Flux

Jon Buescher

Jon Buescher

Well-Known Member
So, I know that Anhydrous borax is a good flux from talking to and reading things from Ed Caffrey and Bruce Bump. I am looking through the interwebz and some of these Blacksmith companies carry 6+ welding fluxes. I am confused WTH is Anti-Borax flux? are these fancy flux's any better than plain old Anhydrous Borax?
 
Some of those flux/flux mixtures are preferable for mild steel forge welding, as in blacksmithing/ornamental applications because they don't form as generous of a coating as anhydrous........ but Anhydrous is generally considered the best flux for forge welding high carbon/alloy steels. In reality any "flux" that dissolves/cleans scale, and also acts as an oxygen barrier is valid, but most like the fact that anhydrous forms a much better oxygen barrier on carbon/alloy steels.....which tend to be more prone to forming scale at similar temps then mild steel.
 
Dang it I wish you and Bruce were both in town, I wouldn’t need the interwebz. Thank you! Another question, how about welding mild steel to carbon, say as in making a hatchet or tomahawk with mild steel body and a 1084 cutting edge? Still use plain anhydrous?
 
I would just buy all of them and a bunch of steel and try but I just spent a crap ton of money on getting Mrs. JJB11B outfitted for her first hunting season rifle/scope, shotgun, binos, boots......
 
You could dry weld with no flux at all. A lot of prominent smiths have gone that route. I 've got a few billets under my belt now with dry welds and I can't see myself using flux anytime soon.
 
One of my tomahawks has a cold shut on the cutting edge that I couldn’t see until I ground the bevels in.... not pleased, that one will collect dust on the wall of my shop, where I can see it from my anvil as a reminder....
 
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