When purchasing Brownells or any other brand from eGoods365.com store, you can be sure that (a) you are purchasing from US based company with the most responsive and friendly customer service; (b) an authentic, not a counterfeit and not a refurbished product.

3½% Nickel Steel Welding Rod was originally designed for use in our space program to create superior welds. It is remarkably pure and flows effortlessly when used with Oxy-Acetylene or TIG to produce an extremely smooth and non-porous weld. Consequently, numerous gunsmiths have expressed interest in this rod to weld bolt handles and other items that require polishing after welding. Luckily, we have found a supplier of this rod thanks to Jim Thompson, owner of Maverick Gun Works in Topeka, Kansas.

According to Jim, "I finally acquired some 3½% Nickel Steel Rod and the first bolt I welded was perfect. The rod is costly, but it is well worth its weight in gold when you need to make a flawless weld on a bolt handle or any other job."

When welding, first heat up the parts with a rather large flame and then decrease the flame's intensity until it is hissing. A No. 2 tip works well for Jim, but you may find a different tip works better. Take your time, avoid overheating, and you can work with it throughout the day. The weld is easy to manipulate, file, or machine. It is necessary to use a neutral flame.

Lastly, there is no coding or flux on the part.