High alloy stainless electrode of unusual versatility, giving a ferritic-austenitic duplex weld metal with an approximate ferrite content of FN 40. The weld metal is resistant to stress corrosion attack and highly insensitive to dilution by melted parent metal. Applications: joining of HWT steels, dissimilar steels, surfacing rails, rolls, alforging dies, hot work tools, dies for plastics etc. Good scaling resistance up to 1150 °C.