Everyone says you need flux, but my forge welds are fine without it

I stopped using flux for forge welding about five years ago, and my work has only gotten better. Most smiths will tell you it's a must to stop scale and get a clean join. I found that if you keep your fire really clean and watch the heat like a hawk, you don't need it. One day I ran out of borax in the middle of a gate hinge job and had to push on. The weld stuck solid and has held up for years outside. Now I save the cash and skip the extra step altogether. Sure, it takes more focus to get the steel just right, but that's part of the skill. I think relying on flux can make you lazy with your fire management. Try it on a small piece sometime and see for yourself.

3 comments

3 Comments

paige3626d ago

Honestly, that makes so much sense. Getting the heat right without a crutch is what separates the good welds from the great ones.

jennifer_fisher13d ago

My first welding project looked like a robot sneezed on some scrap metal. I'm pretty sure the heat setting was just "make fire" and I held my breath the whole time. So I guess my welds are in the special "artistic interpretation" tier.

linda36826d agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, the "good welds from great ones" line hits hard. My welds are the kind that look questionable even with every crutch in the book (so I'm clearly not moving up a tier anytime soon).