Hey John,
I started out like your doing too, but after knocking up a couple of spike blades I went on to some better steel. I chose to do this for two reasons.
- Better steel works differently, in that it's harder to move, easier to over heat, not so casually quenched in the slack tub, and it's heat treatable.
- You can go through the whole knife making process: guards, handles, promels, etc.
I "progressed" from spikes to coil and leaf spring steel. Once again, a couple of blades out of that and I again reassessed my choice of steel and ended up getting some known steel, like 5160, 1084 & 52100. Also rounded up some handle material: stag, koa wood, brass, copper and stainless primarily.
Anyway, just some thoughts. Hope you post some pix! Oh ya, I'd just quench those spikes to get what ever hardening you can (not much really). No need to temper. It's just not gunna get that hard.
All the best, Phil