I want to send it to a piece to a metallurgical lab to see what it is really made of, but was quoted $250.00 to test. Since 1996, NARSTCO has stood apart as the name in steel railroad ties and turnout sets, distinguishing itself not just on the quality of its products but also on the caliber of its service. Follow us on social media and be the first to know about our latest deals and fun contests! For example, my buddy gave me two pieces of railroad tracks for free. Use either a cutting torch (ideal) or a cutoff wheel (much slower) to cut off a length to work with. Pasted as rich text. Since 1996, NARSTCO has stood apart as the name in steel railroad ties and turnout sets, distinguishing itself not just on the quality of its products but also on the caliber of its service. This is a medium carbon steel with 0.7% to 0.8% carbon and 0.7% to 1% manganese. As you see, for both situations, there are solutions. There are various state sales, auctions, maintenance yards, and auto repair shops. Buy the most suitable rail from reliable manufacture. Your link has been automatically embedded. Step One: Forging the Railroad Spike Knife Blade Depending on your hammering stamina and hand-eye coordination, this thinning process can take some time. Stun Guns, Swords & Knives! So, if you mostly use a 2-pound hammer, the minimum weight of the anvil should be 20 pounds. There is more to making a knife than just the materials involved..PROPER and careful thermal treatment, a thermal treatment that is OPTIMAL for that particular material will work wonders on the end use, couple that with good edge geometry and you will have a pretty decent knife. Only $2.00 Each Spike - FILL YOUR SHIPPING BOX WITH AS MANY SPIKES AS YOU LIKE (Up To 80 Spikes Per Box) RARE Large Variety "Blue Tint" Carbon Steel Railroad Spikes 6.5". Basically, just hold it at that temperature. Close search. Do you have to move your anvil often? With powerful tools and services, along with expert support and education, we help creative entrepreneurs start, manage, and scale their businesses. . As I recall that technique has been used over time to construct swords as well. Start blacksmithing in your garage and build your own forge for making projects like this railroad spike knife. What is main cause of horizontal cracks in concrete? Carbon content ranges from 0.55 to 0.82%, depending on weight and size. This one on Amazon will do the trick for you. You can cut and shape the horn based on your needs. This is complete with the dark stonewashed finished seen on actual railroad spikes on the track. This week for Weapons Wednesday, I tested out the removeable spike spear staff as well as some of the other new weapons we recently added to the KarateMart.com website. Usually it will take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours for a beginner. They might give you a bucket load, then you wouldn't be subject to prosecution if someone gets over zealous. Lanier Steel Products of Commerce, Georgia, is a railway track material distributor offering only the highest quality railroad supplies and tools. This type of steel is. You can get yourself into serious legal issues. 1241-1245), as may be amended, (the "Act") prohibits shipment of automatic knives across state lines, with the following exceptions: (a) to civilian or Armed Forces supply or procurement officers and employees of the Federal Government ordering, procuring, or purchasing such knives in connection with the activities of the Federal Government; You can shape metal with a dull, damaged file. Some countries use better-quality steel while others lower-quality steel. Etsys 100% renewable electricity commitment includes the electricity used by the data centers that host Etsy.com, the Sell on Etsy app, and the Etsy app, as well as the electricity that powers Etsys global offices and employees working remotely from home in the US. People like the looks, and for what most people use blades for a low carbon steel blade would probably suffice? If you are going to use heat to cut off a piece, make sure you leave a lot of excess stock so you can remove the heat affected zone later. I had a guy tell me once that a smith had made him a knife from an HC spike, "and that was good, because that is the same steel they use in swords". It's tough, through-hardening, and forgable. How to make an anvil out of a railroad track; One simple test to determine if a scrap steel is worthy of forging into a knife; Scrap steel is perfect for practicing grinding and heat treatment techniques. If youre into charts, here are some of the general properties of the steel: If this chart means nothing to you, heres a quick explanation of what this means: Heres some more useful information about the size of the tracks: Usually theyre designated by weight per yard. thickness of the spike without cracking on the outside portion of the bent port I think the only thing I'm short is something to build the legs out of and $20 at the steel shop would handle that. It was quick to make, and they lasted the day but there was no edge left. ", Railway King Railroad Spike Knife - Collectible Hand Forged Steel Clip Point Locomotive Knife with Leather Sheath, Looks like you already have an account! The typical hardness of a high carbon rail steel is about 280 HB.Click to see full answer. "Handmade": Information based on the seller's listing. Thank you for your interest. John W Smith www.smith-forge.org Fire and wind come from the sky, from the gods of the sky. We also created 2.6 million jobs in the U.S.enough to employ the entire city of Houston, TX! I would much prefer known steel, but others with cabins in the area like the nostalgia of materials from the area. The first thing you do is tell your family and friends that you are looking for some piece of rail track and see if someone has it. This will help remove stresses and prevent cracking. That seems like one heck of a test!! I think what they ment was to split what would become the blade of the spike knife down the middle insert a piece of high carbon steel like a piece from a file or something of that nature, then forge weld the thing back together. Its been steady upgrades from there. This is a medium carbon steel with 0.7% to 0.8% carbon and 0.7% to 1% manganese. Pleasant hill, have you ever tried to cut hardened steel with a portaband? Im always up for a good laugh. These superior mechanical properties give rail steel a unique advantage over mild steel. Also, I would generally prefer to use something other than a knife to kill a hog, and rely on the knife for cleaning the carcass. Once youve hit that temp, soak the metal for 15 to 20 minutes. When the weather turns a bit warmer, today is this winter's first snow storm and temps for the next week or so are expected to in the munis 10-20 - celcius, I am certainly game for the challenge. Perfect for pounding down on whatever dinner, shelter, or other project that lay before you. Railroad track steel is typically 1084 or equivalent hot rolled steel. Is it way above my head? LSMIITTH Dual Burner Gas Metal Melting Furnace Knife Making Blacksmith Forge . They are 100% recyclable. BRAND NEW Railroad Spike Carbon Steel Track Spikes LotsOfRailroadSpikes (441) $1.95 Bestseller Hand Forged "Cube" Twisted Railroad Spike Knife With Custom Made Black Leather Sheath BluemontMetalWorks (93) $144.65 Handmade drop point railroad spike knife with cubic twist 1836Forge (17) $33.75 $45.00 (25% off) FREE shipping The top side is typically quenched, but it is still not as hard as before it has been in service.One of the best ways to harden the railroad track is by water-quenching it. A shattered rail spike holds no track (ancient Chinese proverb? (70% off), Sale Price $72.00 The best thing about that was that these tracks didnt require a lot of dressing. A Track Record of Excellence. If there is anything track managers can all agree on, its that cutting costs while improving performance is a good deal. Rail spikes are low carbon,. So, I decided to weld a plate of 1095 steel. I really like using rebar for making all kinds of industrial-looking welding projects. Carbon not g The test described for rr spikes, bending back on itself, makes so much sense. Don't Get Twisted - Get a Twisted Handle Weapon. I have seen some people welding together three pieces of rail tracks. Original document, 1926, revised last in 1968 . We have a cabin in the coal branch, Alberta. Required fields are marked *. They approach every job with the service-minded sensibility that has defined our organization since its founding. This is especially true of older tracks. 85-623, 72 Stat. Choose the options youd like for the order. I have a few buds who hunt hog with muzzleloaders and bows, and there is nothing wrong with it, but they tend to be very experienced (and carry a backup). Do not drop it. This wont tell you exactly if the track is 1084 or not, but youll know if its heat treatable. But befor we get into a discussion about using rail I feal the need to just toss out the warning. You can smooth the edges, so they dont cut into the material and many other things to support your blacksmithing work. The Mass Coastal Railroad was looking for a cost-effective way to rehabilitate an aging wood turnout at its Maintenance Shed in Rochester, Mass., a key part of its operations. (10% off), $44.00 The accepted standard for knife steel is at least 60 to 65 points carbon minimum. This anvil is about a foot long. "A low carbon track spike will not contain greater than 0.12% carbon Email Address (Will Not Be Displayed) (Required): To prevent abuse, all reviews are approved by our staff before appearing on this page. If you have to move the anvil very often, we recommend having an anvil no heavier than 100 pounds, mainly due to practical reasons. I want to note that these statements dont necessarily apply to all countries. -Aaron @ the SCF, Ah! even the ones marked HC. I could get home some very good steel for about $20-$30. -Aaron @ the SCF. When you work off the the spine of this steel ridge, you feel its power and support! You have the necessary quality to accomplish this feat. This type of steel is great for heat treating. I usually prefer the other option. The top side is generally used as the face due to the lower vibrations and ringing noise. If the track is annealed, you could even use an aggressive flap wheel on an angle grinder and remove a decent amount of material. $72.00, $80.00 I see a lot of debates on the blacksmithing forums where some say that railroad tracks cannot harden while others argue otherwise. On the other hand old leaf and coil springs are good knife steel. Lets go over the properties of this metal, some effective ways of working with it, as well as some good applications for the grade. Track on a line from a coal field would be the highest, as it carries long trains of very heavily loaded cars. The steel really holds up well against hammering, and these little anvils can work great for fine, detailed work. This is a medium carbon steel with 0.7% to 0.8% carbon and 0.7% to 1% manganese. High-Grade Rails AGICO offers the steel grades for railroad rails with a tensile strength range of 690(min) to 1179(min) N/mm2. Yes that's what I told him. Seems like a logical solution to the problem. 3. Free shipping . Original Price $150.00 As you can imagine, trains are heavy and put an extraordinary amount of stress on anything below them. It contains 0.8-0.9% of carbon, 0.9% of manganese, 0.5% of silicon, 0.3% of phosphorus, and 0.5% of sulfur. Done properly it's a clean quick kill. My specialty is machining. Thanks for all your input. Proudly powered by, A high carbon rail steel, by comparison, may have a tensile strength from 900 N mm, From what I can find on-line, railroad track steel is typically 1084 or equivalent hot rolled steel. You need to heat it up to 1500 F and then slowly cool it to 1200 F at no faster than 50 F per hour. "Free Shipping:" Information based on the seller's listing. Cut off a small piece, ideally with a zipcut or some other kind of cutoff disc. Use a cutting torch (ideal) or a cutting wheel (much slower) to cut a length. I will post results. It will also ensure that the rail is all conducted from the same steel rather than some laminated construction (no idea if they do this, but it doesn't seem that unlikely). I also have done a lot of welding/fabrication, along with special processes. The track used in curves has the highest carbon content. Powers hit it on the head (see what I did there?) Instead, get yourself the heavy duty. If youre like the other 99% of us, get a neodymium magnet and wrap a stiff steel wire around it so that you can hold it against the hot metal without getting your hand too close. Everything from historic to more modern weapons, we worked hard to bring the most unique items that we carry. If you do, send me a video. At that hardness, the steel has a really good wear resistance. Ive ordered one purely for aesthetics, although I was surprised by how good it is for small to medium-sized projects. I think Mr. You cannot paste images directly. Check out our steel railroad track selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. From handmade pieces to vintage treasures ready to be loved again, Etsy is the global marketplace for unique and creative goods. Brian. The wonderful thing about rail tracks is they are most easily available. Rail in the US is still a simple steel, typically anything made since 1980 is basically .80% Carbon, 1.1% +/- Manganese and .24% Chrome. Another extremely important factor is portability. After the complete cool down, take it out and test it with a file. Rare Steel Railroad Rail Train track Anvil Collectible Blacksmith Craft 20 Lbs. This high carbon tracking knife comes with a pocket-style genuine leather sheath that will hang from your belt or saddle bag. A knife with a serviceable edge is forged from a horseshoe by forge welding 1075 steel to the shoe. Quenching is a cooling process where hot material is taken out of the forge and immediately placed in some medium, usually in water or oil, for those unfamiliar with this term. When copper is specified, the letters "CU" shall be added." Now will they cut?? These 4 or 5-star reviews represent the opinions of the individuals who posted them and do not reflect the views of Etsy. Railroad tracks are known as some of the most popular anvil alternatives in Blacksmithing for various reasons. Original document, 1926, revised last in 1968 This is a medium carbon steel with 0.7% to 0.8% carbon and 0.7% to 1% manganese. They are the flash-butt welding, the gas-pressure welding, the enclosed-arc welding, and the thermite welding. NARSTCO steel ties and turnout sets are made from recycled steel and can be recycled at the end of their long service life. The Technically, you could do it, but itll be ugly and youll spend way too much time dressing your tools. Make It From Metal is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. If you need to machine it, try annealing it first. that being said, if they hit the back of another hawk already in the target, you`ll need a file. If you whack it with a hammer, it'll crack. Try contacting them via Messages to find out! Yes! Depending on the size of the track, it can be used for small projects while others use it for larger projects. (20% off), Sale Price $44.98 In terms of the ideal hardness of the anvil, it is very tough to say the exact level, but anywhere from 50-55 HRC is sufficient as a general rule of thumb. Hickman's Farriery suggests the anvil be placed. There was a problem subscribing you to this newsletter. Sale Price $58.50 You can use the railroad spike for designing and carving metals or furniture. It's tough, through-hardening, and forgable. Railroad tracks are cheap and oftentimes you can even find them for free. Thanks for clarifying it for me Now, correct me if I am mistaken, but I was under the understanding that if properly prepared - normalizing, annealing, forging, quenching, a bit of grinding and then heat treating - RR spike steel would be fine to use as a knife. Make It From Metal is owned and operated by Maverick Manufacturing Solutions. 1084 steel can usually be heat treated up to 65 Rockwell C, but at that hardness its very brittle. LSMIITTH Dual Burner Gas Metal Melting Furnace Knife Making Blacksmith Forge . What it cuts, how long the edge lasts and how sharp it gets, are what will change. This steel has incredibly high wear resistance, making it less likely to crack. Or should I preferably use the old leaf and coil springs I have? Start to Finish. Couldn't touch it with a file! Contact everybody that you think they have one laying in their garage or around the house. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Track on a line from a coal field would be the highest, as it carries long trains of very heavily loaded cars. Many sellers on Etsy offer personalized, made-to-order items. The ideal weight ratio of the anvil to hammer would be somewhere between 30-50:1. Search for items or shops. The track used in curves has the highest carbon content. While lighter anvils would also do the job just fine, remember, a heavier anvil is almost always better. JavaScript is disabled. arbon. This week for Weapons Wednesday, we took a look back at some of our most popular unusual weapons that we reviewed in the past couple years. Oh and as far as handle material he mentioned something about a set of elk horns he has from a 5 day solo hunt he shot with a bow In the Arkansas mountains. 200 years ago, theyd make the rails with wood. Then use a torch to heat up the metal cherry red. The guys I know who "knife hunt" hogs are using dogs to wear the hog out and pin it down for sticking. Etsy is powered by 100% renewable electricity. It's tough, through-hardening, and forgable. Check out our video to see which throwin. Brian Not only that, but I also showed off my favorite ways to throw them that can help you learn how to throw them within a short amount of time. It can take a little bit of effort to get into a good shape for knife making, but once you do it's a carbon steel that's great for choppers and will definitely hold an edge. I was speaking to a maker of carving tools who told me that RR steel was not good for anything - doesn't forge well - not my experience - and can't hold an edge. There are no rules. I was definitley working under a mistaken assumption that the HC on railroad spikes meant high carbon content, good for knives. $('.rsp_tstmslide').slick({ A maker of any sort is wrong to exploit the ignorance of the public. lower carbon) to get the idea down. But Crom is your god, Crom and he lives in the earth. They have a machine shop at the institution where the face is milled flat to some degree and that's it. We provide detailed information on different rails. Learn more. Unfortunately, I dont remember its exact hardness level, but I know it wasnt enough to use it as an anvil. When copper i t cold through 180 degrees flat on itself without cracking on the outside portio [CDATA[ I make them into tomahawks, not made a knife yet. Before discussing where you can get them, I should first say where you shouldnt do that. I would use a semi automatic rifle for my first hog hunt. This would still preserve the complete style of the spike and give you a knife with superior edge holding qualities after it has been properly heat treated. Not the greatest steel for a knife but it can be used if you know how to do the right thermal treatment Any hesitation here will put hunter and dogs at extreme risk !! How long should a railroad track anvil be? Etsy uses cookies and similar technologies to give you a better experience, enabling things like: Detailed information can be found in Etsys Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy and our Privacy Policy. all be pressed on the head of each spike while it is being formed. While the railroad track is not composed of the hardest steel, it still has a decent hardness level. Turning off the personalized advertising setting wont stop you from seeing Etsy ads or impact Etsy's own personalization technologies, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive. Now I run a consulting company to help others solve manufacturing problems. I've managed a machine shop with multiaxis CNC machines for aerospace and medical prototyping and contract manufacturing. Rare Steel Railroad Rail Train track Anvil Collectible Blacksmith Craft 20 Lbs. The best work comes from your true self. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Etsy is powered by 100% renewable electricity. Now, slowly soak it in a water bucket at a slight angle. You must log in or register to reply here. It's tough, through-hardening, and forgable. Absolutely! Page 5-2-5 Section 11. Another common question is whether you should use the bottom or top side as the face. Then, heated to critical and quenched with no tempering. Section 6a. Railroad tracks are very solid chunks of steel. Found something you love but want to make it even more uniquely you? With powerful tools and services, along with expert support and education, we help creative entrepreneurs start, manage, and scale their businesses. Railroad spikes are low carbon steel mild steel, approximately 15 points carbon max, even the ones marked HC which stands for higher carbon, not High Carbon only have about 30 points of carbon. It's not subjected to wear like the track is. Most of the time, it is just useless for them, but for you, it is gold. With a return on investment that exceeds any alternative, NARSTCO steel ties and turnout sets deliver a wide range of advantages, including: NARSTCO products are made of high-quality American steel, and are built for the rigors of intense everyday use. Thought of a post anvil. They make an easy selling piece, though! So, you can get better at bladesmithing without spending excess money on buying steel. Authentic. A railroad spike holds the track in place. Do You Need Flux to Forge Weld? That is absolutely not necessary. Technically, you could make a knife out of anything, including wood. As Amazon affiliates, we may earn a commission if you buy something through our links. At that hardness, the steel has a really good wear resistance. Its great for forging and heat treats really well. Railroad track steel is typically 1084 or equivalent hot rolled steel. To enable personalized advertising (like interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. But, my buddy made one for his daughter, and it looks real nice. The first great benefit of the railroad track is that it is relatively cheap to acquire, sometimes even free. This will get rid of any mushrooming, wear or deformation of the metal. Contrarily you are putting the whole further process at higher risk of cracking. Oh and Stacy. // Paul Mcmullen First Wife, Articles R