Want to try a RR Spike knife.

[Caleb M.]

I am relatively new to knife making and don't have a ton of fancy tools. The tools I have are hand tools i.e. hand drill, hacksaw, etc. I wanted to make a Rail Road Spike knife but wasn't sure where to start. The spike I have is 6" long, any suggestions on making?

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[LRB]

You will have to forge it, and when you're done, it will be a letter opener and good for little else. Although many seem to think they are cool because of what they were. Also, look for one with HC, on the head. Those are the higher carbon types at around .30 content. Harden in brine, and don't temper.

 

[Salem Straub]

They can be cool, I've made a bunch myself. I've seen people just grind a blade out of them, which looks terrible IMO. You need to forge it. That takes at least a hardwood charcoal fire, and something for an anvil. You'll need tongs or something that can grip it securely, and a cross peen hammer. You'd do a lot better to have an anvil with a hardy hole, so you can use a spring fuller to cleanly step the handle down to blade thickness, and if you want to twist the handle, a good sized vise and at least a large crescent wrench.

Not really a good beginner project if you don't have these tools; I do teach people to make them, but at my shop where I'm set up for it.

Where you at in WA? If you're anywhere near me, I could show you...

 

[WA Martin]

Hey, Caleb? How old are you?

If you are in junior high, like your profile might suggest, and your mom works with "Wade", I could introduce you to Salem, if she was ok with it. "Autumn", my wife, knows him too.

 

[GrizzlyBear]

Here is one I recently completed. The spike was twisted and forged into a crude knife-shaped object by a smith at the local annual Fort Massac Encampment (French & Indian War reenactment). I bought it from the smith in it's scale covered rough form to finish up. I left the rough uneven spine and forge marks on the flats of the blade. Using a file, I brought the bevels down to a decent thickness, then heated it to nonmagnetic, held temp and quenched in used motoroil. Using a small propane torch I heat colored the blade, somewhat tempering it at the same time. Sharpened to 25 degrees per side with a secondary bevel at 30 degrees then stropped. Don't let the rough looks fool you, it's a razor.