RAIL ROAD SPIKES

[GRiley904]

 OK so not much about the actual smithing aspect. I just wanted to say that I'm a bit offended at the stigma placed on  rr spikes. I'm offended that i would be looked down upon because I make something out of a piece of STEEL just because it used to have a head on it. Once you cut the head off or consolidate it back to square stock it is just that square stock and in fact no longer a spike. Like I'm less of a smith becuase of what my stock started it's life as. Sorry guys, I felt the need to vent and say " Look what i can make out of a rr spike."

[Marksnagel]

Riley,

 

 I use RR spikes for all kinds of things. Pigtail meat turners, bottle openers, crosses, etc.

 

Scrap RR spikes are IMHO just that, scrap. No better, no less than other scrap. All scrap has a potential to be some great work. There are purists in all walks of life that feel superior to everyone that doesn't do things the right way. Translated to : their way.

 

 

 

Mark <><

[Dan C]

To those that look down on any of us working w/ RR spikes so be it.  I've made enough money from the bottle openers, gardening tools & yes even the hated spike knives to buy my smithing tools, pays some bills and help restore my old truck.  Which I'm very proud to say is finally back on the road!!!  Couldn't have done it w/o people buying all the stuff I made out of these spikes, the guys at the local railyard that let me have a piece of track to get started and the nails themselves.

 

[Workhorse247365]

I think possibly this is refering to a post or posts i should say..on another forum, if so shouldnt the next question be "what color should i paint my anvil" ..lol duh everyone knows its supposed to be baby blue oh a paint it before you weld it down ;) ...seriously though i thought to myself as i read those posts that in theses fellas minds they've reached the pinnacle of the blacksmithing world and the knowledge pertaining to it. they are disgusted that they are forced to read yet another RR spike transformation post or view another how do i make a forge question. In their minds these forums are no longer a gathering place for the exchanging of ideas and knowledge. instead it is a country club for the hammering elite. They would much rather read posts like look what i can make on my 50,000 dollar this or 100,000 dollar that... what color should i paint my 150,000 ton press? What theyve seem to have forgot is we all had a start at something we knew nothing about a job, a hobby etc etc ..even the hammering elite at one time couldnt get a tap out of a snake ..much less forge one. 

[GRiley904]

Nobody forces them to read anything, they click on the thread, read it of their own vilition, and then interject their own negative opinion. Not critisism constructive or otherwise, but looking down their nose at us because we mentioned a rr spike. Luckily I myself haven't directly encountered hostility over it but have seen it givin. And i dare say that these hammering elite who hane reached the pinnacle of blacksmithing and the knoweledge pertaining to it aren't as good as they think.

[ThomasPowers]

RR spikes are just *SCRAP*  of a particular size, shape and alloy as such they are no worse and NO BETTER than other scrap depending on what you want to do with them.

 

Personally they are a poor shape and alloy for my uses and so I don't use them.  Don't see the point in using them for things they are not good for just because they are a RR spike!

 

Far better for me to get a length of 5/8 hot rolled scrap than mess with forging a spike into something that doesn't need the head---now for items that you need the extra mass of the head; well then they are the preferred starting point.

 

What I've mainly used RR spikes for is tent stakes drawing them out on the powerhammer to a foot or more---also a good task for teaching new people how to use a powerhammer.

 

I've also seen Billy Merritt's pattern welded RR spike...

[Chinobi]

It's the same theory as horseshoes. Yes, you can readily achieve the same result from a 1/4" x 3x4" (roughly) piece of flat bar, scrap or virgin, but when somebody picks it up their mind processes: oh that's a nice clean (insert project here). If they are tehnical they might even be able to reverse engineer that you started with the quarter by three quarter flat bar.
BUT take a horseshoe and bang it into the exact same project and instantly the audience will think 'dang, they made that from a horseshoe?!' it might even trigger nostalgia of riding lessons or wanting a pony when they were a child.

Same principle with an RR spike, you can do it with 5/8 square, but when it's done with a spike you can (usually) tell that it was started with a spike, and the reaction is the same 'you made that from a huge nail?!'. Plus the head makes for a pretty handy end cap for all kinds of handheld tools and saves you a lot of time and energy upsetting if you need a big fist of material on one side. Of course the alloy is less than ideal for edged products, but if you are splitting that particular hair, take it farther and split the spike instead and weld in a bit of 1095 or whatever and give it a propper edge.

I hesitate to bring it up but the much maligned rebar fits into the same category as well. It has instant recognition of what you started with because of the distinct ribbed texture. As an engineer I like to see stuff made of rebar, a lot of people in my firm have mirrors or frames or paperweights made from rebar frames and pieces. It's a part of the trade. Construction offices and contractors have the same relationship. They encounter it every day, so to see it transformed into something totally opposite it's formal use is kind of nostalgic.

My 2c ymWv

[Bentiron1946]

I don't think I have ever run down anybody for using RR spikes or even rebar or old car springs, each has a better use for some things others but in a pinch you can make do with just about any piece of steel. Also folks like to see forks, steak turners, spoon, bottle openers and such made out of unusual materials so why not. Of coarse if you aiming for a fine knife a piece of rebar ain't the best or if you making a bowl adz a RR spike is not the best but you can make a serviceable tool out of 'em, probably better than out of air so to speak but go ahead and use what you want, at least your making something and not just talking about it.

[Dan C]

That kind of nostalgic Chinobi mentioned is probably one of the reasons stuff made from them sell well.  Everybody's already made very good points on it being just another type of stock and not being enough carbon in them.  I did forge a spike hawk last weekend & forge welded an old file bit for the cutting edge.  Should be a nice hawk when it's done.  I've been having a lot of fun & profit making old files into knives.  Will have to try old car springs next.

[ThomasPowers]

Chinobi's right that when it comes to *sales* the "mystic of the object" plays a large part in the mind of the buyer.  Objects made from old wrenches also come to mind. 

[Dan C]

I take bottle openers made from old wrenches with me everytime I go to an auto parts store.  That was how I paid for my truck's radiator repairs.  Pawn shops usually have tons of them that they just want to get rid of.  Also made one into a bracelet for someone on request, another into a business card holder.

[Chinobi]

yea I was in the break room and the guy tearing apart the coffee maker had a bunch of crescent wrenches laid out on the counter and I had kind of a head slap moment that I forgot making bottle openers and business card holders from old wrenches and lag screws and the like :)

[ThomasPowers]

I use the very old non-platred ones and make Tyranosaurus Wrenches from them  (I use the size that fits the propane fitting on my forge; the other end I forge down and cut teeth and punch nose and eyes and then detail it.0

[Frosty]

GRiley: Don't take other folk's opinions so seriously, any time you put a view or work in the public eye you're going to hear negative feedback. I don't know how many times I've heard someone with a blacksmith grandfather tell m I'm not doing something right. Just round file their comments, it's not like they're spending money.

 

As I recall the most negative comments about RR spike knives is the relatively low carbon content of RR spikes. Spikes have to be tough, hard is a bad thing so they're ot prime edge holding steel. It's a fact of life and nothing to get under your skin. I've even brought it up a few times so if you feel a need to flame someone, I'm here.

 

Spikes items are popular sale items because virtually everybody recognizes RR spikes making the transition up front and obvious. folk can show someone the X and say it used to be a RR spike. the transitional aspect of smithing is one of the most meaningful aspects of the craft the buying public appreciates. They don't have to be a metallurgist, machinist, sculptor, artist, etc. just able to see what is and what it used to be. Being able to treat steel, universal symbol of strength and durability like wet clay is like magic to many people so having a product that show what it was and what it is has special meaning. It's the same story for things made from horse shoes.

 

There aren't very many things we make that can't be bought in stores, what we sell is individuality, the unique details endemic to hand made products. For folk who know the price of everything and the value of nothing we sell bragging rights. These folk aren't going to brag about how inexpensive an item is, for them price is a significant factor so they're going to brag about how expensive hand crafted quality is. I'm more than happy to double, triple or whatever the price to make those folk happy.

 

So lighten up Mr. Riley, the forum as a whole doesn't look down their noses at spikes or the folk who make things from them. For those who do look down their noses; are you really interested in their opinions? I'm surely not, I only care about opinions based on solid knowledge, skill and intelligence.

 

Be well.

 

Frosty The Lucky!