[TheForge] Welding Spring Steel

[Ed F]

Somewhere way back when I came up with the conviction that welding 4140 is
like welding tool steel.  I have special rod and I pre-heat and post-heat
then let cool slowly in vermiculite.  Seems to work ok but I've mainly done
it with H13, not 4140.

Now I'm using some new soft spring steel as parts for my 2 piece lil giant
die setup and I want to do the best I can welding it because it will be
hammered.  I plan to use 3/4" thick pieces for the top of the bottom die and
I might weld stuff on for texturing and swaging.  I suppose I could use mild
plate (maybe superquenched) in many cases but I know I'll want to do some in
the spring steel.  I think it's 5160 spring steel.  I got it years ago and
was told I could treat it like 4140.

Recently, a couple people have told me welding 4140 is no big deal at all.
Just use 7018.  Can that be true?

Ed