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Warning: That old timer told me to use coal dust for forge welding and I ignored him for 2 years
A guy named Roy who has been smithing since the 70s told me at a meetup near Nashville to keep a jar of fine coal dust by my forge for welding flux. I thought it was some old school nonsense and kept using borax like everyone else online. After failing on a billet of 1095 and 15n20 about 8 times last month I finally tried his way. That coal dust mixed with a little borax gives me a clean weld on the first heat almost every time now. Has anyone else had a specific hack from an old timer that sounded weird but actually works way better?
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margaret_lane11d ago
That coal dust trick reminds me how the simplest fix is usually the best one.
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riley51711d ago
it's crazy how often the most low-tech solutions end up being the most effective. seems like we overcomplicate everything these days when the answer's usually been right there the whole time.
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