Tungsten sharpening

Decided to start a new thread since other one is kind of long. While at Airgas yesterday, found cool new product that chemically sharpens the tungsten. Looks like a baby food sized jar of sugar-about 8$. What you do is pull the tungsten out a little (maybe an inch out), then hold the tungsten against the ground clamp and step on the pedal. All you are doing is shorting it out so it will glow red. Now let off the pedal and remove from ground clamp. While hot, you just dip the end of the tungsten into the jar of powder, and a reaction takes place that perfectly sharpens the tungsten! No grinder marks whatsoever! No, this is not a prank! All you have to do is maybe wipe some of the residue off the tungsten and you're good to go. Supposed to be good for about 500 sharpenings. Now, I'm not sure if this will work on the square end of a new piece of tungsten-you may have to grind a rough point to help it the first time. Pretty cool! Sorry I don't remember the name though.

Chem sharp is the brand that i have used, and yes it helps to grind first, find another jar to keep on hand just in case you bust the jar, it does make for a soothe arc.
If you turn off the gas it wont blow it out of the jar, when it becomes solid you can crush it up and use it some more,Tracy

WOW.....seams alot of extra work to just do other than the old fashion way of just sharpening with the grinder of sanding disc machine....

I've gone exclusivly to "orange" tungsten for both aluminum & steel..... the results seem to be OK in my case:







but then again......I'm an old dog & don't learn new tricks that easily.

Ratty 46

nice welds there ratty

Thanks likes 2 tinker..... I dable in metal fab.....

Ratty 46

i went to school for welding and never got the hang of TIG i made welds good enough to pass but i think they still looked like crap nothing like yours

them look awsome

Well thank you...... I've never been to ANY formal training classes/school on welding....I kinda just picked it up whilst working for Gen. Electric. I was bored with my regular job so (in my spare time) I would practice and ask the welders for hints & pointers.... obviously I got the hang of it!! The ended up utilizing me as a welder.

I've been asked more than once to teach TIG welding on different levels of schooling bit never really took those offers seriously......

Practice, practice, practice..... that's what makes the difference.

Ratty 46