Welding 1/8'' O1 to 1/8'' A36

[Llamallamallama]

Hello everyone, I am a young blacksmith who is recently moving into knife making, I have seen success in the past gas forge welding reins and other larger cross sections together in mild steel. Mostly the A36 materiel as mentioned above, I do all the basic steps like clean scale, flux with borax keep a good heat etc.

However when attempting to weld a stack of 6 1/8''x2''x6'' pieces (2 layers O1 in the center) for the purpose of making knifes. I am able to only achieve partial fusion of the layers. I can tell this because the welds break at the fusion zone when drawing or quenching the materiel.

I notice online that when people weld Damascus they maintain an initial billet with a very thick cross section (1'' and above) could it be that my billet with only a 3/4'' thickness is losing heat to fast to forge weld properly, or does this sound like I am forge welding the pieces together then breaking them apart as the billet cools down rapidly on the anvil/press I am using.

Any thoughts or comments on the matter would be appreciated, please feel free to ask for more details

 

[DevinT]

Buy some 1080 or 1084 and mix that with 15n20, lots easier.

Hoss

 

[Llamallamallama]

Alright Ill give it a try and see what happens thankyou

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

The number one reason for incomplete welds is not soaking the billet long enough and too low heat. The entire billet must be at welding temp - completely through the center - or the middle won't weld. Tis takes longer than when the outside is hot enough to weld. My rule of thumb is that when it seems ready to weld .... soak for 5 more minutes ,then weld.