Bad forge weld?

[Gene Kimmi]

I finished this knife up a week or so ago and have a question on one of the welds.

I started with 2 cubes of crushed w's that were 1" x 1" x 3/4". They were stacked on top of each other and forge welded together in 2 heats, squeezing them 2-3 times each heat in my press. Then the billet was laid down and forged out to make the knife. Once the knife was etched, the initial weld of the 2 cubes can be seen. In the 2nd picture you can see a silver line where the weld is.




The question is, what causes this? Is it a weak weld?

I think the answer to not have it happen again is to ferry flip ? (cut the billet into tiles at angles and flip on their side) the tiles so that all forging pressure would be contributing to a better forge weld.

Other than this weld, the knife turned out pretty good, but will stay with me because of this issue.

 

[mike miller]

In my opinion it is just a weld line.

 

[opaul]

Gene. It looks terrible and you shouldn’t even keep it. Send it to me.

 

[Mark Barone]

That is gorgeous.

 

[JeremyBartlett]

Gene, did you use flux between the 2 cubes? I have seen where using flux causes that silver line between the welds.

 

[Gene Kimmi]

Gene, did you use flux between the 2 cubes? I have seen where using flux causes that silver line between the welds.

I did use flux, which I have just recently started using. I have previously done all dry welds.

 

[Daniel Macina]

I had the same problem on some San mai the other day and was curious the same thing. Was just shy to ask.

 

[Doug Lester]

Slightly off topic. What's the handle made from?

Doug

 

[Gilbert M]

I'm not as experienced as many here, but maybe decarb. Good looking knife.

 

[Gene Kimmi]

Slightly off topic. What's the handle made from?

Doug

It is Tasmanian blackwood with a black dyed, quilted maple spacer and red G-10.

 

[Gene Kimmi]

I had the same problem on some San mai the other day and was curious the same thing. Was just shy to ask.

With some San Mai you can get carbon migration that has weird (cool) lines at the junction of the 2 steels.

Don't be shy, the only way to know is to ask. Like in this case, I figure my failure is a great way to learn what I did wrong and the right way to do it.