What would be the effect of this on a carbon steel?

When a welder is using an oxy – acetylene flame with a long feathered inner cone on carbon steel, the result will be hard and brittle. The high intensity of heat and rapid cooling will cause hardening. Iron carbide is produced when oxy – acetylene is used on iron and steel. This makes the weld brittle. It is important to know that there are 3 types basic types of oxy – acetylene flames.

The neutral flame, carburising flame and oxidizing flame are the 3 types. The process of welding with an oxy – acetylene flame occurs in 2 stages of combustion expect for the carburising flames that occur in 3 stages.

Welding is the act of joining together pieces of metal by heating and melting the surfaces with a blowtorch or electric arc and uniting them by pressing or hammering. Technical schools offer welding training and certification, and a welding career can be quite lucrative.

When a welder uses an oxy-acetylene flame with a long feathered inner cone, the weld will be hard and brittle. The outer envelope is slightly hotter than the inner cone, producing an iron carbide. To avoid the brittle weld, do not reduce the flame when working on metals that absorb carbon.