donny wright Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Can anyone advice on the use of crushed oyster shell with clay and sand all mixed to form a flux. This is an evidence driven question from an Iron Age metal working site where we have crushed oyster shell down 10mm x 5mm down to dust, tiny oxidised and reduced clay pieces, with small pieces of magnetic smithing slag and hammer scale and tiny magnetic metal flakes, all within the clay and sand silts of a small prehistoric pool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Donny: Almost anything works as flux for wrought iron, including nothing. Wrought iron typically has a fair percentage of included silica and is often self fluxing. Adding a dash of more silica increases the melted silica excess is driven out by the hammer. I don't know what a lot of the other "fluxing materials really do for or against forge welding wrought iron but folks have been using all sorts of stuff probably since the first iron was fire welded. Modern steels are a different situation and require different techniques and chemistry. Anhydrous or anti borax are common ingredients and are very caustic at welding temperatures. Other stuff is maybe good or not so, I've only messed with a couple brands. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Donny: It's not good forum manners to post the same question several times in different sections. Please include your general location in the header, you'll be surprised how many members live within visiting distance. No don't worry, nobody's going to be annoyed enough to visit you with heavy sticks. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 In all fairness donny didnt, I split this post off into its own thread, and apparently your post was entered during the move. Meaning he is Innocent and I am guilty of messing you up this time, I tried to clean up the rest of the post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Any signs of running a bloomery? Lime is/was used as a flux in bloomery operation for the Calcium to take the place of some of the Iron in the slag producing more free iron for the bloom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Thanks Steve, it was just another demonstration of my mastery of timing. <sigh> Donny, please disregard my double post response, you're in the clear and I'd have to be suicidal to go after Steve with a stick or anything less than a belt fed machinegun. This kind of thing happens now and then, we try not to get excited about it when it does. How about throwing a pair of stinky cybersocks at me and we'll call it even. Hmmmm? NUTS! I forgot to welcome you to the forum. Glad to have you, stick around we have experts in the subjects you're asking about. Honest we do. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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