98 MODERN BLACKSMITHING 



a welding compound made to excel borax, steel scales, 

 steel or iron boiings, and powdered glass. All these 

 you have without buying. 



In heating go slow. If you put on too strong blast 

 the share will burn before the iron is hot enough to 

 weld. When ready to weld let your helper take with 

 a pair of tongs over the share and landside to hold 

 them tight together while you strike the first blow. 

 Use a large hammer and strike with a pressure on the 

 hammer the first blows, until you are sure it sticks; 

 then come down on it with force. 



I have made it a practice, no matter how good this 

 weld seems to be, to always take a second weld. This 

 weld to be a light one. The share and landside are 

 after the first weld settled, so it takes very little to 

 weld them then. On the other hand, the first weld 

 might look to all appearances solid, but it is not 

 always. With this precaution I never had a share that 

 ripped open in the weld, while it is a rare thing to find 

 a share made by a blacksmith that does not rip. Now, 

 then, weld down toward the point. The point should 

 not be allowed to have any twist, for if it does, it will 

 turn the plow over on the side. Now set the edge 

 right, beginning at the heel. If the share is made for 

 hard fall plowing give more suction than for a share 

 for soft spring plowing. Grind and polish before you 

 harden, and after it is hardened touch it up lightly 

 with the polish wheel. Much polishing or grinding 

 after hardening will wear off the case hardening. 



