John I am guessing that you used Borax or some other flux for the welds is that correct. I find that welding with kerosene or dry welding where the billet is put together and the seams mig or tig welded shut will keep this from happening. It has also been my experience that these lines will disappear if you work the billet so if you start with a thicker billet and work it down then these lines will be reduced in your finished product.

Brian

Brian,

I did weld with borax, boric acid and some other ingredients. The billet was clean and ground to bare steel with a good fit up. I'll try your method, however, I haven't had success with kerosene.I'll give it another go and may possibly tig the perimeter if that doesn't work. Thanks for the help. Attached is the billet rough ground to see the pattern. 11 layers total to start: 3 of 3/16 x 1.5 x 4.5 long of 1095 on the top and bottom, then alternating L6 and 1095 in the middle

John

I just saw this thread and wanted to reiterate use of the pure graphite spray to eliminate those white lines, even if you are using flux when you weld. Also you said you dont have access to kerosene. I don't really have access to kerosene either, but I did go down to the local Shell station and buy a couple of gallons of diesel fuel that worked just as well. Tip about using diesel: don't use agricultural diesel fuel, it has dyes in it that ruin the welds (thanks to Mike Quesenberry for telling me that). When I use the diesel, I weld the billet together with my MIG and put the handle on. While the billet is still warm, I dunk it in the bucket of diesel and leave it there for a few minutes. The fuel leaves a carbon residue between the layers (same thing the graphite spray does) and those white lines won't show up.

Joshua, can you elaborate a bit on your process with the graphite spray?

It's something I have considered for a number of years now, but never got around to experimenting with it.

Do you use it on the initial weld with a spray of graphite on each layer/surface?

On each layer during pattern build up?

I'm glad to see someone has had the initiative to use it.

I have only used this twice, and I got the technique from Tim Hancock who uses it whenever he does a stack weld or multiple bar weld. I used it recently on a twisted bar that I cut lengthwise into 4 bars and turned them inside out (explosion pattern?) and welded them back into a square bar. Basically you just spray it across the mating faces of the bars or pieces in the stack. It leaves a carbon layer in between the bars, so no white line appears. The white line is a thin layer of de-carb (or at least that's my understanding) and the addition of the carbon layer negates the decarburization at the weld. The same effect occurs when you soak the stack or billet in kerosene or diesel fuel. The hydrocarbons in the fuel get deposited on the faces of the bars when the fuel gas evaporates, so it's best to put the billet or stack into the fuel gas while the billet is still pretty warm. I use the diesel fuel on the initial billet and I use flux primarily just to read the heat.

I do all of my folding and cutting hot during layer buildup, including grinding the mating faces. So any oxide on the faces is easily brushed off prior to welding (another good reason to flux) and it saves on time rather than letting the bar cool, cutting it, grinding the faces clean, stacking again, etc. You just have to crown your faces during the grinding so you don't trap any flux in between the layers. Restacked patterns or multiple bar patterns you have no choice but to cool, clean, cut etc.

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I have only used this twice, and I got the technique from Tim Hancock who uses it whenever he does a stack weld or multiple bar weld. I used it recently on a twisted bar that I cut lengthwise into 4 bars and turned them inside out (explosion pattern?) and welded them back into a square bar. Basically you just spray it across the mating faces of the bars or pieces in the stack. It leaves a carbon layer in between the bars, so no white line appears. The white line is a thin layer of de-carb (or at least that's my understanding) and the addition of the carbon layer negates the decarburization at the weld. The same effect occurs when you soak the stack or billet in kerosene or diesel fuel. The hydrocarbons in the fuel get deposited on the faces of the bars when the fuel gas evaporates, so it's best to put the billet or stack into the fuel gas while the billet is still pretty warm. I use the diesel fuel on the initial billet and I use flux primarily just to read the heat.

I do all of my folding and cutting hot during layer buildup, including grinding the mating faces. So any oxide on the faces is easily brushed off prior to welding (another good reason to flux) and it saves on time rather than letting the bar cool, cutting it, grinding the faces clean, stacking again, etc. You just have to crown your faces during the grinding so you don't trap any flux in between the layers. Restacked patterns or multiple bar patterns you have no choice but to cool, clean, cut etc.

JS,

I went to Napa auto yesterday and bought a can of graphite spray. It took almost a half can to coat the pieces at $8.00+ per cn. I think graphite powder purchased on the net is a better deal in the long run.

Still experimenting here...

John

John,

I think you are using much more than necessary. I bought a 5.5 oz. can and have used it on two blades and still have most of the can left. You only have to coat the mating faces, and not much more than a thin film is needed. I think I got this can at Home Depot for about $5.

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John,

I think you are using much more than necessary. I bought a 5.5 oz. can and have used it on two blades and still have most of the can left. You only have to coat the mating faces, and not much more than a thin film is needed. I think I got this can at Home Depot for about $5.

You may be right about the amount as I sprayed both sides of the mating surfaces. I'll try it again. That being said, black iron oxide works well also.

Thanks,

John