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Posted

I know this has been beat to death in other threads. I'd rather not resurrect an 8+ year old thread. And my point has not been mentioned in any of them.

The point is this: The use of rice straw, rice straw ash, and rice paper, VS any other straw, ash, and paper.   This comes from the point of view of the casual observer.  I haven't tried it myself. But i can see the principle behind it.  In Japan, Rice is a principle crop. So, it follows that there is an abundance of rice straw to be had for the cheep.  Here in the U.S.  wheat is a principle crop, And as we all know wheat straw is abundant and cheep.   Rice straw is used in Japan, not because it's better than any other, but because it's abundant, and cheep.  Rice paper is, in fact, not made from rice, but usually (but not always) the bark from Mulberry tree, but can be made from other plants as well.  It can be had here in the U.S. quite easily, and not expensive at all.    Mulberry is all over the place in Asia because, well, silk.  

So, In my opinion, rice straw, and ash, and rice paper, are not the be all, end all, of protection for the initial welding of your Tamagahane billet.  I believe you can use any grass straw, rice, wheat, oat, etc. along with any paper that will be thin, and hold together when wet, to protect the initial weld of your billet, from oxygen.  And still be "traditional", as they used what was on hand, and worked well.

Posted

Rice straw has a higher silica content than wheat straw. That may affect its properties as a flux. 

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