Fancy new wonder-flux?

Wulf

Wulf

Joined
May 10, 2000
Messages
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I'm about out of anhydrous borax so tonight I started poking around online for a supplier. I needed some new dydimium safety glasses anyway so I went on over to blacksmithsdepot, where, lo and behold, they're selling some fancy new flux for knifemakers. Right alongside their anti-borax products they list "Z Weld Premier Flux" which, according to the description, "flows on smoothly and deeply penetrates. A little goes a long way. Drip free if not applied in excess, so it will not damage gas forge floors. Helps with more consistant welding. Tested and recommended by knifesmiths and blacksmiths alike."

Sounds great, right? But at $16 / pound it ain't cheap so I thought I'd dig a little deeper. Well at the bottom of the listing it notes that the product is "99% Sodium Tetraborate."

Anyone care to guess what Sodium Tetraborate is? :rolleyes: Hint: you can buy it at soapgoods.com, where 8 pounds will run ya 'bout $18. :D
 
Yeh, all the flux on the market is pretty much the same. Just add little extras like boric acid sal ammoniac and iron filings. For $17-$25/lb not worth it. If you want to mix your own much cheaper. However I have not found anything that gives a significant advantage over anhydrous. At $3-$4/lb I can live with it. That is when I use it. I normally dry weld anyway. Inside the forge lasts a whole lot longer.
 
Nothing new for you forgers ! Boron compounds have been used for fluxing for over 1000 years !
 
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