The aim of this study was to investigate the strength of explosive welded metals with the same chemical compositions. Different welding interfaces (straight, wavy and continuous solidified-melted) were used with changing explosive welding parameters [stand-off distance ( s ), explosive loading ( R ) and anvils]. Joined metals were investigated under heat-treated and untreated conditions. Results on the microstructure, microhardness, tensile shear strength and bending tests are reported. According to the experimental results, the effect of the anvil on the explosive welding process was only the joining or not-joining performance. It was shown that the bonding interface changed from a straight to a wavy structure when the explosive loading and stand-off distance were increased. For wavy interfaces, when the explosive loading was increased the wavy length and amplitude increased. Results of tensile shear and bending tests showed that heat-treated specimens have more strength than untreated samples. According to tensile shear test results, straight and wavy interfaces had similar strength. In addition, in bending tests of untreated specimens it was shown that the bending zone had some cracks. © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.