Raildroad spike uses....

ryan9977

ryan9977

Joined
Feb 16, 2006
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ok so to answer everyone.....i DO OWN good steel to use.....i was wondering besides simple spike knives if they are any good uses for spikes.....does anyone forge weld a bit of good steel in the edge?....i have a friend that got me a bunch of old and new spikes and a section of rail to use as an anvil....i thought it would be nice to practice forging the spikes but was wondering if anyone else uses them for anything......appreciate any thoughts......ryan
 
ohh i'll also say i am not trying to start some big debate on using known or found steels.....i have no problem with people using either.....and i have a large amount of known steel to use for blades.....i was just wondering what others do.....ryan
 
I've seen coat hooks made out of them, drawn out and shaped into an "S" also I harden and tempered a few and made chisels out of them.

Jason
 
They are a good source of practice for me,most of the things I try I do with spikes first.I saw a blacksmith friend of mine get over 20" of blade with 2 hot cut finger rings out of a regular spike!!!Granted it was a rapier but still...
Try hot punching holes for extra length too.

J.Neilson does some pretty impressive spikes with damascus blades.http://www.mountainhollow.net
 
I've seen them drawn out into bbq grill tools. They also are just about right for jug line weights, if you're into catfishing.
 
chisels is a good idea.....how do they hold up for you?.....ryan


i love j's work....ryan:thumbup:
 
how about one of these!

DSC01776.jpg


DSC01777.jpg
 
NOW THATS COOL BUTCH!:thumbup::eek:

The chisels are good for mild sheet steel I've worked (not anything over .050") the simple steel they are made out of I frankly dont trust to really hold up on a heavy piece of work. They'd make some BIG wood working gouges and knives...
 
i was wondering if anyone used them for hawks?....maybe throwing hawks....might workout good since they wouldn't be real hard.....maybe some of the hawk experts will chime in.....ryan
 
i've seen door knockers made from them, i like to some times use them for legs on a gas forge.

i know of a guy who used them alot in damascus, mostly just for san mai,(said they took blueing very nicely)
some of the others said bbq tools, steak flippers,

ive even mirror polished them for guys who wanted them for paper weights. i think there an essential item to have, free metal, and can be used for lots of stuff,

andrew
 
once i made a big bowie, probably about 12-14'' long out of a spike, i wrapped a damascus billet over it and mirror polished, was more of a mantel piece, for the guy.
 
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