xena_brown50•1mo agoMost Upvoted

I finally got my forge weld to stop looking like a chewed-up piece of gum

An older smith at the Tacoma guild meet last weekend watched me work and said, 'Kid, you're hitting it like you're mad at it. Let the heat do the work.' I was using way too many heavy blows right after the flux bubbled. Now I wait a full two seconds after the flux clears, then use lighter taps for the first few passes. It's made a huge difference. Anyone else have a simple piece of advice that fixed a stubborn problem?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix_carter1mo ago

Guess we all have to learn the hard way not to fight the metal. My first forge welds looked like a crime scene... I was definitely in the "hit it harder" camp too.

the_max1mo ago

My first billet looked like a dog chewed it, @phoenix_carter. I wasted so much good steel before I learned to just let the heat do its thing. That "hit it harder" phase is a real trap.

the_nina1mo agoTop Commenter

Sometimes you gotta fight it a little though.