Questions on making Stainless San Mai

SPAknives

Well-Known Member
Hello, I am wanting to try a piece of san mai with a carbon steel core and stainless jacket. I have seen others make the stack then weld all the way around the outside to keep the stainless from decarbing on the inside. What type of welder is used to weld the stainless to the high carbon steel? I have an arc welder, but not sure that will work. Is a tig or mig normally used for this? I have also seen stainless steel rod for the arc welder and I wondered if that would work.
Also to forge weld the stainless to the carbon I am assuming temps need to be higher than weld carbon to carbon.
I am in the market for a new welder and I am thinking strongly of buying a combo welder that does arc/mig/tig. Anyone have any experience with these?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Shane
 
Welding the stack together is a temporary situation just to hold the stack in place for forge welding. I would think your arc welder would be fine. I would not even worry about special rods. I MIG weld my stack together and I do not even bother to turn on my shielding gas because its a waste for a temporary weld. Ed answered the rest of this question in the link provided.
 
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