Nickel 55 is designed for all-position joining and surfacing of cast iron, malleable iron and ductile iron to itself or dissimilar metals such as mild steel, stainless steel, wrought alloys or high nickel alloys. A core wire chemistry of approximately 55% nickel and 45% iron produces weld deposits with much lower weld shrinkage stress which in turn reduces the possibility of weld or heat-affected zone cracking. Nickel 55 produces high strength, ductile weld deposits even when welding low grade cast iron containing excessive levels of phosphorus or other contaminants.