Tried forge welding mild steel to a coil spring with just a torch, it did not work out

I had this old coil spring from a truck and wanted to make a small tomahawk head out of it. I heated it up with my oxy-acetylene torch till it was bright yellow and tried to weld it to a piece of mild steel. The weld just crumbled apart after a few hammer blows, no bond at all. I learned coil springs are usually 5160 steel and it needs a more controlled heat, like a coal forge or a kiln, to stay hot enough. Also my torch flame was probably too oxidizing for the weld to take. Has anyone else tried forge welding with just a torch and hit this problem?

2 comments

2 Comments

stone.evan1d ago

Yeah I used to think a torch was good enough for forge welding too. I tried welding a leaf spring to some rebar for a knife blank and it just flaked apart, exactly like you said. After that I started using a propane forge and it made a huge difference, the heat stays even and you don't get that oxidizing flame messing things up. The 5160 really needs that steady soak to bond right, torches just don't cut it for this kind of work.

carr.willow1d agoTop Commenter

I've got a pile of crispy failed welds that would prove I'm the king of torch delusion!