commission available for a pounder - 2 railroad spike knives

T

tmickley

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Apr 4, 2001
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I had a guy call me this weekend. He must have found me on the web as he is from the Twin Cities area and I live an hour out from there.

He has a half dozen rail road spikes from a track right near where he grew up. He wants some one to make 2 knives from these spikes so he can give to his 2 daughters as a sentimental gift. I explained the whole high carbon thing and HC stamp and low carbon spikes (like he almost certainly has). He didn't know if they were stamped HC or not. I told him knives could still be made from the spikes, they just would not hold an edge like a regular knife and that since they were for his daughters, who would care? He thought that might be OK. I think so too. He is firm in that he wants the knives made from those spikes he has held onto for years.

I asked him how much he would spend. He said he would pay up to a hundred dollars each. He said a hundred dollars like it was insane to spend that kind of money on a knife but it was for his daughters. He really doesn't know much about knives or what a custom would cost but I guess most don't.

He sounds like a great guy wanting to give his daughters some thing special that means something to him.

I just don't have time to forge anything right now as I'm up to my ears in the supply thing I'm working on.

Anyway, if you are interested in this job, shoot me an email and I'll send you his name and number and you can give him a call and talk it over with him. He is looking forward to hearing some one.
 
What style blade? Up to the smith? i would be willing to take on the commission, and could do both spike blades for $70 each if it is just a plain Hunter style blade shape, ground and polished to 120. I could mail them back to you Tmick for some higher grit work if he would like. I have forged spikes alot, second to last commission was for a carving knife and fork set, from spikes the customer had furnished and brought all the way to NY from FL.
 
man i have a Box of 100 HC spikes and dont know what i should do with them. maybe sell them. whats the carbon percent in a hc spike
 
Sam Salvati does real nice work; your associate won't be disappointed!:thumbup:
 
JTknives said:
man i have a Box of 100 HC spikes and dont know what i should do with them. maybe sell them. whats the carbon percent in a hc spike
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Keep them. try forging out your blade, and bringing the edge down thinner than you normally would, but still not qiute sharp. Then quench in plain tap water. Temnper to a light straw on the spine.
 
If he'd realy wanted a decent knife from those low carbon spikes, San Mai might be an idea?
 
I've sent this clients info to a few guys but no one has closed the deal to my knowledge so it must still be available.
 
I talked with him and gave him a price. He evidently thought it would be a good idea and went with it before getting his facts. He is expecting to get knives with sheaths that will be good for his girls to use as general purpose hunting knives. He also cannot afford then at the present time so he has the info and maybe in the future he will get them made by one of us.

Larry
 
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