When we were kids we lived near RR tracks. Many a summer day we walked the tracks and hopped trains. But the best day of all was when we found a RR Spike laying around. You "spiked" great memories from my youth. 🙂 Nice video.
You left off the #1 reason to make a railroad spike knife. They're awesome. Everyone likes them and buys them because they're cool. I wouldn't worry about someone criticizing you for making them. Most people would throw away most of the knives they own, if they only kept the blades made from the best most ideal steel. You're only actually using them once in a blue moon (with your camping or BBQ gear), and you look cool sharpening it in front of people anyway.
Hi Guys - enjoyed the video very natural delivery. I'm horticulturaly trained and a great thing to make with railroad spikes is a garden trowel and given they are such heavy material they will be the last trowel you will need, as you will never ewar it out. M.D.
Yah, that's good advice. RR spikes let you practice -- and play -- on the cheap. I've even done stupid stuff like slitting them, sliding a piece of decent steel in, and practicing forge welding (Iron Mountain flux rocks...). Made some surprisingly good blades that way. Clyde
..Good points Doug !! I have practised all kinds of techniques with spikes. My son brought me a half a 5 gal. bucket of them. I made him a BBQ set in appreciation...
At my job we let people book experiences to make railspike knives as well as other things. They love seeing the knife take shape as we work. That's why I like them because they are fun to make and great practice for when I do make a real nice knife
I agree 100%, rail spike knives are great practice, as well as a very popular item with people, I make the most profit from them. File work adds wow factor and more profit for me.
I'm just starting out learning how to forge. On my last few steps in building my own forge. Just a basic cast iron bowl forge with floor flange and nipple pipe with a hair dryer for a blower. I want to start with railroad spikes but I can't find any lol and I didn't know it was illegal to forage for them on the tracks lol, saved me a hunting trip there. I'd love some spikes if you can spare them 😆
You must be very good. I have made a lot of knives but it takes a long time. forging is easy and fun , its all the damn grinding, straightening, heat treatment, finish grinding, handles scabbards etc. I envy the Japanese sword smiths. when the fir os out their work is done ! someone else gets to rub it on rocks for a month to make it sharp and smooth.
1- nostalgia- people know what the knife used to be 2- easy practice for basic principles 3- I'm the only blade Smith I know personally, and most common folk dont know anything about steel. 4- some of the easiest, and coolest san mai ideas can make the spike an excellent knife.
I made one for a buddy from work he wanted to see how the forge worked. I hammered it out. Twisted it and ground it with a 4.5 inch angle grinder with flap disc and start to finish 35 min.
It's a commonly held belief that HC means that the spike is made out of high carbon steel, but that is not the case. It does mean high carbon, but that does not make it high carbon steel. Most railroad spikes are mild steel, being around .02% carbon. The HC marked railroad spikes can come in around .03-.035% carbon, which is just barely hardenable. Compare that with 1095 which is .95% carbon. So really, when it comes to RR spikes, the head marking don't make much difference. I've had HC stamped spikes not harden, and I've had non-HC stamped spikes harden, you just have to test them out for yourself.
There are a few ways, but honestly it's not really worth the effort. The easiest way to make a better knife is to forge weld in some good high carbon steel for the edge.
You can case harden it, the man hours involved are negligible, but you would have to keep a container full of spike knives at forging temperature for the better part of a day which uses a lot of fuel and potential forge space.
Do you ever make it up to north dakota? I'm in need of instruction. Currently having a blast trying to figure stuff out and have been using youtube here as my "instructor".
That depends on the apprentice, how fast they learn, and how well they develop their hammer technique. Once taught the proper technique a competent apprentice should be able to get it down to 45 minutes by their 8th - 10th spike knife, IMO.
I have a knife that is made from a rail road spin with the handle twisted and am wondering how good it is for a hunting/bush craft knife plus I am having some problem sharing it what do you recommend for doing so.
Robert Miller I’m not the host of the channel obviously but I will say that as a knife enthusiast that they’d be “good enough” as long as you’re not trying to save your own life and it’s what you’re reaching for. The edge is more than likely to curl over since it’s mild steel if you try and baton it through wood for whatever reason. It’s edge retention as the host said isn’t great and since the carbon content varies so much you’re better off assuming the edge is going to be crap. Also they’re heavy, carrying around a hunk of steel like that can get very tedious very fast. Most wont have a hole drifted/drilled through and the twists applied aren’t going to give you enough purchase to tie it on your hip in any fashion. They’re good enough, and that’s only if you have nothing else to use. But it’s a big meaty knife and it still carries some weight if you need to use it for impact-based applications. Plus they’re kind of cute, you’d find it hard to throw your own away.
Not sure about the quality of steel used in spikes over there but here it pretty high! Good high carbon steel, not into blades myself but for punches, chisels and drifts I find it faultless!
Just need to be sure of something, its illegal to take them from the tracks but what about when they are off the the track and off to the side surrounded by rocks and stuff is it still illegal then?
If it ended up off railroad property, which is always hard to know, I feel as if they are fair game. But since you don't usually see a clear fence, it isn't worth the risk. They are available online cheaply enough.
Ive also heard of a trick where you make sort of a clay envelope around the mild steel and put charcoal in the "envelope" and than when you bring it up to temp the carbon from the charcoal transfers into the mild steel making it hardenable. Ive never tried it myself but Ive seen a video
That's case-hardening. The carbon doesn't go far, so you get a hard outer skin that can wear away with abrasion. Used a lot on wrenches and such (at least back when my tools were made), but not so great for a knife you plan to use and resharpen.
WOW, Ive been blacksmithing for probably 6 months now and I have an old railroad a few blocks from my house and I've taken just dozens of spikes that were laying on the side of the track... I feel like a criminal for taking something no one even knew was there
adam eubanks I did one called something like "forging a chopper and conserving your steel" or very similar to it in which I go into detail on forging bevel. I could do another in greater detail, but watch that one first and let me know if there is something I missed.
Okay, but most railroad spikes have a mediocre amount of carbon in them, isn't that a bad quality to a knife?Carbon adds to the durability.Would a railroad spike knife be best used for something not as rough on the blade such as hunting?
Yes, that is true. The end result is not to produce a high quality blade, the end goal here is to learn how to quickly, efficiently, and cleanly forge a blade out of a large piece of stock. As far as the steel quality, as I state in the video, maybe you get one that hardens and makes a decent knife, maybe you don't, it's kind of a crap shoot, but the lessons learned from forging 5/8" square stock into a blade are invaluable. And since RR spikes are so easy to come by, it's cheap practice.
Hey Wolf😎, I really like the why you explain things in your video. It's Kool 👌 doing the railroad knife. I like to have one how can I get one can you send me information? keep up the good work in the videos coming cuz I'm watching take care.
I have some class information available on my website. Keep in mind, I travel extensively so I try to make classes available wherever I go, and when I have the time I can stop on my way somewhere to teach. Visit www.wolfsdenforge.com/classes.php for more information.
Tip for getting a hardened edge on a rail spike knife, don't thermi cycle it and quench in used motor oil, preferably from a diesel truck if you can get it. Also try to have your blade at 90% complete before you do the quench.
I want to start blacksmithing. Im 15, dont know anyone i can apprentice for... I can make a coal forge and i already have a railroad spike. Ive heard the best way to learn is without some of the "proper" tools such as the right hammers, the grinders, etc. They said sandpaper instead of a grinder to clean and such. Do you think I could start practicing with just a claw hammer, some different grains of sandpaper, a bucket of olive or vegetable oil, and a piece of flat steel as a substitute to an anvil?
Jeremiah Fyan I would recommend getting a small 3lb sledge instead of the claw hammer, a claw hammer has too small a head to be able to hit and move the steel efficiently. Also, if you can legally get your hands on some railroad track, a small piece of that can make a good substitute anvil.
And yeah as long as your piece of clay steel is at least an inch and a half thick it should be fine. Just stay away from Hardened steel for an anvil they have a tendency to shear off pieces pretty violently if you hit it wrong. If you can find a fit long piece of railroad track that's really great too.
Most people are using cheap crap knives anyway. In the kitchen and out. Your products will be immensely better. Also, for my purposes, being concerned specifically with the 18th Century Indian trading and Anglo-Saxon period, the worst steel typically available is better than most of what they had.
For anyone who plans to pick their spikes off the tracks, keep in mind that in US law, property belongs to the previous owner until he sells it, gives it away, dies, or throws it out in a clear and unambiguous way (like putting it in the trash bin by the roadside). If a spike pops loose, sticks to the train for 100 miles, falls from a bridge onto a boat, and ends up on the bottom of the ocean, it is STILL railroad property. Might get a little more complex if it ends up in international waters, so if you go diving for spikes on the mid-Atlantic Ridge, consult an attorney. :)
True, but high carbon relative to a railroad spike. The most high carbon RR spike I've ever come across was 0.030% carbon, which compared to mild steel spikes might be high carbon, but in the grand scheme of things barely came in on the hardenable side of carbon steels. So that HC on the head doesn't mean what a lot of people will tell you it means. Maybe it'll harden, maybe not. Because it says HC doesn't make it 1080 or even anything close. Cheers!
That may be so, but they are laying on Rail Road property so they are still in the companies possession. Kind of like if you left something outside in your yard and someone walks up and takes it. That's stealing.
Yeah I talked with some guys that worked on the RR they told me it was frowned upon. That and if you try to take them to a scrapyard they won’t accept the spikes because they are still RR property.
You clearly have no idea how commerce works. So, what you're saying is, you would be totally comfortable working for $3 or $4 an hour? Then help yourself, I on the other hand, have bills to pay and a powerful need to eat.
Adly G I’ve always found that something is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it. It’s called capitalism, and I say more power to him. You don’t want to buy his knife? Guess what, you’re in luck, you don’t have to.
This information in this video is priceless. Basic, real, down to earth, but at the same time PRICELESS information. Thanks
I appreciate that! Thank you!
When we were kids we lived near RR tracks. Many a summer day we walked the tracks and hopped trains. But the best day of all was when we found a RR Spike laying around. You "spiked" great memories from my youth. 🙂
Nice video.
Just bought a cleaver made of a spike. Thank you for the honest review of the material's quality.
You left off the #1 reason to make a railroad spike knife. They're awesome. Everyone likes them and buys them because they're cool. I wouldn't worry about someone criticizing you for making them. Most people would throw away most of the knives they own, if they only kept the blades made from the best most ideal steel. You're only actually using them once in a blue moon (with your camping or BBQ gear), and you look cool sharpening it in front of people anyway.
Ungha Bungha just wanr to put in thay i am not one of those people and of youre knife is razor sharp you can almost always strope it
Hi Guys - enjoyed the video very natural delivery. I'm horticulturaly trained and a great thing to make with railroad spikes is a garden trowel and given they are such heavy material they will be the last trowel you will need, as you will never ewar it out.
M.D.
As someone who wants to get into blade smithing, I found thid video extremely helpful. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Yah, that's good advice. RR spikes let you practice -- and play -- on the cheap. I've even done stupid stuff like slitting them, sliding a piece of decent steel in, and practicing forge welding (Iron Mountain flux rocks...). Made some surprisingly good blades that way. Clyde
Lol I am brand new but I already possess one of the hammer techniques you used in this video 4:33 Seriously, good vid.
Thanks!
Lmao I laughed harder than I should've
I didn't even need to click the time stamp.
Me too, brother. lol
..Good points Doug !! I have practised all kinds of techniques with spikes. My son brought me a half a 5 gal. bucket of them. I made him a BBQ set in appreciation...
Spikes are excellent practice, especially when it comes to moving large cross sections of stock quickly.
At my job we let people book experiences to make railspike knives as well as other things. They love seeing the knife take shape as we work. That's why I like them because they are fun to make and great practice for when I do make a real nice knife
I'm glad I watched this. I didn't know they make weak blades. Someone wanted to charge me $225 for one. I thought that sounded like a bullshit price
I agree 100%, rail spike knives are great practice, as well as a very popular item with people, I make the most profit from them. File work adds wow factor and more profit for me.
I'm just starting out learning how to forge. On my last few steps in building my own forge. Just a basic cast iron bowl forge with floor flange and nipple pipe with a hair dryer for a blower. I want to start with railroad spikes but I can't find any lol and I didn't know it was illegal to forage for them on the tracks lol, saved me a hunting trip there. I'd love some spikes if you can spare them 😆
Check out Ebay something like 20 spikes for $20...with free shipping! Hope this helps.
You must be very good. I have made a lot of knives but it takes a long time. forging is easy and fun , its all the damn grinding, straightening, heat treatment, finish grinding, handles scabbards etc. I envy the Japanese sword smiths. when the fir os out their work is done ! someone else gets to rub it on rocks for a month to make it sharp and smooth.
1- nostalgia- people know what the knife used to be
2- easy practice for basic principles
3- I'm the only blade Smith I know personally, and most common folk dont know anything about steel.
4- some of the easiest, and coolest san mai ideas can make the spike an excellent knife.
As long as you can harden them to any extent at all, I'm happy. I'm mainly planning on making simple tomahawks out of them.
Forging is fun, grinding is work.
I made one for a buddy from work he wanted to see how the forge worked. I hammered it out. Twisted it and ground it with a 4.5 inch angle grinder with flap disc and start to finish 35 min.
Rebar is also good for practicing and some rebar can be hardened in water
Good stuff.
San Mai Them and they make very nice blades.
"I'm going to use at least two belts on it"
-Me looking in shame at my belts I've been using for a year.
Dude i like whst i learned in a very short time thanks brother
My pleasure
There really good to forge into horse shoes and you can get 2 out of one spike If you are good at drawing out steel
I've made several, My friend that taught me said H.C. stands for high carbon. makes since what say U. Liked subscribed.
It's a commonly held belief that HC means that the spike is made out of high carbon steel, but that is not the case. It does mean high carbon, but that does not make it high carbon steel. Most railroad spikes are mild steel, being around .02% carbon. The HC marked railroad spikes can come in around .03-.035% carbon, which is just barely hardenable. Compare that with 1095 which is .95% carbon. So really, when it comes to RR spikes, the head marking don't make much difference. I've had HC stamped spikes not harden, and I've had non-HC stamped spikes harden, you just have to test them out for yourself.
@@Wolfsdenforge Thanks for clearing that up, and the percentages. Forging on...
It's good practice
Is there any way to increase the carbon content or hardness of it a little so make it a better quality cutting edge, even if it takes longer?
There are a few ways, but honestly it's not really worth the effort. The easiest way to make a better knife is to forge weld in some good high carbon steel for the edge.
Wolf's Den Forge thank you for the tip.
You can case harden it, the man hours involved are negligible, but you would have to keep a container full of spike knives at forging temperature for the better part of a day which uses a lot of fuel and potential forge space.
Do you ever make it up to north dakota? I'm in need of instruction. Currently having a blast trying to figure stuff out and have been using youtube here as my "instructor".
I don't, sorry, but try looking up the Dakota Artist Blacksmith Association, they may be able to help you.
There is something satisfying about working railroad spike steel. 1018 is OK but I feel as if railroad spike steel is softer and planishes easier.
Visiting family in 2 weeks, they have a bucket of spikes waiting for me lol.
Could you make a san mai blade by adding a piece of file?
Sure, most files are decent steel, but the old Nicholson files are very good steel if you can find one.
I'm doing a demo making knives. Maybe I'll grab some spikes and make a few bucks while I'm there. Good idea.
In your opinion, how long (or how many rr spike knives) does it take for an apprentice who takes 2 hours the 1st time to 45 minutes?
That depends on the apprentice, how fast they learn, and how well they develop their hammer technique. Once taught the proper technique a competent apprentice should be able to get it down to 45 minutes by their 8th - 10th spike knife, IMO.
I have a knife that is made from a rail road spin with the handle twisted and am wondering how good it is for a hunting/bush craft knife plus I am having some problem sharing it what do you recommend for doing so.
Robert Miller I’m not the host of the channel obviously but I will say that as a knife enthusiast that they’d be “good enough” as long as you’re not trying to save your own life and it’s what you’re reaching for.
The edge is more than likely to curl over since it’s mild steel if you try and baton it through wood for whatever reason. It’s edge retention as the host said isn’t great and since the carbon content varies so much you’re better off assuming the edge is going to be crap.
Also they’re heavy, carrying around a hunk of steel like that can get very tedious very fast. Most wont have a hole drifted/drilled through and the twists applied aren’t going to give you enough purchase to tie it on your hip in any fashion.
They’re good enough, and that’s only if you have nothing else to use. But it’s a big meaty knife and it still carries some weight if you need to use it for impact-based applications. Plus they’re kind of cute, you’d find it hard to throw your own away.
Great advice, thank you!
You are so welcome!
Not sure about the quality of steel used in spikes over there but here it pretty high! Good high carbon steel, not into blades myself but for punches, chisels and drifts I find it faultless!
Great video man
Thanks!
Just need to be sure of something, its illegal to take them from the tracks but what about when they are off the the track and off to the side surrounded by rocks and stuff is it still illegal then?
If it ended up off railroad property, which is always hard to know, I feel as if they are fair game. But since you don't usually see a clear fence, it isn't worth the risk. They are available online cheaply enough.
Ok cool thanks
If you want to heathread a low carbon steel quench in water! It will make the blade harder than oil.
Ive also heard of a trick where you make sort of a clay envelope around the mild steel and put charcoal in the "envelope" and than when you bring it up to temp the carbon from the charcoal transfers into the mild steel making it hardenable. Ive never tried it myself but Ive seen a video
That's case-hardening. The carbon doesn't go far, so you get a hard outer skin that can wear away with abrasion. Used a lot on wrenches and such (at least back when my tools were made), but not so great for a knife you plan to use and resharpen.
WOW, Ive been blacksmithing for probably 6 months now and I have an old railroad a few blocks from my house and I've taken just dozens of spikes that were laying on the side of the track... I feel like a criminal for taking something no one even knew was there
Careful, it's very illegal to take spikes from railroad tracks, even if they are lying around loose.
Can you do a video on forging bevels
adam eubanks I did one called something like "forging a chopper and conserving your steel" or very similar to it in which I go into detail on forging bevel. I could do another in greater detail, but watch that one first and let me know if there is something I missed.
Okay, but most railroad spikes have a mediocre amount of carbon in them, isn't that a bad quality to a knife?Carbon adds to the durability.Would a railroad spike knife be best used for something not as rough on the blade such as hunting?
Yes, that is true. The end result is not to produce a high quality blade, the end goal here is to learn how to quickly, efficiently, and cleanly forge a blade out of a large piece of stock. As far as the steel quality, as I state in the video, maybe you get one that hardens and makes a decent knife, maybe you don't, it's kind of a crap shoot, but the lessons learned from forging 5/8" square stock into a blade are invaluable. And since RR spikes are so easy to come by, it's cheap practice.
May i ask you --- how expensive the rebar or salvaged used rebar compare with RR spike, in your county ?
Both rebar and spikes can be had free. I've never paid for either.
+Wolf's Den Forge
Just like i suspect. ^__^
Another cool thing about rebar --- decent carbon contain. Instead RR spike.
I.m gonna do this
So you're saying sometimes you have to slow down to go fast?
Sometimes you do.
Slow is smooth smooth is fast.
Hey Wolf😎, I really like the why you explain things in your video. It's Kool 👌 doing the railroad knife. I like to have one how can I get one can you send me information? keep up the good work in the videos coming cuz I'm watching take care.
Your right it's a novelty knife. Thanks for the video.
I would like to know what you charge for teaching someone !
I have some class information available on my website. Keep in mind, I travel extensively so I try to make classes available wherever I go, and when I have the time I can stop on my way somewhere to teach. Visit www.wolfsdenforge.com/classes.php for more information.
So a railroad spike is no harder than a piece of rebar?
Softer than rebar, in many cases.
Tip for getting a hardened edge on a rail spike knife, don't thermi cycle it and quench in used motor oil, preferably from a diesel truck if you can get it. Also try to have your blade at 90% complete before you do the quench.
I want to start blacksmithing. Im 15, dont know anyone i can apprentice for... I can make a coal forge and i already have a railroad spike. Ive heard the best way to learn is without some of the "proper" tools such as the right hammers, the grinders, etc. They said sandpaper instead of a grinder to clean and such. Do you think I could start practicing with just a claw hammer, some different grains of sandpaper, a bucket of olive or vegetable oil, and a piece of flat steel as a substitute to an anvil?
Also files, I would use those.
Jeremiah Fyan I would recommend getting a small 3lb sledge instead of the claw hammer, a claw hammer has too small a head to be able to hit and move the steel efficiently. Also, if you can legally get your hands on some railroad track, a small piece of that can make a good substitute anvil.
ProphetofmtnDEW I ended up getting a 3lbs sledge anyway lol
And yeah as long as your piece of clay steel is at least an inch and a half thick it should be fine. Just stay away from Hardened steel for an anvil they have a tendency to shear off pieces pretty violently if you hit it wrong. If you can find a fit long piece of railroad track that's really great too.
Once you get your hammer technique down you can make everything else you need.
Most people are using cheap crap knives anyway. In the kitchen and out. Your products will be immensely better. Also, for my purposes, being concerned specifically with the 18th Century Indian trading and Anglo-Saxon period, the worst steel typically available is better than most of what they had.
For anyone who plans to pick their spikes off the tracks, keep in mind that in US law, property belongs to the previous owner until he sells it, gives it away, dies, or throws it out in a clear and unambiguous way (like putting it in the trash bin by the roadside). If a spike pops loose, sticks to the train for 100 miles, falls from a bridge onto a boat, and ends up on the bottom of the ocean, it is STILL railroad property. Might get a little more complex if it ends up in international waters, so if you go diving for spikes on the mid-Atlantic Ridge, consult an attorney. :)
Bullsheet the rail road spikes make good knives better than thin blade hcarbon steel blades
hc on spike head is high carbon
True, but high carbon relative to a railroad spike. The most high carbon RR spike I've ever come across was 0.030% carbon, which compared to mild steel spikes might be high carbon, but in the grand scheme of things barely came in on the hardenable side of carbon steels. So that HC on the head doesn't mean what a lot of people will tell you it means. Maybe it'll harden, maybe not. Because it says HC doesn't make it 1080 or even anything close. Cheers!
Tttk tttk uh tttk clears throat. Tttrk uh clears throat
I make tomahawks out of railroad spikes and knives i sell them 100 a piece and people like them
I don’t think taking railroad spikes of the railroad is stealing. They leave them on the tracks after they replace the spikes
That may be so, but they are laying on Rail Road property so they are still in the companies possession. Kind of like if you left something outside in your yard and someone walks up and takes it. That's stealing.
Yeah I talked with some guys that worked on the RR they told me it was frowned upon. That and if you try to take them to a scrapyard they won’t accept the spikes because they are still RR property.
I have about 300 railroad spikes......
He likes ZZ Top
Hellz yes, I do!
@@Wolfsdenforge yeah man!
I HAVE ABOUT 100 SPIKES OR MORE LOL!
Controls hammer to toe........didn’t hurt lol
They are awesome, always will be, people will always buy them. I target them barbarian fans.
My dad would have knocked that anvil off on his toes!!
60 to 80$??? Idk who you think you are but you'r ripping off you'r customers! Definitely not buying from you!
You clearly have no idea how commerce works. So, what you're saying is, you would be totally comfortable working for $3 or $4 an hour? Then help yourself, I on the other hand, have bills to pay and a powerful need to eat.
dont be a Dick Adly
Adly G I’ve always found that something is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it. It’s called capitalism, and I say more power to him. You don’t want to buy his knife? Guess what, you’re in luck, you don’t have to.
60 to 80$ on a handmade, handforged blade? Hell yes I would buy! I don't work for P'nuts, and damn sure don't expect anyone else to.