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High carbon railroad spike for the forge

L

loosenock

Joined
Jul 10, 2002
Messages
77
I have was given several spikes from a friend who knows I forge knives. I have seen high carbon spikes that are marked with a "H C" on the head. But these spikes that were given to me are marked "C H". Anyone know if these are high carbon spikes or would these be the manufactures initials? Thanks for your help.

Joe
 
Joe, I was told by an old railroad workers a few yrs. back that the HC did not stand for high carbon, he said it stood for Hartford, conn. thats where they were made. I've used skipes with marking and without marking and haven't found any difference in the heat treat, so that told me they we're all about the same. RR spikes make a fairly decent knife but there more of a conversation piece in my opinion, if your going to take the time and want a good knife, start with steel that has at the least .60 carbon, and 5160-1084-1095 to me would be better yet. RR spikes are fun to fool with through.

Just my opinion

Bill
 
I've read before that this was the bladesmith-equivalent to an urban legend. Those are not high C....

JD
 
I've come across some that were marked hc and did harden well, some with no markings that hardened and some with no markings that didn't harden at all. I'ld say forge the end of one out a little bit then quench in water and see if it hardened. Prolly not the best working knife, but a heck of a good letter opener.

WS
 
Best that I can gather is their composition is near that of 1040. I have made several knives from spikes, actually forging out a tang and putting on a guard and handle....and the heat treat that I used was a edge quench in oil at 140F and then a couple stress relief draws at 275F.

The knives were extremely tough, not the greatest edge holders, but very adequate. Easy to sharpen and had a very agressive edge.
 
Here is a pic of one:

rrk1.jpg
 
I am currently forging a spike I found and is goign to be a traditional tanto blade when done. Complete with hamon. Will be posting it up on my site eventually.
 
That is really nice Xrayed. What a nice job. I have looked at a lot of spike knives from different sites on the internet and yours will get my vote for the nicest. I am thinking along the lines of forging the tang flat except for the head. I would do like to make a scale sided knife but incorporate the head of the spike as a pommel. At anytime did you ever need to hold onto the head while hammering? It seems that would be a very difficult hold. I have nearly been babtized by hammer flipping a red hot blade back over my head and wondering if it was going to land in the middle of my back. Terrible feeling not knowing if you should run or stay put. I chose wisely.

Joe
 
I have sold quite a few railway spikes but only as leter openers.The old ones here are made from rought iron when etched they look like a rough Damascus or wood grain pattern. The rought Iron does not harded at all. I would put that on the infor sheet supplied with the opener to the tourists. I also said you don't need a letter opener to be razor .
I got a pair of $2 chineese nail pinchers from the salvage hardware store. forged the jaws a bit and they made good tongs to hold the shaft from behind the head of the spike. They sometimes still go sideways but have not had one go over my head yet.

I had a lot of fun with spikes. Good presents at Xmas
 
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