So I managed to pick up 20' or more of 1.5 in round bars, somewhere off of a railroad track or something. I have no idea what kind of steel they might be, but considering they were used for railroad tracks it's probably not terribly soft (and I promise I will get around to drawing it out and quenching then breaking it to see the grain at some point, just not yet). Anyway, assuming it's not mild steel, what kind of tools would everyone make if they had the bar, and why. I know I want to do a straight pein and diagonal pien hammer at some point, and it would be perfect for hardies, but what hardies would the wiser recommend?
-Kegan

If you have a bandsaw just cut off 1/2" and heat and quench in water to test ability to harden. Fast and informative. No reason to start making plans when it's unknown steel.

Large swing arm fuller.

I just made a large swing-arm fuller using 1" stock. Very hand to have when you want a softer transition than smaller stock gives.

 

A hot cut would be one of my first things.  Even if it's mild steel, it will cut hot iron easily.

 

Then I'd make the hammer-eye punch and a drift.  Again, even mild steel will work for these applications.

 

Then I'd cut some blanks and get to work punching and drifting eyes to make hammers.

 

That size would also be great for tomahawks and hatchets......

If you have a bandsaw just cut off 1/2" and heat and quench in water to test ability to harden. Fast and informative. No reason to start making plans when it's unknown steel.

Just slice a 5mm disc off the end with an angle grinder. Slice it in half and then quench one bit in oil and the other in water. See which if any will snap when you hit it with a hammer (steel in the vice obviously)

I'd be thinking about hammer / axe drifts.

All the best
Andy

Kegan, I am making the assumption that you have access to a power hammer of some kind.  That or, basing on your location, you are just a "dumb marine with big arms :)" (prior service here, so no intentional offense).  with material that large I personally would target hardy tools like small cone mandrel, bick iron, hot cut, small stake anvil, etc.. I would also look at handled tools along the drift and punch side of things. 

 

all that being said, I would definitely try and figure carbon content, at a minimum, first.  good find

paul

Good size for nail and bolt headers, kiss blocks, most any tooling. Don't look for ways to use it up, it is good to have tool stock when you need it. (obviously make any tools you need.)

It all hinges on what alloy it is in the end. Just because it was near some tracks doesn't necessarily mean it came from the railroad.

If it stays soft, then basic projects.

If it hardens up OK, then tooling like hardies, and top tools.

If it gets really hard then maybe some axes,hammers,wood chisles, etc that can benefit from the hardness

Then again, do you have the capability to work with that size stock alone, or do you have someone who can be a striker for you?

To test, just slice off a thin section, and try hardening it. That is what I do at work with mystery metal on my stock rack. Cut off a thin piece, heat with the torch, quench, and test it with a file.

Did you ask for this, or did you just confess to a felony and want us to help you figure out what to do with the stolen RailRoad property ?

If it's marine corps property and was given to me then I don't see where the problem is. If anything it would fall back into the person who have me permission (site head), not me.

Steve is a moderator, knife maker and all around good (but grumpy) guy. But as all the moderators (and most if the rest of us) he ers on the side of caution. Even picking up a broken rivet on a rail road right of way can get you in hot water. So, you did the right thing by asking permission, but Steve was reminding us all of the dangers of gleaning steel of the rail right of ways.

Ok, not always grumpy ;-)

But the basic rule applies:  scrap is scrap and what we would like it to be may not be what it is---I've pulled real wrought iron out of a stream near an abandoned RR bridge many long years ago when I was young and lacking feck.

Currently there is a thread on facebook from a kid selling RR spikes he picks up on his way home from school.  Offering at good prices too,  he is clueless about laws and private propery.

 

Your opening post said where you got it, but nothing about the Corps or what that has to do with it,  or asking and getting any permissions.  We need to be clear about these things and not give people ideas that can land them in jail.

 

Just because this is the internet does not mean we can ignore laws, which are different depending on where we are.  Nor are we free from someone filing charges against IFI for promoting others doing unlawfull things, also there are a few active members of law enforcement that are also member smiths here, we do not live in a bubble.  And as was pointed out,  I am a part of the IFI staff, and it is my job here, I am not trying to be nosey or pushy when I jump in on conflict, safety or theft issues.  It is not personal.

I am sorry for getting defensive, but I understand where you are coming from and hadn't realized how important a statement as to how I appropriately came by it would be as important as it is.

 

 

If you had just posted you had Steel, it would have been fine.   You made an open statement it came from the railroad.   That is a resource that some smiths may not know should not be used to casually collect salavge, it should be stated how you got RR properrty to prevent someone else from getting arrested from not knowing.

We care about our younger members, (and older ones for that mater...), and so you will often see simple explinations ringed with details of things one shouldn't do as the possibility of problems exist---soft of like, "can I do XYZ?"  "No, I can; but you will end up in the ER as you do not have the experience and training to do XYZ."  Some folks won't even address some of the dangerous methods as the liability is too great here in the USA.

Brian Brazeal has made some huge horse heads out of large diameter bar like yours.
They look stunning. Just an idea!