I used to work as a machinist making and refurbishing industrial knives. I found RR spikes extremely useful for throwing at the crackheads and prostitutes trying to break into my car right outside the shop.
Pffffffftttt what does this guy know about black smittin. Ill have you know I have watched dozen of blacksmith videos over the last two years and rail road knives are second only to samuari swords. Ill have you know I once cut a giraffe in half from stem to stern in one fell swoop from my rail road knife. After that I then it was still sharp enough to shave all the hair from my body. This is a joke btw.
Dude! I forge welded 10 spikes, folded it umpteen million times, crafted a sameri sword, trave,ed back 8n time and gave it too a great warrior. It lasted 30 generations until Hiroshima melted it In to slag True story!
@@johnburke5087 No way! I think I read about that on my trip to Japan last year. The Japanese President told me him very self about this story while we were drinking green tea in the Imperial gardens right before the Godzilla sirens went off. If it wern't for the brave Gundam pilots coming back from fighting Zion I wouldn't be here today telling you about this.
Shameless? You should see what the ancient war lord paid me! Enough gold and women to buy hundreds of RR spikes! Ok at least 10. Ancient hookers cost a lot
@@gaveintothedarkness I laughed at your comment, until I got to the "This is a joke btw." It's pretty sad that it would be necessary to say that. But thank you, and John Burke, for giving me some additional laughs today.
22 years old with only 4 years of experience here! Please be safe when it comes to posture, my back kind of hurts a little because I am neglecting on it and trying my best to maintain it.
Here's the question... will a railroad spike knife make a hole in someone? I don't think anyone thinks that they're getting a $500 chef's knife out of a railroad spike.
I appreciate this because recently I got my ass reamed for talking about making knives from mystery steel and the bladesmith I spoke to said any maker worth their salt wouldn’t take the chance on mystery steel because then you can’t guarantee the proper hardness and temper of the blade. It woke me up to just how precise bladesmithing should be.
Look, if all you care about is an aesthetically pleasing product (and some railroad spike knives are truly gorgeous), then the input steel really doesn't matter. If you care about the result as a tool, then absolutely, a good medium-high to high carbon steel (depending on what else you've got mixed into the alloy) is critical. That's my position as an engineering student who's spent entirely too much of the last couple years burying himself in materials science.
@@Harrier42861 you basically just said what Ty said. I agree with you that the railroad knives can be visually pleasing or a great conversation starter, they are not quality material to make an actual long lasting knife. While I’m no engineer, I’m just a lowly farrier and amateur blacksmith, I can attest that mystery steel can either be rewarding or a total bust. I’d rather take that chance out and use steel that I know the content of to get the best ending result. I appreciate your comment.
Thats a little bit of snobbery going on there. Neil Kamimura uses reclaimed leaf springs sometimes which is mystery steel, and I would consider him to be "worth his salt"
If you know the spark test then it's not a problem. I've been making knives for thirty years. I use leaf and coil springs. I also use other steels. If I want to know what it's good for I just do a spark test: touch the steel to a grinder, the more the sparks "star" or flare the more carbon. Long red streaks are lower carbon, bright short sparks that branch out a lot are higher carbon. You can compare the mistery steel to a known steel and have a good idea of what you have
If I were asked whether RR spikes made good knives, I would not immediately answer 'yes' or 'no'. I would ask what they plan to use it for. "Good knife" can mean different things to different people. I think people in the knife/blacksmith business sometimes overestimate how often or harshly most people use knives. The amount of "Ninja Swords" that are sold is one indicator. I think this is in agreement with everything said in the video, but I never pass up the opportunity so share my opinion :)
Hey, that works for san-mai... Just throw some CRV in the middle of two spikes and weld them together. Hammer them out to a blank and make what you will. The CRV in the middle will hold an edge, and the spikes will accept a baton blow out in the woods making camp fires. Although, three layer forge-welded steel may not be fancy enough for some, you will get a majority spike knife that actually works.
@@thomasarussellsr that's just extra work to end up with a knife that *might* be as good as if you'd simply used proper steel for the whole thing - with more opportunities along the way to screw it up and end up with junk. It doesn't make any sense.
Thanks, man. I appreciate brutal honesty. As a cook, I never use a poor quality ingredient because it will come through in the food and make poor quality food. Same principle, different discipline.
I work for the railroad...I tell at least 20 people a week that spikes are useless other than heating, beating and learning hammer strikes and moving metal, that’s it. Spikes are junk metal, that’s why they are spikes.
Right on man. I spent a year learning reserching reading all I could befor I ever put a hammer to hot steel! Im now 4 yrs in and am actually selling work. But I put in the time and educated myself befor I ever jumped in!
On them RR spike knives .. befor you even start forging that blade . If you have any carbon steel scraps that are 5/32nd thick and 3.5" long . Split that shank on that spike and forge weld that Bit to it like sand Mi .. then start forging out the blade , that way when you quench it in a real quenching oil or pearl oil from the feed store being the oil to 150 degs bring the blade up to a high orange just under yellow . And quench a 3rd of the blade . You want an edge table in your oul ajust it up and down with 4 bilts 3 to 4 " long you want your edge in the oil about a 3rd of the way .. when Quenching .. then temper at 165 3xs for 2 hours each .. real 01 or 5160 hammered down to 5/32nds and cleaned up makes a great Bit .. i spent 30 years learning the trates of 5160 . You keep it oiled and taken care of it will last you a life time . And the longer you play with it .the more of a hiperformance edge you can get .
I tried to explain this 100 times and even pulled up the Railroad specifications for HC Spike's from the 1850's and those specifications have not changed since then. Nobody listens because it's not what they want to hear. So they keep asking the question expecting different answers hoping to hear what they want to hear.
It's part of human nature - many makers like to pretend they turned a sow's ear into a silk purse. And many buyers who don't know any better think it's neat that "my knife used to be a RR spike or wrench or leaf spring." Then of course there's those who yell, "But my great-papaw done it thata way one time during the Depression, so that must be the best way!" It really doesn't make any sense... but human beings are very often driven by bullshit and emotions, not logic and facts.
Good video! Being more of a hobby blacksmith who doesn't make many knives I know how hard it is to learn something when people are volunteering false information.
i think the first minute is a bit harsh, because a lot of people never actually learned to learn. Public school system trains people to have answers given to them. So naturally if someone picks up a hobby the last thing they're going to do is buy a textbook on it and teach themselves. They expect others to teach them. Yes it's annoying after saying "buy a book" for the 9000th time, but calling people idiots doesn't help. The way i see it is if someone is curious enough to ask a well thought out question, they deserve to be respectfully told where they will find further answers
Nicely put. Thank you . Blacksmithing is all about the community and when someone is going to be spoken to like this for asking a question it can only put people off. Such a shame. And a shame he feels he has the authority to speak on behalf of other us other experienced smiths.
I volunteer at a museum village smithing and interpreting in period costume,. I have been working that forge (every chance I get) for 3 years, and I have learned a lot from watching your channel. I also bought a few books, and joined an association so I can learn from others. I know what you are saying is true and I love the fact you put it so bluntly. There are a lot of bad faith actors out there who talk out of their backsides, and then there are good smiths who will help a fellow craftsman out. Bravo you for doing the latter. If ever you decide to come to Canada I would love to have you visit our museum east of Toronto and work our forge with me! one of my favourite demonstration pieces I will do is the twisted square stock S hook you did a video on. I can make one in 5 to 10 minutes while interpreting the shop to guests, and show them a few basic techniques and a small project piece from start to finish. Thanks for doing what you do!
It looks like you use new railroad spikes. Older spikes, if you get lucky, make fine knives. I picked some up in Missouri that have plenty enough carbon to clean 3 deer without sharpening. You can call that guy a liar, but I’ve had similar results. I’m not a master smith, but I have been forging for 5 years, and made some decent and serviceable, but not perfect knives out of RR spikes.I always do a quench test on them and check the grain structure before I make them into a knife, and I’ve had satisfactory results. They aren’t as good as 1095 or 5160, but they all aren’t the trash you make them out to be. In any case, thanks for making this video, and I’ll always be more willing to listen than to speak, but also speak up when I think it’s appropriate.
@@purgatoryironworks To be frank, although I have experience blacksmithing and blade smithing, I’m not a metallurgist, and most of the spikes I picked up were DEFINITELY not knife making material. All I know are the results of my experimentation. Some of the spikes I picked up contained sufficient carbon to make an acceptable knife. Most of them didn’t. I actually prefer the spring clips from the track more than spikes. I use the spikes for things like tongs and other miscellaneous stuff.
@@purgatoryironworks btw, I’m not trying to be that one butthead who objects for the sake of objecting. I agree that spikes almost always make poor knives without forge welding another steel onto the edge. I don’t know if the fact that I use charcoal as fuel perhaps leached carbon into it, or if I just so happened to get defective spikes that had too much carbon in them,all that I know is that i have made knives from spikes, and that I was pleased the the results. Thanks for the reply.
Oh, MAN! I needed a good ole' Trent TIRADE RANT! Remember folks, the answer is "NO!". Thank Trent! This made my week (heck, might have made my month!). REALLY REALLY appreciate you calling out people not doing even the basics of trying to educate themselves about blacksmithing before jumping on forums with their basic beginner questions. There are SO MANY books, forum answers, etc out there that there's no excuse except, IMHO, laziness.
Thanks for making this video I appreciate what you have to say. My question is how does asking a question make someone an idiot? If someone wants to do some little blacksmith projects for fun and doesn’t want to get super serious with it, I don’t see why with access to the internet, they should buy a bunch of books on blacksmithing and become like a blacksmith guru first… I understand there’s TONS of people blabbing about stuff they don’t know anything about, but to say someone asking a question about something they don’t know about makes them an idiot, that itself isn’t a smart ideology, and is actually dangerous to society. When people are scared to ask questions in fear of being called an idiot, that is a very dangerous ideology. Without people asking questions no one can learn in society and you get a population of “sheep”, not free thinking people willing to question things. What I think should’ve been said is if you have a question about blacksmithing, you should look at a credible source from someone who knows what they’re talking about, not an online forum where anyone can say whatever they want. You can extend this to any subject too, not just blacksmithing. If you want to learn something an online forum is not the place to learn!!! If anyone’s scared to ask questions because they don’t want to sound like an idiot, don’t be, because asking questions about something you don’t know about is in fact the smartest thing you can do in the situation. Not idiotic.
So, you basically just re-iterated what he was saying, save for demeaning him for calling people idiots for not educating themselves on the basics of blacksmithing and knifemaking first. There is a lot of good information on the internet, just there for the taking. The problem lies in the fact we live in "satisfaction right now society". Too many new people DON'T WANT to put in even the minimum time to learn new things.....they want an answer NOW, even if it is incorrect. Therein the problem lies...right @purgatoryironworks ?
@@zemad2 I'm quite certain that the first purpose made knife was VERY sharp. I am also quite certain the blade material was flint, chert, obsidian, or other hard, flakeable, stone.
@@BrianDaleNeeley But you can't say stone knives are "good" knives (by today standards). Sure they cut, they pierce, but edge retention is crap, they're hard to sharpen (if possible), and they're brittle... ;) Anyway this video and advices are for metal knifemakers (and applicable to almost everything) : if you want to do something really good, listen/read - and learn. :D And don't sell crappy steel knives as good knives, because they('re not ! :p
Great video! I always say that the HC on a RR spike stood for higher carbon not high carbon. And higher being higher than a standard spike. The only way it could be a good knife is to forge weld a high carbon steel into the blade.
@@TobinHolz it does stand for high carbon, but it's still to low to make a good hard cutting edge without the addition of a good high carbon steel. That's why I say higher not high.
@@wesgreen5491 Umm Wes Yes I know these things .. if spike Iron had 12% carbon in it .. it would have more carbon than the knives and sords that were forged after the bronze age .. I thought I heard trey say something negitive about one of my favorit carbon steels 5160 the other is L6 . Tool steel .. in short this is what I was refurring to .. 40 plus yrs Ive worked with leaf spring steel . But the cream of the crop are the old inclosed drive shafts back from the 20s .. perfect blends of chromimun vanadiaum .. and a couple other elements plus about 75 to 80% carbon .. Sandswich 1095 , 85, 75 into that RR spike blade . Or use O1 . Leaf . Nothing wrong with Usable Art right .
Howard Clark used L6 in a pattern weld bowie he recently made and posted to his FB page...I'd say L6 works if he used it. 5160 is tough as woodpecker lips, but it will corrode if you look at it sideways😂
5160 looks like it’s a little low on The carbon content but it’s deceiving. It usually has a bit more than 0.6 . The other alloying elements give it such good overall properties that a bit lower carbon and therefore potentially less hardness doesn’t really matter. It’s a more complex alloy and doesn’t lend itself to the .75+ rule of thumb. Hell 1075 can have carbon content in the high 0.6s. It’s what happens when you generalize. I’d say 0.6 is the minimum you would want for a decent knife. But I could be wrong with some of the super alloys out there. I mean h13 and s7 do amazing things (not knife things) thanks no sense for a medium carbon steel. All that being said railroad spikes do make crappy knives unless you weld a bit in.
@@tikkidaddy Yes it can be a pain in the arse no different than 1095, 85, 75 , and even 65 . If you ever can find it these days 65 that is .. im sharing this heat treatment method I have used for at least 40 years .. quenching oil I used at one time was Texico Type A quenching fluid . You cannot get it . But you can get Chevron quenching fluid . Chevron bought out texico years back .. This works for any carbon steel even the 10 series I mentioned it works the best for me with 5160 , 01. 52100 E ball bearing steel .and L6 , I used table in my Quench tank that I could ajust . I ran my oil temp between 150 and 165 .. using a #5 rosebUd I would bring the blade up to a high Orange .not yellow .. once the edge area about 3/8ths up on the blade at point first .it would go in the oil. I counted to 5 then lowered the blade onto the table in oil hold it a few seconds then Rock it once or twice . Once the heat ripples slowed submerge the complete blade leave it alone .. do this 3xs 24 hrs apart .check with file this changes the crystaline structure to a wootz structure with in the carbon steel .. the last hardening of the blade . I have a pot of water boiling . Soon as the heat ripples didapate and the blade is at a black heat . The blade gos in the water it blows off majority of scale and leaves a slate gray .. very seldom to I hear a tink . Once the blade is back to room temp It is tempered 3xs at 365 degs for 2 hrs each .. leave plenty of meat on your blade for finish grinding .. once finish grinding is done . Heat your blade to 200 degres and stick the blade only in wD 40 and hold it there for a minute. It helps protect from rust .. You will see big difference in performance between this heat treat method and one harden one temper .. happy Grinding .
The sad reality is, most people just don't know a good blade from a bad one, and maintain their good blades so badly it doesn't matter. I *do* fully believe someone used a railroad spike knife to clean three deer - because I've absolutely seen people use knives which were completely, painfully dull. Sure, you're sawing all the time, making a huge mess, and ruining the meat, but there are definitely people who will do that.
100% Agree. And I'm holding my breath waiting for the AZZhats that always come along to inform you that its illegal to have in your possession railroad spikes.
Well it would not be the 1st time I broke the law in this life. But I quit that shit because I don't like being in a concrete cage and I know how to behave.
I’m about 6 months in to blacksmithing. Just found about 40 railroad spikes yesterday near some abandoned tracks. I know that they won’t make good knives and rather knife shaped objects. That being said, is it worth the time to heat treat them? If so, what is the “proper” way to heat treat an improper knife?
Thank you for informing folks about rr spike knives , and to buy a book. I’ve been banging hot steel for the last 3 years and have made a few spike turds , moved on to other crafts on the anvil , at 61 , I love this new hobby
The quality of book counts. I have two hobby blacksmith books and neither told me anything about what kinds of steel are appropriate for different tasks.
Nathan Muenks I picked up a book at Tractor Supply , by C . McRaven ( I think ) “ Blacksmith Crafts for The Homestead “ or something to that effect , it has a good chapter about different types of steel. RR spikes fall into “ medium “ steel , so do tie rods , you get the idea RR spikes are great practice and make decent butter knives and letter openers. I have cut a cantaloupe with one come to think of it.
Im so glag i found this video. I was just sitting thinking "well i haven't been called an idiot in a while" and this video popped up. Just imagine my surprise.
That actually fits this topic fairly well, since a true purpose made throwing knife actually makes a very poor quality cutting knife. There is no advantage to a throwing knife with a keen edge, or any actual cutting edge for that matter. It's all about toughness, not wear resistance. Even the points don't need to be particularly sharp, just pointy enough to stick into a target long enough to count. To borrow from the traditional kukri crowd (when talking "modern" kukris), it's a KLO (Kukri like object), though in this case, a throwing "knife" or rather Knife Like Object.
I've made a couple punches out of rr spikes, and they're....mostly functional. Have to dress them more often than I'd like to, but they'll do until I can afford some proper material for the job. Glad someone finally came out and said this.
@@billygildark4565 I've had bad luck with old coil springs. Pretty much everything around where I'm at has had the ever loving crap beat out of it, micro crack city. Last few coil springs I've had I had to take back to the scrap yard because what I made out of them spider webbed in the quench.
I am not a blacksmith, but I'm curious as I also dont have a book (atm). So if a rail spike has 45 points of carbon, does that mean its 1045? Because I know that's not the best steel for a knife or sword, from what i have heard (emphasising the heard bit) 1065 is more suitable, and 1090-1095 being even better for retaining edge. Is this true?
Not necessarily, 1045 is a plain carbon steel but several other alloys can have 45 points in addition to several other additives. 1065 is essentially a spring steel which is why its good for big blades, think shock resistance. 1095 tends to be too hard and brittle for that kind of work
The Art of blacksmithing is a good place to start. It is not an instruction manual, it is a historical tome but it has invaluable information in it. The Backyard Blacksmith is a much thinner, much more "how to" style book that I would recommend. Foxfire published a book on the subject of smiths and smithing but it is a collection of magazine articles specific to Appalachia and I did not find it engrossing or informative on a cursory examination.
The backyard blacksmith by Lorelei Sims ISBN 978-0-7858-2567-8 When I bought it new off the shelf I was a wet behind the ears Smith that just made his first leaves. (They were awful) This was the best 30$ I ever spent. This is the absolute best book for the beginner. The book is well written and illustrated. With plenty of starter projects in the back. Hands down the best book for getting the techniques of how to use the hammer and anvil to best effect. She doesn't cover knife making. Because she is an ornamental/ architectural Smith So that's not really her wheel house. Good luck hope this helps.
Definetly not. But the absolute best tool imo for those getting into bladesmithing. Go through 30 of those and you'll be well on your way to transitioning to making real knives. Forge different profiles, bevels, etc.
Thank you!! It is so good to hear from an honest man!! cannot say how many times i have seen people buy railroad spike knives thinking they have a extreme high carbon cutting tool...
I'm a knife collector not a blacksmith I bought one of these railroad spike knives like you said for the novelty of it I really appreciate this video as a collector I have to deal with some of the same idiots or those who are new to collecting knives and buy into the gimmick that these things are actual usable tools keep up the great videos
Videos like this are why I subscribed! I want the truth, not sugar coated crap. I’m getting into blacksmithing, will be picking up my grandfather’s old equipment later this month
What he said. I'm a newbee. I have read a few library books, and listened to hours of instruction/discussion on UA-cam. I try not to ask questions unless I have done a bit of YT and Google search. If another newbee asks a question that I have worked through and made several wrong moves, I have rarely put in my $.02. Just to let them know what mistakes I have already made so they can avoid them.
You can make great decorative things with them but you must remember to sell them as decorative because someone can hurt himself striking wood or something
You know you can get Higher Carbon spikes 0.3% - 0.4% carbon. So it’s comparable to 1040. So they make fair knifes for simple activities but the edge doesn’t compare to 1080 plus.
I just got a 2 burner propane forge as a gift. What Books would you recommend for someone new to blacksmithing? Especially knives. Thanks and Great videos.
What are your thoughts on using super quench for the surface hardening of the steel? I look forward to hear from you and thank you for sharing bye for now Ken
Nope, still in the realm of blah. Super quench, brine quench, potato quench, fart quench, nothing is going to make a RR spike anything close to simply using good steel. It can be case hardened but then the first time you sharpen it, its down to soft metal
I get this type of question on Timber Frame forums and UA-cam "Should I buy this old chisel/slick and restore it" and I tell everyone of them that unless the chisel/slick is good steel forget it because you will spend more time sharpening than working with it. I tell them to take a half hour and put an edge on it, use it for a bit and if the edge holds up, restore it. If it doesn't, dump it or restore it and put it on the wall because it will be useless as a tool! And BTW I have a hundred railroad spike I guess are going to coat hooks now LOL!
Craig Cowan over at The Barefoot Forge has a nice blog post regarding "HC" spikes, including references to ASTM standards (ASTM A65-07 Standard Specification for Steel Track Spikes) and a metallurgical analysis of RR spikes from his supplier. And yes, my first knife was a RR spike knife. I use it to open boxes containing blacksmithing books.
Hey, brother. Apprentice bladesmith here with an amateur question. Could you cut a channel into the spike, san-mai style, and forge weld some good HC for a cutting edge to make a *good* RR knife?
I’m still you’re friend👏🏻 I’ve seen a few smiths in my area with these (myself included) I agree that you can make money off them but I always explain that this is a decorative or at most a butter cheese knife to my customers.
@@okienative4785 shape them to get under the rim of the peanutbutter jar rim and they will sell even better. And if thwy can clean the bottom of the jar too, add three more bucks to the price. So much peanut butter gets wasted by knives that can't get into the tops and bottoms of the jars well.
I have been watching your videos for a couple of years, so I basically know everything there is to know about blacksmithing 😂😂😂😂 , thanks for your videos.
@@purgatoryironworks your arrogance is why i unsubbed a long time ago. Deer have been skinned with my knives and hundreds of hay bale strings cut. They will cut and don't need sharpening every 5 minutes. Stop calling people liars. You are a tool
By this logic the knife is a brand new invention seeing as all steel was shit for most of human history. and most store bought knives under $100 are shit by these standards. Budweiser sucks it's not good beer. Still gets people shit faced who cares.
so just a thought , well 2 thoughts ... would it to be possible to either tig weld in some proper high carbon steel into the edge or weld in a edge of high carbon steel , or even weld in some hard surfacing rods into the edge to make it a proper knife ?
@@purgatoryironworks so i'm wondering if this could be used as a gateway to teach forge welding ? or at the very least teach how to attach 2 dissimilar metals to each other in any manner .... i agree with your rant , yes it makes a crappy knife , so lets take it a few steps further and figure out how to make it awesome knife kind of idea .
I guess the guy that cleaned 3 deer without resharpening his spike must've butchered the butchering. Things like this are why I don't generally bother with forums any more, even farcebook pages and groups drive me mad with the same questions, pictures and the everything else coming up week after week, and sometimes daily.
Not a smith yet, but working on educating myself. Forums drive me insane with people posting "Will this ..." What ever happened to figuring out thing on your own. A big part of learning is trial and error. Too many people are looking for a easy way out or are just lazy and don't want to put into the effort. Do the research yourself so you can distinguish fact from opinion. Make test pieces and try to figure it out yourself you will learn more, put in the time. Railroad spikes and mystery metal have their place, practice. Use those to learn how to shape and form a knife, and practice tempering. Then when you have some kind of idea of what you are doing, then get knife steel and start making high quality knives. -Rant over Trenton Tye, thank you so much for what you do and all of the knowledge the you willing impart to other.
I’m a newbie and still in the book stage just yet, I have several spikes saved up for just this reason……. to practice on hammering and shaping before I start working on knife quality steel. I also started watching this channel and I’m impressed by his knowledge and the work he does
I used to work as a machinist making and refurbishing industrial knives. I found RR spikes extremely useful for throwing at the crackheads and prostitutes trying to break into my car right outside the shop.
I was honestly wondering if they're good for crack head throwing!!
@@lancetranter5695 don't forget prostitutes too!
Especially if made into a tomahawk lol
Hahahahaha
Thank You. But the real question is " Can I make a good railroad spike from a knife ?"
Good question
Joey van der Steeg took a bunch of blades forge welded them and made a railroad spike so yes.
Your knife, maybe.
Joey did it ha ha
Yes you can, if you have good skill, just like any knife
Pffffffftttt what does this guy know about black smittin. Ill have you know I have watched dozen of blacksmith videos over the last two years and rail road knives are second only to samuari swords. Ill have you know I once cut a giraffe in half from stem to stern in one fell swoop from my rail road knife. After that I then it was still sharp enough to shave all the hair from my body.
This is a joke btw.
Dude! I forge welded 10 spikes, folded it umpteen million times, crafted a sameri sword, trave,ed back 8n time and gave it too a great warrior. It lasted 30 generations until Hiroshima melted it In to slag
True story!
@@johnburke5087 No way! I think I read about that on my trip to Japan last year. The Japanese President told me him very self about this story while we were drinking green tea in the Imperial gardens right before the Godzilla sirens went off. If it wern't for the brave Gundam pilots coming back from fighting Zion I wouldn't be here today telling you about this.
you two are shameless : )
Shameless? You should see what the ancient war lord paid me! Enough gold and women to buy hundreds of RR spikes! Ok at least 10. Ancient hookers cost a lot
@@gaveintothedarkness I laughed at your comment, until I got to the "This is a joke btw." It's pretty sad that it would be necessary to say that. But thank you, and John Burke, for giving me some additional laughs today.
Bravo! (I'm an 81-year-old newbie just getting into blacksmithing.)
And here I am at 33 years old thinking it's to late for me thank you for giving me hope
@@dameongray6412 I started at 28, am now 60, and have been doing it professionally for over 30 years. Single mindedness will take you far!
@@dameongray6412 never too late to improve yourself
Heck yeah man. It will add life to your years. Get after it, happy forging.
22 years old with only 4 years of experience here! Please be safe when it comes to posture, my back kind of hurts a little because I am neglecting on it and trying my best to maintain it.
The Jupiter's Anus was one of my favorite bands in high-school
Didn't they go on tour w/ Spock's Beard?
I was into them before they were cool. They sold out, though.
Here's the question... will a railroad spike knife make a hole in someone? I don't think anyone thinks that they're getting a $500 chef's knife out of a railroad spike.
I appreciate this because recently I got my ass reamed for talking about making knives from mystery steel and the bladesmith I spoke to said any maker worth their salt wouldn’t take the chance on mystery steel because then you can’t guarantee the proper hardness and temper of the blade. It woke me up to just how precise bladesmithing should be.
Look, if all you care about is an aesthetically pleasing product (and some railroad spike knives are truly gorgeous), then the input steel really doesn't matter. If you care about the result as a tool, then absolutely, a good medium-high to high carbon steel (depending on what else you've got mixed into the alloy) is critical.
That's my position as an engineering student who's spent entirely too much of the last couple years burying himself in materials science.
@@Harrier42861 you basically just said what Ty said. I agree with you that the railroad knives can be visually pleasing or a great conversation starter, they are not quality material to make an actual long lasting knife. While I’m no engineer, I’m just a lowly farrier and amateur blacksmith, I can attest that mystery steel can either be rewarding or a total bust. I’d rather take that chance out and use steel that I know the content of to get the best ending result. I appreciate your comment.
Thats a little bit of snobbery going on there. Neil Kamimura uses reclaimed leaf springs sometimes which is mystery steel, and I would consider him to be "worth his salt"
If you know the spark test then it's not a problem. I've been making knives for thirty years. I use leaf and coil springs. I also use other steels. If I want to know what it's good for I just do a spark test: touch the steel to a grinder, the more the sparks "star" or flare the more carbon. Long red streaks are lower carbon, bright short sparks that branch out a lot are higher carbon. You can compare the mistery steel to a known steel and have a good idea of what you have
@@krknfmkr8919 would you consider using railroad spikes with your mixture of steals for making Damascus?
If I were asked whether RR spikes made good knives, I would not immediately answer 'yes' or 'no'. I would ask what they plan to use it for. "Good knife" can mean different things to different people. I think people in the knife/blacksmith business sometimes overestimate how often or harshly most people use knives. The amount of "Ninja Swords" that are sold is one indicator. I think this is in agreement with everything said in the video, but I never pass up the opportunity so share my opinion :)
So ill just use two spikes. 45+45=90. Just kidding. Great vid thanks for the info.
Thats pretty awesome, Im stealing it!
Hey, that works for san-mai...
Just throw some CRV in the middle of two spikes and weld them together. Hammer them out to a blank and make what you will. The CRV in the middle will hold an edge, and the spikes will accept a baton blow out in the woods making camp fires. Although, three layer forge-welded steel may not be fancy enough for some, you will get a majority spike knife that actually works.
@@thomasarussellsr that's just extra work to end up with a knife that *might* be as good as if you'd simply used proper steel for the whole thing - with more opportunities along the way to screw it up and end up with junk. It doesn't make any sense.
Thanks, man. I appreciate brutal honesty. As a cook, I never use a poor quality ingredient because it will come through in the food and make poor quality food. Same principle, different discipline.
You mean you rather kill a bison for the tongue than use everything from a pork?
I work for the railroad...I tell at least 20 people a week that spikes are useless other than heating, beating and learning hammer strikes and moving metal, that’s it. Spikes are junk metal, that’s why they are spikes.
They make great hooks 🤣
Right on man. I spent a year learning reserching reading all I could befor I ever put a hammer to hot steel! Im now 4 yrs in and am actually selling work. But I put in the time and educated myself befor I ever jumped in!
You Did Rite . Always educate your self . Research of others can be a wonderful thing .
Before has an e on the end of it.
@@nogoodcops6557 go be an English teacher.
@@shepardsforgeh2031 Married to one.
On them RR spike knives .. befor you even start forging that blade . If you have any carbon steel scraps that are 5/32nd thick and 3.5" long . Split that shank on that spike and forge weld that Bit to it like sand Mi .. then start forging out the blade , that way when you quench it in a real quenching oil or pearl oil from the feed store being the oil to 150 degs bring the blade up to a high orange just under yellow . And quench a 3rd of the blade . You want an edge table in your oul ajust it up and down with 4 bilts 3 to 4 " long you want your edge in the oil about a 3rd of the way .. when Quenching .. then temper at 165 3xs for 2 hours each .. real 01 or 5160 hammered down to 5/32nds and cleaned up makes a great Bit .. i spent 30 years learning the trates of 5160 . You keep it oiled and taken care of it will last you a life time . And the longer you play with it .the more of a hiperformance edge you can get .
I tried to explain this 100 times and even pulled up the Railroad specifications for HC Spike's from the 1850's and those specifications have not changed since then. Nobody listens because it's not what they want to hear. So they keep asking the question expecting different answers hoping to hear what they want to hear.
It's part of human nature - many makers like to pretend they turned a sow's ear into a silk purse. And many buyers who don't know any better think it's neat that "my knife used to be a RR spike or wrench or leaf spring." Then of course there's those who yell, "But my great-papaw done it thata way one time during the Depression, so that must be the best way!"
It really doesn't make any sense... but human beings are very often driven by bullshit and emotions, not logic and facts.
@@dogslobbergardens6606 Leaf springs do make pretty decent knives though, and for an axe it's pretty spot on.
Good video! Being more of a hobby blacksmith who doesn't make many knives I know how hard it is to learn something when people are volunteering false information.
i think the first minute is a bit harsh, because a lot of people never actually learned to learn. Public school system trains people to have answers given to them. So naturally if someone picks up a hobby the last thing they're going to do is buy a textbook on it and teach themselves. They expect others to teach them. Yes it's annoying after saying "buy a book" for the 9000th time, but calling people idiots doesn't help. The way i see it is if someone is curious enough to ask a well thought out question, they deserve to be respectfully told where they will find further answers
Nicely put. Thank you . Blacksmithing is all about the community and when someone is going to be spoken to like this for asking a question it can only put people off.
Such a shame. And a shame he feels he has the authority to speak on behalf of other us other experienced smiths.
Finally an old fashioned trenton tye rant video!!
One of the best was the Tower Steel Video.
Would have been better with the old hat and glasses though.
I volunteer at a museum village smithing and interpreting in period costume,. I have been working that forge (every chance I get) for 3 years, and I have learned a lot from watching your channel. I also bought a few books, and joined an association so I can learn from others. I know what you are saying is true and I love the fact you put it so bluntly. There are a lot of bad faith actors out there who talk out of their backsides, and then there are good smiths who will help a fellow craftsman out. Bravo you for doing the latter. If ever you decide to come to Canada I would love to have you visit our museum east of Toronto and work our forge with me! one of my favourite demonstration pieces I will do is the twisted square stock S hook you did a video on. I can make one in 5 to 10 minutes while interpreting the shop to guests, and show them a few basic techniques and a small project piece from start to finish. Thanks for doing what you do!
How do you really feel? Lol You’re NOT wrong. I’m waiting to see the butt hurt comments
So you're saying it needs to be stamped with "H.C."? Got it.
I was hoping to find a bunch of "UNSUBSCRIBED!!!" comments, and even considered making one as a joke. Making friends, LOL.
The only way is to forge weld a high carbon steel onto the end of it.
I was about to say that
@@mrscary3105 if you further into the comments, someone else said too.
Heat treat in Caseinite? Three cycles freshly repacked each time. Expensive but possible.
@@stanervin6108 case hardening is only skin deep. You will quickly sharpen through it and be back where you started.
Or to laminate it into the center...
It looks like you use new railroad spikes. Older spikes, if you get lucky, make fine knives. I picked some up in Missouri that have plenty enough carbon to clean 3 deer without sharpening. You can call that guy a liar, but I’ve had similar results. I’m not a master smith, but I have been forging for 5 years, and made some decent and serviceable, but not perfect knives out of RR spikes.I always do a quench test on them and check the grain structure before I make them into a knife, and I’ve had satisfactory results. They aren’t as good as 1095 or 5160, but they all aren’t the trash you make them out to be.
In any case, thanks for making this video, and I’ll always be more willing to listen than to speak, but also speak up when I think it’s appropriate.
To my knowledge, there are no spikes that -ever- went over 40 points of carbon. I'd be curious to see any literature to the contrary.
@@purgatoryironworks To be frank, although I have experience blacksmithing and blade smithing, I’m not a metallurgist, and most of the spikes I picked up were DEFINITELY not knife making material. All I know are the results of my experimentation. Some of the spikes I picked up contained sufficient carbon to make an acceptable knife. Most of them didn’t. I actually prefer the spring clips from the track more than spikes. I use the spikes for things like tongs and other miscellaneous stuff.
@@purgatoryironworks btw, I’m not trying to be that one butthead who objects for the sake of objecting. I agree that spikes almost always make poor knives without forge welding another steel onto the edge. I don’t know if the fact that I use charcoal as fuel perhaps leached carbon into it, or if I just so happened to get defective spikes that had too much carbon in them,all that I know is that i have made knives from spikes, and that I was pleased the the results. Thanks for the reply.
What about making a mace and using rail road spikes?
Might be a good video
even as just a manufacturing student this made sense, if a material isn't good for a specific application than you don't use it for that.
People always ask, "Is this a good steel for knives?'. Just buy knife steel, and know what you have. It's easier and cheaper, if you figure your time.
To a bronze age warrior, is a railroad spike knife a good knife? Yes. Someone might like to do historical period pieces.
Did you even watch the video?
@@purgatoryironworks yeah.
They need to make this a pinned video link on every knife making Facebook page and forum out there 🤣 straight and to the point as always!!!
or tattoo a link to this video on the back hand of every brand new knife maker!😀
@@chuckdavis7740 🤣🤣🤣
Oh, MAN! I needed a good ole' Trent TIRADE RANT! Remember folks, the answer is "NO!". Thank Trent! This made my week (heck, might have made my month!). REALLY REALLY appreciate you calling out people not doing even the basics of trying to educate themselves about blacksmithing before jumping on forums with their basic beginner questions. There are SO MANY books, forum answers, etc out there that there's no excuse except, IMHO, laziness.
Do you have a recommendation for a good first book?
The Art of Making Railroad Spike Knives. First edition.
Yup, they make goog letter openers ! 😃
This ranks up there with the Jet Fuel Won't Melt Steel Beams video.
Thank you.
Thanks for making this video I appreciate what you have to say. My question is how does asking a question make someone an idiot? If someone wants to do some little blacksmith projects for fun and doesn’t want to get super serious with it, I don’t see why with access to the internet, they should buy a bunch of books on blacksmithing and become like a blacksmith guru first…
I understand there’s TONS of people blabbing about stuff they don’t know anything about, but to say someone asking a question about something they don’t know about makes them an idiot, that itself isn’t a smart ideology, and is actually dangerous to society. When people are scared to ask questions in fear of being called an idiot, that is a very dangerous ideology.
Without people asking questions no one can learn in society and you get a population of “sheep”, not free thinking people willing to question things.
What I think should’ve been said is if you have a question about blacksmithing, you should look at a credible source from someone who knows what they’re talking about, not an online forum where anyone can say whatever they want. You can extend this to any subject too, not just blacksmithing. If you want to learn something an online forum is not the place to learn!!!
If anyone’s scared to ask questions because they don’t want to sound like an idiot, don’t be, because asking questions about something you don’t know about is in fact the smartest thing you can do in the situation. Not idiotic.
So, you basically just re-iterated what he was saying, save for demeaning him for calling people idiots for not educating themselves on the basics of blacksmithing and knifemaking first.
There is a lot of good information on the internet, just there for the taking. The problem lies in the fact we live in "satisfaction right now society". Too many new people DON'T WANT to put in even the minimum time to learn new things.....they want an answer NOW, even if it is incorrect. Therein the problem lies...right @purgatoryironworks ?
@FlatBrokeForge nope you just twisted his words ...I'm pretty sure he just said it's not okay to call people idiots for asking questions
I been building knives for 40 years on and off and have never even wanted to build a spike knife I know it's junk steel lol
Ok what book did the 1st blacksmith read to educate himself ?
He and millions of others over thousands of years had to figure it out the hard way. What they found was put into books. Make use of them.
And how good was the first knife ever made ? ;)
@@zemad2 I'm quite certain that the first purpose made knife was VERY sharp. I am also quite certain the blade material was flint, chert, obsidian, or other hard, flakeable, stone.
@@BrianDaleNeeley
But you can't say stone knives are "good" knives (by today standards). Sure they cut, they pierce, but edge retention is crap, they're hard to sharpen (if possible), and they're brittle... ;)
Anyway this video and advices are for metal knifemakers (and applicable to almost everything) : if you want to do something really good, listen/read - and learn. :D
And don't sell crappy steel knives as good knives, because they('re not ! :p
Amen brother, as I tell my kids it is easier to learn with your eyes open and your mouth closed
Great video! I always say that the HC on a RR spike stood for higher carbon not high carbon. And higher being higher than a standard spike. The only way it could be a good knife is to forge weld a high carbon steel into the blade.
@@TobinHolz it does stand for high carbon, but it's still to low to make a good hard cutting edge without the addition of a good high carbon steel. That's why I say higher not high.
@@SoggyBottomForgeJoe Highness is relative.
Trey are you saying 5160 , L6 is not good knife materal ?
Bro railroad spikes aren’t 5160
@@wesgreen5491
Umm Wes Yes I know these things .. if spike Iron had 12% carbon in it .. it would have more carbon than the knives and sords that were forged after the bronze age .. I thought I heard trey say something negitive about one of my favorit carbon steels 5160 the other is L6 . Tool steel .. in short this is what I was refurring to ..
40 plus yrs Ive worked with leaf spring steel . But the cream of the crop are the old inclosed drive shafts back from the 20s .. perfect blends of chromimun vanadiaum .. and a couple other elements plus about
75 to 80% carbon ..
Sandswich 1095 , 85, 75 into that RR spike blade . Or use O1 . Leaf . Nothing wrong with Usable Art right .
Howard Clark used L6 in a pattern weld bowie he recently made and posted to his FB page...I'd say L6 works if he used it. 5160 is tough as woodpecker lips, but it will corrode if you look at it sideways😂
5160 looks like it’s a little low on The carbon content but it’s deceiving. It usually has a bit more than 0.6 . The other alloying elements give it such good overall properties that a bit lower carbon and therefore potentially less hardness doesn’t really matter. It’s a more complex alloy and doesn’t lend itself to the .75+ rule of thumb. Hell 1075 can have carbon content in the high 0.6s. It’s what happens when you generalize. I’d say 0.6 is the minimum you would want for a decent knife. But I could be wrong with some of the super alloys out there. I mean h13 and s7 do amazing things (not knife things) thanks no sense for a medium carbon steel. All that being said railroad spikes do make crappy knives unless you weld a bit in.
@@tikkidaddy
Yes it can be a pain in the arse no different than
1095, 85, 75 , and even 65 . If you ever can find it these days 65 that is .. im sharing this heat treatment method I have used for at least 40 years .. quenching oil I used at one time was Texico Type A quenching fluid . You cannot get it . But you can get Chevron quenching fluid . Chevron bought out texico years back ..
This works for any carbon steel even the 10 series I mentioned it works the best for me with 5160 , 01.
52100 E ball bearing steel .and L6 ,
I used table in my Quench tank that I could ajust . I ran my oil temp between 150 and 165 .. using a #5 rosebUd I would bring the blade up to a high Orange .not yellow .. once the edge area about 3/8ths up on the blade at point first .it would go in the oil. I counted to 5 then lowered the blade onto the table in oil hold it a few seconds then Rock it once or twice . Once the heat ripples slowed submerge the complete blade leave it alone .. do this 3xs 24 hrs apart .check with file this changes the crystaline structure to a wootz structure with in the carbon steel .. the last hardening of the blade . I have a pot of water boiling . Soon as the heat ripples didapate and the blade is at a black heat . The blade gos in the water it blows off majority of scale and leaves a slate gray .. very seldom to I hear a tink . Once the blade is back to room temp
It is tempered 3xs at 365 degs for 2 hrs each .. leave plenty of meat on your blade for finish grinding .. once finish grinding is done . Heat your blade to 200 degres and stick the blade only in wD 40 and hold it there for a minute. It helps protect from rust ..
You will see big difference in performance between this heat treat method and one harden one temper .. happy Grinding .
the only thing i have learned from social media forums is that people are extremely good at throwing poop, but not answering questions.
The sad reality is, most people just don't know a good blade from a bad one, and maintain their good blades so badly it doesn't matter.
I *do* fully believe someone used a railroad spike knife to clean three deer - because I've absolutely seen people use knives which were completely, painfully dull. Sure, you're sawing all the time, making a huge mess, and ruining the meat, but there are definitely people who will do that.
I was gonna say this. Lmao cleaning meat and butchering meat are two different practices
100% Agree. And I'm holding my breath waiting for the AZZhats that always come along to inform you that its illegal to have in your possession railroad spikes.
That's not exactly true. You can buy wooden barrels full of railroad Spike's off the internet. Google it.
Christopher Elmer yes I know. But there are a lot who don’t. And they like to tell ya your breaking the law.
Well it would not be the 1st time I broke the law in this life. But I quit that shit because I don't like being in a concrete cage and I know how to behave.
Howdy
What is a good book that you would recommend
Heck, I've seen a tornado stab a piece of grass straw through a barn door, that doesn't make a piece of straw a good knife any more than a rail spike.
I’m about 6 months in to blacksmithing. Just found about 40 railroad spikes yesterday near some abandoned tracks. I know that they won’t make good knives and rather knife shaped objects. That being said, is it worth the time to heat treat them? If so, what is the “proper” way to heat treat an improper knife?
There isnt. If it doesnt have the carbon, it wont harden.
@@purgatoryironworks got it. Thank you much sir!
Thank you for informing folks about rr spike knives , and to buy a book. I’ve been banging hot steel for the last 3 years and have made a few spike turds , moved on to other crafts on the anvil , at 61 , I love this new hobby
The quality of book counts. I have two hobby blacksmith books and neither told me anything about what kinds of steel are appropriate for different tasks.
Nathan Muenks I picked up a book at Tractor Supply , by C . McRaven ( I think ) “ Blacksmith Crafts for The Homestead “ or something to that effect , it has a good chapter about different types of steel. RR spikes fall into “ medium “ steel , so do tie rods , you get the idea RR spikes are great practice and make decent butter knives and letter openers. I have cut a cantaloupe with one come to think of it.
Nathan Muenks BTW. Trenton has written a book
Trent is the one making friends, and I am the one who's happy.
Any book recommendations for someone just starting?
My book (of course) Mark Aspery is the golds standard and Lorelie Simms has a good one.
Im so glag i found this video. I was just sitting thinking "well i haven't been called an idiot in a while" and this video popped up. Just imagine my surprise.
Had a guy tell me the best throwing knife he ever had was a letter opener made from a railroad spike.
There is the Tye we all love! 👍👍
@@Grauenwolf That and this was well balanced he let me try it and it was a natural throwing knife. It just felt right!
That actually fits this topic fairly well, since a true purpose made throwing knife actually makes a very poor quality cutting knife. There is no advantage to a throwing knife with a keen edge, or any actual cutting edge for that matter. It's all about toughness, not wear resistance. Even the points don't need to be particularly sharp, just pointy enough to stick into a target long enough to count. To borrow from the traditional kukri crowd (when talking "modern" kukris), it's a KLO (Kukri like object), though in this case, a throwing "knife" or rather Knife Like Object.
I've made a couple punches out of rr spikes, and they're....mostly functional. Have to dress them more often than I'd like to, but they'll do until I can afford some proper material for the job. Glad someone finally came out and said this.
Check our the wrecking yards for a old coil springs, just normalize it a few times before working
@@billygildark4565 I've had bad luck with old coil springs. Pretty much everything around where I'm at has had the ever loving crap beat out of it, micro crack city. Last few coil springs I've had I had to take back to the scrap yard because what I made out of them spider webbed in the quench.
And where can I buy this book?
trentontye.com
I am not a blacksmith, but I'm curious as I also dont have a book (atm). So if a rail spike has 45 points of carbon, does that mean its 1045? Because I know that's not the best steel for a knife or sword, from what i have heard (emphasising the heard bit) 1065 is more suitable, and 1090-1095 being even better for retaining edge. Is this true?
Not necessarily, 1045 is a plain carbon steel but several other alloys can have 45 points in addition to several other additives. 1065 is essentially a spring steel which is why its good for big blades, think shock resistance. 1095 tends to be too hard and brittle for that kind of work
@@purgatoryironworks thank you very much, that was very informative :)
What books would you recommend for someone who is wanting to get into hobby smithing?
The Art of blacksmithing is a good place to start. It is not an instruction manual, it is a historical tome but it has invaluable information in it. The Backyard Blacksmith is a much thinner, much more "how to" style book that I would recommend.
Foxfire published a book on the subject of smiths and smithing but it is a collection of magazine articles specific to Appalachia and I did not find it engrossing or informative on a cursory examination.
@@ManOf1ThousandHats Thanks! I'll go order it now.
The backyard blacksmith by Lorelei Sims
ISBN 978-0-7858-2567-8
When I bought it new off the shelf I was a wet behind the ears Smith that just made his first leaves. (They were awful)
This was the best 30$ I ever spent.
This is the absolute best book for the beginner. The book is well written and illustrated. With plenty of starter projects in the back. Hands down the best book for getting the techniques of how to use the hammer and anvil to best effect.
She doesn't cover knife making. Because she is an ornamental/ architectural Smith
So that's not really her wheel house.
Good luck hope this helps.
@@thevillageblacksmith8550 I just ordered that book, I look forward to reading it!
Don't stop asking questions my friend, because of what this guy says, he doesn't speak for all us smiths.
Hey, just wanted to ask if you have any recommendations on books?
Definetly not. But the absolute best tool imo for those getting into bladesmithing. Go through 30 of those and you'll be well on your way to transitioning to making real knives. Forge different profiles, bevels, etc.
Thank you!! It is so good to hear from an honest man!! cannot say how many times i have seen people buy railroad spike knives thinking they have a extreme high carbon cutting tool...
*Would you consider using a railroad spike to mix what's your other steals when making Damascus?*
No. Its low carbon and not well suited. It can be done, you are just going to have an inferior product.
I'm a knife collector not a blacksmith I bought one of these railroad spike knives like you said for the novelty of it I really appreciate this video as a collector I have to deal with some of the same idiots or those who are new to collecting knives and buy into the gimmick that these things are actual usable tools keep up the great videos
Would a RR spike be suitable for a low wear lows stress tool?
At the end of the day, is a medium carbon steel and good for a number of things.
@@purgatoryironworks thank you
Videos like this are why I subscribed! I want the truth, not sugar coated crap. I’m getting into blacksmithing, will be picking up my grandfather’s old equipment later this month
Honestly the whole internet expert thing spans all hobbies and work.
what books do you recommend for blacksmithing and type of metal?
I want to make a railroad spike tomahawk because I want to learn on something that is free. And it’s fine that it’s a novelty
Even if you only end up with a tomachickenhawk it will still probably be capable of kiling things. 🐓
What books do you recommend?
What he said. I'm a newbee. I have read a few library books, and listened to hours of instruction/discussion on UA-cam. I try not to ask questions unless I have done a bit of YT and Google search. If another newbee asks a question that I have worked through and made several wrong moves, I have rarely put in my $.02. Just to let them know what mistakes I have already made so they can avoid them.
But what if I take two of these spikes that have 45 points of carbon? I put em together and boom! 90 points of carbon.
I am so stealing this comment
Well thank you for that brutally honest lesson. I have a few railroad spikes I was going to make knifes, as gifts…. But I’ll hold off.
So where can I get railroad spikes that will make a good knife?
I know they're not _good_ knives but they can look cool. Something to own but maybe not take on an outdoor trip
You can make great decorative things with them but you must remember to sell them as decorative because someone can hurt himself striking wood or something
@@lordyasha5944 Yeah, that'd be a shitty thing to do
That's a fact old buddy
So I just have one question. Can you make good swords out of railroad spikes? (j/k)
What book or books do you recommend?
You know you can get Higher Carbon spikes 0.3% - 0.4% carbon. So it’s comparable to 1040.
So they make fair knifes for simple activities but the edge doesn’t compare to 1080 plus.
Im unsure of the purpose of your comment.
I just got a 2 burner propane forge as a gift. What Books would you recommend for someone new to blacksmithing? Especially knives. Thanks and Great videos.
Are they more fire resistant than stainless steel?
Forging a fire ax?
What are your thoughts on using super quench for the surface hardening of the steel? I look forward to hear from you and thank you for sharing bye for now Ken
Nope, still in the realm of blah. Super quench, brine quench, potato quench, fart quench, nothing is going to make a RR spike anything close to simply using good steel. It can be case hardened but then the first time you sharpen it, its down to soft metal
Hey I was wondering if a HC railroad spike will be a good knife?
"You cannot learn something you think you already know" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I get this type of question on Timber Frame forums and UA-cam "Should I buy this old chisel/slick and restore it" and I tell everyone of them that unless the chisel/slick is good steel forget it because you will spend more time sharpening than working with it. I tell them to take a half hour and put an edge on it, use it for a bit and if the edge holds up, restore it. If it doesn't, dump it or restore it and put it on the wall because it will be useless as a tool! And BTW I have a hundred railroad spike I guess are going to coat hooks now LOL!
Gettin some jet fuel and steel beam vibes from this 😂
Still added a like all the same lol
He was right about that too.
Craig Cowan over at The Barefoot Forge has a nice blog post regarding "HC" spikes, including references to ASTM standards (ASTM A65-07 Standard Specification for Steel Track Spikes) and a metallurgical analysis of RR spikes from his supplier. And yes, my first knife was a RR spike knife. I use it to open boxes containing blacksmithing books.
That’s actually really good to know. Good man. Honest and entertaining, as always!!
What books should I be looking for on good knife steels and other forging techniques?
Hi. Do you have any recommendations for a good book on knife making?
Hello! Thank You for video. I have a point-if forge weld edge on spike? Or form spike-shaped handle when forge a knife from good steel? Thank You
Hey, brother. Apprentice bladesmith here with an amateur question.
Could you cut a channel into the spike, san-mai style, and forge weld some good HC for a cutting edge to make a *good* RR knife?
What you have then is a chunk of high carbon steel with a railroad knife handle
I've bought a few books but I haven't seen anything about metallurgy. Do you have Suggestions?
I’m still you’re friend👏🏻 I’ve seen a few smiths in my area with these (myself included) I agree that you can make money off them but I always explain that this is a decorative or at most a butter cheese knife to my customers.
And great butter cheese knives they make. I use mine for peanut butter.
@@okienative4785 shape them to get under the rim of the peanutbutter jar rim and they will sell even better. And if thwy can clean the bottom of the jar too, add three more bucks to the price. So much peanut butter gets wasted by knives that can't get into the tops and bottoms of the jars well.
Where would i aquire a cheap/free book that would help me learn?
I have been watching your videos for a couple of years, so I basically know everything there is to know about blacksmithing 😂😂😂😂 , thanks for your videos.
Is it ok as a decorative display piece
FFS. stop trolling. I have made plenty of RR spike knives that function as intended. Are the as good as 1095 steel? No. But you are just trolling.
One cannot troll if one is correct. Thanks for playing though. (Sad "Price is Right" noises)
@@purgatoryironworks your arrogance is why i unsubbed a long time ago. Deer have been skinned with my knives and hundreds of hay bale strings cut. They will cut and don't need sharpening every 5 minutes. Stop calling people liars. You are a tool
By this logic the knife is a brand new invention seeing as all steel was shit for most of human history. and most store bought knives under $100 are shit by these standards. Budweiser sucks it's not good beer. Still gets people shit faced who cares.
so just a thought , well 2 thoughts ... would it to be possible to either tig weld in some proper high carbon steel into the edge or weld in a edge of high carbon steel , or even weld in some hard surfacing rods into the edge to make it a proper knife ?
You can of course attach it to high carbon, tig, mig, or otherwise. Then its a Spike -handled- knife
@@purgatoryironworks so i'm wondering if this could be used as a gateway to teach forge welding ? or at the very least teach how to attach 2 dissimilar metals to each other in any manner ....
i agree with your rant , yes it makes a crappy knife , so lets take it a few steps further and figure out how to make it awesome knife kind of idea .
I guess the guy that cleaned 3 deer without resharpening his spike must've butchered the butchering.
Things like this are why I don't generally bother with forums any more, even farcebook pages and groups drive me mad with the same questions, pictures and the everything else coming up week after week, and sometimes daily.
Your sarcasm is well appreciated
Do they make good kunai or throwing knife
...... I would say yes, they would be an acceptable throwing knife.
Can they make for a good cold chisel?
At .045 carbon, no. They will cut a few times but I think you will find they will blunt very quickly.
Serious question what if you fold it
Not a smith yet, but working on educating myself.
Forums drive me insane with people posting "Will this ..." What ever happened to figuring out thing on your own. A big part of learning is trial and error. Too many people are looking for a easy way out or are just lazy and don't want to put into the effort. Do the research yourself so you can distinguish fact from opinion. Make test pieces and try to figure it out yourself you will learn more, put in the time. Railroad spikes and mystery metal have their place, practice. Use those to learn how to shape and form a knife, and practice tempering. Then when you have some kind of idea of what you are doing, then get knife steel and start making high quality knives. -Rant over
Trenton Tye, thank you so much for what you do and all of the knowledge the you willing impart to other.
Thats a nice hat
Would you say it could be a good cheap practice tool when it comes to forging? I just mean in terms of shaping, twisting, and sharpening.
I’m a newbie and still in the book stage just yet, I have several spikes saved up for just this reason……. to practice on hammering and shaping before I start working on knife quality steel. I also started watching this channel and I’m impressed by his knowledge and the work he does
You really need to start a series called "Making friends on the net". LOL
80 RR spike guys are now your friend
Not true they make great butter knives and desk ornaments. Basically anything you don't need it to be sharp for. Lmao