railroad steel

Captain Spaulding

Captain Spaulding

Joined
Apr 4, 2009
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I have the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge RR here in town and they sell scrap for 3 cents a pound and 5.50 a linear foot for rail. The also sell 400lb wheels and other train components. Anyone have any input on what I should look for and how useful rail is for a blade smithing anvil?
 
Rail Road Track anvils are very popular for beginners. I say get a few feet to play with.
 
They had some rather serious joint platforms that connect the cars but he wouldn't part with those. Has anyone here used rail before that can comment on whether or not I should even bother? Why is rail bad? I was thinking of just inverting a 12 inch length and sinking it in to the top of a 5 gallon bucket filled with concrete. Any thoughts?
 
Captain Spaulding said:
They had some rather serious joint platforms that connect the cars but he wouldn't part with those. Has anyone here used rail before that can comment on whether or not I should even bother? Why is rail bad? I was thinking of just inverting a 12 inch length and sinking it in to the top of a 5 gallon bucket filled with concrete. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

My first anvil I picked up for $5 at a yard sale was a 16-inch piece of rail, and I've still got it (and I also have a couple of real old anvils). I can't imagine why anybody would say rail is bad. As long as the piece is smooth, it should be fine. Consider what's been rolling over it. Them locomotives and cattle cars have been polishing and compressing them iron atoms into something indelible (how's that for BS :D ?)
 
The top of the rail is work hardened, and makes a better anvil, but some folks have turned them over. IG welded two sections together along the rail,creating a larger face and a foot plate, IIRC. Most that I have used ( I still have one) have a flat section about 8" ground/milled into the track - for general flat forging.. Then they have a 3-4" section that is slightly radiused - or drawing and tapering. A horn of some sort is usually ground/milled into the end. The web is cut back to the foot, making a long, thin anvil . They work well . Get a big tree section and bolt/spike the anvil to it.
Stacy
 
Thanks guys that is definitely helpful and I will post pics in a few weeks once I get it squared away...unless of course my 2 year old has other plans.
 
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