Anyone have experience with the latter being used for kukris, and the quality of the final result? Would the steel be close to the 5160's composition? Was wondering if, in the past, for older kukris, rail steel was used more often. Just curiosity, "trivia" level.
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Truck spring vs rail steel
- Thread starter Moonw
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2009
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- 2,228
Both steels are good for pretty much everything, if tempered to suit the task.
RR rail is a LOT of work to forge down-as is cutting the stuff apart-not sure it'd be worth the effort.
The Japanese made a number of very nice officers katana out of the rails of the Manchurian railroad-1084 is what I use for wakizashi and tanto, as well as small dao. It's a very good sword steel.
I don't know what WW2 era vehicle springs were made from, (1060 maybe?) but they're thinner which tells me they're not 5160-water quenched 5160 in thin section usually goes bang, or warps unfixably.
RR rail is a LOT of work to forge down-as is cutting the stuff apart-not sure it'd be worth the effort.
The Japanese made a number of very nice officers katana out of the rails of the Manchurian railroad-1084 is what I use for wakizashi and tanto, as well as small dao. It's a very good sword steel.
I don't know what WW2 era vehicle springs were made from, (1060 maybe?) but they're thinner which tells me they're not 5160-water quenched 5160 in thin section usually goes bang, or warps unfixably.