. Then air cool until cool to the touch. My handles were for hand work and welded to the sides of the tools. This method leaves the struck end softer than my hammer and the working end right for its task.

. slitters, drifts, hot cuts or one of my favorites a center punch thagt lets me mark hot steel withouit my hand sizzling:

[Whirly]

Thanks for posting that Rich. Good information to know for future reference, and I've just copied it into my "How To" file ;)

[MOblacksmith0530]

Yup it works well, iffn you remember to anneal it. I made a real nice slitter earlier this year and knew about and had been using this method for a few years with s7. I had to many irons in the fire and set the slitter off to the side (for just a second) while doing something else and didn't immmediatly get it back into the forge after welding and actually found the crack the next morning when I went back out to the shop and coudln't find it in my wood ash bucket. It would have been a really nice tool if I finished it. I keep it as a reminder. Every time I see it I shake my head and say moron.... Maybe if I look at it often enough the lesson will stick.