Railroad Spike Knives

snorkem · Dec 13, 2009

Hey everyone, I am really interested in railroad spike knives. I want to see pics of them and makers since I really want to buy one, post pics if you can, and if you have any makers in mind please tell. I dont want to spend too much on one but somewhere around 150 dollars would be good.

Thanks for all your help,

Snorkem

dms819 · Dec 13, 2009

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=695667

Check out that thread, I think it's exactly what you're looking for.

myright · Dec 13, 2009

Check this maker out - he's active on BF and is just a plain old good guy! I've got one of his knives and it's great.

http://takachforge.com/default.aspx

IVANKERLEY · Dec 13, 2009

He's a member here
This was one that he made for me!!! Awesome little knife and it gets wicked sharp! He's a real stand up guy too:thumbup:
he does alot of beautiful work, and one day i'm gonna have one of his patch knives

or maybe a hawk

ivan

Entreri · Dec 13, 2009

myright said:
Check this maker out - he's active on BF and is just a plain old good guy! I've got one of his knives and it's great.

http://takachforge.com/default.aspx

I was also going to recommend Andrew Takach.. Don't have anything of his yet, but I've been eyeballing his work for quite a while. Just noticed the spike knives on his website lastnight as a matter of fact.

tomdogma · Dec 13, 2009

how good is the steel generally in rail road spikes??

dinozzo · Dec 13, 2009

Might check out a maker on here, Bob Alderman, hes a real cool guy, heres one of his railroad knives,

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=694231

knarfeng · Dec 13, 2009

tomdogma said:
how good is the steel generally in rail road spikes??

It's very good steel for rail road spikes. Very strong. Very tough. Will not break.

But it's not real hot for making a knife with great edge retention, though it would likely be pretty fair for a throwing knife.

New railroad spikes have to be per ASTM A65-07. There are two grades.
Grade 1 has carbon content of 0.12% min.
Grade 2 has carbon content of 0.3% min.

It would be unusual to find much more than the minimum amount of carbon. So you are looking at something on the order of 1030 carbon steel.

atakach · Jan 6, 2010

Entreri said:
I was also going to recommend Andrew Takach.. Don't have anything of his yet, but I've been eyeballing his work for quite a while. Just noticed the spike knives on his website lastnight as a matter of fact.

thanks for the plug

Gargs · Jan 6, 2010

I bought one from Lyle a couple of years back when a friend of mine retired from the RR. Actually a beautiful job...my buddy had his son frame it!

www.bronksknifeworks.com

thompsonblades · Jan 6, 2010

Here are my crude attempts.

You can find more makers at DevArt.com

atakach · Jan 11, 2010

thompsonblades said:
Here are my crude attempts.

You can find more makers at DevArt.com

interesting concept, wonder how one would look with a rawhide wrap would look if wrapped wet so it dried nice and tight?

nice job!!!

Fort Henry Custom Knives · Jan 11, 2010

Here's one I made several years ago. I think RR spikes make OK knives, certainly a nice basic cutting tool.

Clydetz · Jan 11, 2010

J. Neilson made a nice looking railroad spike knife with a twist damascus blade...

How about a horseshoe lnife...

Entreri · Jan 11, 2010

atakach said:
thanks for the plug

Not to stray off topic or anything, but it's well deserved! I really enjoy looking at your work. That damascus hunter with camel bone scales you had in the for sale area a month or so ago was killing me! I bet I looked at that thing 3 times a day and wondered why it wouldn't go ahead and get sold a bit quicker so I wouldn't be tempted to skip gassing up the truck or something like that and buy it! If only money weren't so tight this time of year..

stricknine · Jan 11, 2010

as stated i have had at least three of ron's rr spike knives and as many of his camp knives made out of tool steel--1095, he is an awesome knifemaker and very good people---from nc as well

IVANKERLEY said:
He's a member here
This was one that he made for me!!! Awesome little knife and it gets wicked sharp! He's a real stand up guy too:thumbup:
he does alot of beautiful work, and one day i'm gonna have one of his patch knives or maybe a hawk
ivan

jball · Mar 15, 2015

snorkem said:
Hey everyone, I am really interested in railroad spike knives. I want to see pics of them and makers since I really want to buy one, post pics if you can, and if you have any makers in mind please tell. I dont want to spend too much on one but somewhere around 150 dollars would be good.

Thanks for all your help,

Snorkem

Here is mine

Railroad Spike Knives

senex morosus moderator