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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    gold coast
    Posts
    303

    Default Knife from railway spike info.

    Hi,
    I'm hoping someone can offer me some advice on making a knife from an old railway spike.
    I accompanied my dear wife for a trip on the Savannalander (west of Cairns) and picked up a couple of old spikes laying beside the lines.
    There were dozens beside the tracks where old sleepers had been replaced over the years.
    I have tried a file on them and they are certainly harder than black steel.
    Ive made a few knives over the years, some from pattern welded damascus Ive forged myself and some from 1045 or similar/
    I have always shied away from second hand steel since its not worth the effort to produce a blade that wont keep an edge.
    So with that being said---has anyone any experience in forging a blade form a railway spike and is the result worth the effort?
    Thanks in advance for any help or guidance
    Brian

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    near Rockhampton
    Posts
    6,216

    Default

    I doubt it will be successful as I doubt their carbon content is that high. At the most it would be no higher then structural steel. The spikes have to be hammered in, so they are not going to have that high a carbon content.
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    According to specifications set forth by American Railway Engineering Association there are two classes of railroad spikes, low carbon track spikes used on straight sections of railroads and high carbon steel track spikes used on curves and switches. According to the specifications, low carbon spikes may contain no more than 0.12% carbon and "High Carbon" spikes may contain NO MORE THAN 0.30% carbon.

    Knife blade steels typically contain between 0.85% and 1.5% carbon, or 3-5 times as much carbon as a "High Carbon" railroad spike.


    Your railway spike knife may make a decorative knife like a letter opener but won't be hard enough for use as a real knife.

    Grahame

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    gold coast
    Posts
    303

    Default

    Thanks Grahame and RC, I appreciate your input and it saves me from 'wasting' time on a doomed project.
    I guess I can use them for deep sea fishing sinkers
    regards
    Bria

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Picton NSW
    Posts
    82

    Default

    I made two knives from two different Aussie spikes and tested them on my bench top Rockwell tester yesterday.
    Both were water quenched and not tempered.
    One came in at 18 Rockwell and the other 45 Rockwell.

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