Alexismyname

OK. Thanks. I'm in Williamsburg Virginia. I've just started out and I've been messing around with RR spikes getting the feel of it. The first knife I made, the one I'm not able to quench, turned out pretty good (for a first time knife). I don't have any real blacksmithing tools and my anvil is a piece RR track. I'm finding blacksmithing very fun and interesting, and I'm interested in learning more about it

Thank you for the advice. I'll look up that book. Do you have any recommendations for good starting steels?

Hello everyone. I am new to blade smithing and a few weeks ago I have built a forge and bought a grinder and all the basic stuff I need. The blade is made from an old rr spike and I have basically finished the blade and I'm ready to quench. However I have quenched the blade twice in some old chain saw oil...the blade didn't harden....three times in motor oil....the blade didn't harden. Then I tried twice in water....the blade still didn't harden. I almost certain I brought the blade up to the proper temperature because it was glowing orange and it lost all magnetism. Despite all my attempts, the blade never hardened. I know that RR spikes have a very low carbon content, but from videos, forums, research, etc, they will harden. I don't understand why I can't get mine to harden. Any suggestions on how to proceed would be very helpful, thank you everyone