[TheForge] Re: Rust,pickling

[Dave Brown]

At 15:00 08/15/03 -0500, you wrote:
>I just reviewed my video notes of the demo by Bob Patrick.

<snip>

>He said that : The reason that 20MT borax is inferior to commercial borax
>isn't so much the water content as the Caking inhibitor ingredient.
>It is an alumina compound that doesn't liquefy in the weld area but remains
>a solid and interferes with the welding process.
>Chuck

Well, I don't know Bob Patrick other than by good reputation.  But he's not 
right about the "caking inhibitor".  I sent a note to Dial Corp (current 
producers of 20 Mule Team Borax) asking about this.  The reply stated 
emphatically that not only does it NOT have any "caking inhibitor", it 
never has.  It is and has always been 100% borax.

I don't belong to the "corporate conspiracy" club, so I think I'll believe 
them rather than Bob Patrick.


Dave Brown
Heritage Smithing
Green Bay, WI
ABANA, UMBA, GoM, MODA, ARG