Did You know...

jhiggins · Jun 15, 2004

...that you can buy Railroad Spikes at McMaster-Carr? In two different sizes! 9/16" and 5/8" Catalog #s 97897A779,, and 97897A818, respectively for $.79 and $.89 each.

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Nowicki · Jun 15, 2004

jhiggins said:
...that you can buy Railroad Spikes at McMaster-Carr? In two different sizes! 9/16" and 5/8" Catalog #s 97897A779,, and 97897A818, respectively for $.79 and $.89 each.

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Does anyone know if these are high carbon spikes. They are the ones to use for blades, they harden in heat treat.

Larry

fitzo · Jun 15, 2004

What qualifies as high carbon? Most carbon I've heard of in spikes is 0.45%.

T Blade · Jun 15, 2004

fitzo said:
What qualifies as high carbon? Most carbon I've heard of in spikes is 0.45%.

Hy Fellas,

I believe .40% is a basic starting point for the ability to harden, I just made an anvil from 4140, and it hardened pretty well, that's the adventure where we flame tested IG's shed,

the place just barely passed.

(Right Wally

)

So, if those spikes are in the .45% range, they should be able to be hardened.

Larry T

Member of NECKA & NCCA

Nowicki · Jun 15, 2004

fitzo said:
What qualifies as high carbon? Most carbon I've heard of in spikes is 0.45%.

I don't know but for blades I usually use the ones stamped with HC on the head. They seem to work fine.

fitzo · Jun 15, 2004

The higher carbon ones do harden to the low/mid RC50's, so they make a decent if not great-edge-holding blade. That said, a guy reported at CKD recently of getting 57 with Superquench:

http://www.ckdforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21688&highlight=spike

Sweany · Jun 15, 2004

spikes with a mark on em are genrally .35 those without are generally .20

you'll get some rerolled stock sometimes that is a little higher, but mainly they fall in that range.

My buddy is an inspector in a spike plant here in OK. THAT'S MY STORY, AND I'M STICKIN TO IT.

R APPLEBY · Jun 15, 2004

As far as my last inquiery, according to the people at KEYSTONE SPIKES in Lebonon Pa.( 1-800-554-0554) the spikes are .35% and are only made marked HC, they sell spikes by the keg but have a 2 keg minimum.

Erik Fritz · Jun 15, 2004

I work for the R.R. here in Montana and the spikes marked HC are used on switches turnouts and curves supposedly because the are more wear resistant (harder.)

Dan Gray · Jun 16, 2004

jhiggins said:
...that you can buy Railroad Spikes at McMaster-Carr? In two different sizes! 9/16" and 5/8" Catalog #s 97897A779,, and 97897A818, respectively for $.79 and $.89 each.

http://www.mcmaster.com/

I'll sell them to you for $.50 each

I'll just walk the track out back and pick them up, it's cheaper that way

they make great forge legs

larry1096 · Jun 16, 2004

jhiggins said:
...that you can buy Railroad Spikes at McMaster-Carr? In two different sizes! 9/16" and 5/8" Catalog #s 97897A779,, and 97897A818, respectively for $.79 and $.89 each.

http://www.mcmaster.com/

I can picture it...

"Hi, McMaster-Carr? This is Jeff from the Pensiola Line..we're going to need 150,000 of the 9/16" spikes and, well, make it an even million of the 5/8" spikes"

Does the railroad really order from McMaster? And who else (besides crazy knifemakers!) buys railroad spikes?

Larry

jhiggins · Jun 16, 2004

larry1096 said:
Does the railroad really order from McMaster? And who else (besides crazy knifemakers!) buys railroad spikes?

Good question, Larry. I only saw them because I was looking at different styles of siding nails and boom! There they were at the bottom of the page. I figured y'all would like this little tidbit!

indian george · Jun 16, 2004

T Blade said:
Hy Fellas,

I believe .40% is a basic starting point for the ability to harden, I just made an anvil from 4140, and it hardened pretty well, that's the adventure where we flame tested IG's shed, the place just barely passed. (Right Wally )

So, if those spikes are in the .45% range, they should be able to be hardened.

Larry T

Member of NECKA & NCCA

Still have the scars of your attempt.

Beaver

Ilovetoolsteel · Jun 17, 2004

larry1096 said:
Does the railroad really order from McMaster? And who else (besides crazy knifemakers!) buys railroad spikes?
Larry

Factories with rail shipping docks, Most foundries have rail lines within their facilities for moving materials. Any manufacturing facility that uses massive quantities of raw materials like automotive Glass plants. These all have internal rail lines.

Drew

Ilovetoolsteel · Jun 17, 2004

Nowicki said:
Does anyone know if these are high carbon spikes. They are the ones to use for blades, they harden in heat treat.

Larry

Contact McMaster Carr and ask them to fax or scan a copy of the MSDS, (material safety data sheet) for the spikes,There should be one. It might have a typical analisys on it giving carbon content.

Drew

C L Wilkins · Jun 17, 2004

At best, RR spike knives are a novelty. We have taken to calling them Newburys to honor Mickey Newbury. He is the one in "Newbury Train Songs" in the song, "Luchenbach, Texas" that Waylon and Willie did back in the 70's.

As a novelty they are great but don't expect a very high quality piece of cutlery from them.

More on the Newbury thing later...just finished up a project. Will post pictures later.

Craig

jhiggins · Jun 17, 2004

C L Wilkins said:
We have taken to calling them Newburys to honor Mickey Newbury. He is the one in "Newbury Train Songs" in the song, "Luchenbach, Texas" that Waylon and Willie did back in the 70's.

Awesome little factoid there, Craig. I always wondered what that meant. When I was a young man, the Missus and I lived in Del Rio when Waylon and Willie had that song out on the charts. I loved it so much, I had to drive out to Luchenbach. Never did know what "Newbury Train Songs" meant until now though. Thank you!

J. Neilson · Jun 17, 2004

Cool, never seen a place selling spikes before. The carbon content seems to have been quite a conversation piece the last year. You can make a decent knife but, nothing stunning, unless you san mai the spike. Then you can make a great cutter. Mostly, they are novelty items. That's why I do the little damascus insert to them. Makes them a bit more appealing for the novelty aspect. You can also, san mai these to make a cool damascus spike that cuts on and on.

rhrocker · Jun 17, 2004

Jeff said:

When I was a young man, the Missus and I lived in Del Rio when Waylon and Willie had that song out on the charts.

Hey Jeff, why didn't you stop and see me? Uvalde is only 70 miles from Del Rio! I have the yellow pre-fab metal building about 3 miles East of Uvalde with logs all over the place.

MacHete · Jun 17, 2004

Ilovetoolsteel said:
Contact McMaster Carr and ask them to fax or scan a copy of the MSDS, (material safety data sheet) for the spikes,There should be one. It might have a typical analisys on it giving carbon content.

Drew

Odds are, the MSDS won't have detailed percentages of composition on it; only reactivity and other safety info about how to handle the stuff. But, any foundry should have spectrographic data for their material available. At the very least, there should be info available about the raw material coming in. I worked in an Aluminum foundry, and we spectro-tested ingots coming in, both prime (new) and secondary (recycled). We also tested the molten metal at every transfer point right up to the cast. Very detailed analysis was available, even with our less-than top-of-the-line equipment.

In short, the folks who make the spikes should have a pretty good idea of what's in them. Just ask 'em.

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