[TheForge] Forge welding

[Garrick Peterson]

Fascinating. Thanks for the detailed info!

-Garrick

On Wed, Aug 3, 2011 at 4:17 PM, Steve Bloom <smith at blacksmithing.org> wrote:
> At 04:39 PM 8/3/2011, you wrote:
>>[snip] concept of "wet forging"
>>[snip]Can anybody here speak to the efficacy of this method?
>
> Japanese technique - and often referred to as the "wet anvil'
> technique.  Prime idea is that scale is harder than hot steel.  Pound
> on the scale and you create divots which later have to be ground out
> (more correctly, everything other than the bottom of the divot has to
> be removed to bring the surface down to the bottom of the divot).  By
> using water on the anvil and the hammer face, the resulting steam
> expansion will blow off the scale and reduce the amount of work
> needed to remove the marks.  Obviously far more important when it's a
> sword to be hand-finished rather than a knife that is being ground on
> a high-speed 2x72 belt.  I use the technique all the time and like
> the results.  In fact, I have fabricated a holder for a small bucket
> that hangs on the side of my knife-maker's anvil.  When I'm forging,
> the hammer head sits in the bucket unless it is in my hand. When I
> bring the steel to the anvil, I pick up the hammer and splash a bit
> of water on the anvil face, then start whacking.  Remember to throw a
> bunch of baking soda in the water to prevent rusting the anvil.
>
> Steve (ironflower.com)
>
>
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