Thread: Tungsten Sharpening Paste

Hi Ross,

I works like a charm. You heat the point of the tungsten to a red heat and dip it a number of times in the paste.
Each time it flashes up again and eats the tungsten away to form a needle sharp point.
I'll do some photos on it and post them up.

Mine was about $15 or so 2 or three years ago.
Its about 1/2 the volume of a small Vegemite bottle.

Grahame

Can't wait to see the pics

what is being sharpened ?? the only thing I can think of is a tig welder tip.

Matt,
It a very quick way of sharpening tungstens.
I think the chemical is sodium nitrite or saltpter.

Heat the end of the tungsten where you want the point and dip.
Its an oxidant and fires up the surfce of the tungsten which forms to a point,

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

Matt,
It a very quick way of sharpening tungstens.
I think the chemical is sodium nitrite or saltpter.

Heat the end of the tungsten where you want the point and dip.
Its an oxidant and fires up the surfce of the tungsten which forms to a point,

So, do you heat the tips up while welding and occasionally dip in the paste, or do you use oxy to heat them up and do a whole lot at once? A stupid question I know ....

I do a couple at a time and just heat the end to a red heat and dip it in the paste until a needle point is formed.

Until you see it happen before your eyes,its hard to grasp.

As the stuff is an oxidiser it flares up around the area just adjacent to the tungsten tip.

People probably think it will burst into a ball of fame expecting it to be volatile.

It is so far ahead of grinding I don't undertand why it is more widely used.
I have taken some pics but not clear ones,as I can't hold three things at one time,particularly while one is red hot.

Note that the tungsten can have a very long taper formed, just by manipulating it in the mix.

Grahame

Thanks Grahame.

Thanks for the pics, I,m off to get some

Hi Graham, Whats the exact name of this stuff so I can track some down?

Thanks.

Pro Craft chemical sharpening Paste.
I did a Google for it but was unable to find it locally.I am pretty sure I purchased it from Global welding supplies.

The label says Sodium Nitrite which is plain old salt peter as far as I know.

I hope it is not a another one of those useful items which the nanny state has as being too dangerous for us to now use.

Grahame

Thanks Grahame.

Sodium nitrate is saltpetre, NaNO3 (both potassium and sodium salts can be called saltpetre). Though I do have a quantity of nitrite (NaNO2) on hand so maybe I can make an equivalent up, any other ingredients listed? :P

Cant think of anything to make it into a paste with that will not burn. Using it in molten state would be one possible alternative however it decomposes at this temp, I imagine you would end up with it hydroxide rich though this may not matter.

I wouldn't be concerned about it decomposing in a hurry, potassium and sodium nitrate will decompose to the nitrite variety (with oxygen being released) and that will decompose to an oxide (along with nitrogen and oxygen being released). Once upon a time I attempted move a chemical up the oxidation chain through intense heating and even after a hour or so there was no shortage of the original compound.

I imagine both potassium and sodium nitrate and nitrites should work, I've got boat loads of the nitrate if anyone wants to give it a shot?

Guys.
I am awaiting replies from Global Welding Supplies and Bob The Welder.
Global said they can get it but could not tell me me, how much when I phoned.

Bob the Welder was emailed as his web site did not show the paste.

Grahame

Hi,
Bob Moore aka Bob the Welder came through and replied to me via email.Though he did not have in stock himself ,he knew of it as he also has a bottle of it for S steel work.
It lasts a long time guys if you put the lid back on after use.

Bob was kind enough to chase a vendor up.I am impressed by this as not many are this willing to help if they will make zero $ from it. His site has gone from strength to strength and is worth a look

Bob said Weldmaster has it and its product no is DF600 which I think should retail around the $ 20 odd dollar mark.
link http://www.weldmaster.com.au/products.asp?cid=73

The site was a pain in RRs to get a price on it as you have to go through the checkout BS to get a price

A local retailer can get it for me at $22 per bottle so take off some for freight and that should be close.

Grahame