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Railroad steel


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Umm, I got a bunch of Hc railroad spikes and a few j shaped 1x1 thick things which I'm wondering what are.. I was comparing the sparks to some 1082 and they were pretty similar, its not cast.. and forges nicely..

my friend and I hammered it out into stock and made a few large knives out of it..

anyway, I'll post some pictures of the weird item and one of the knives tomorrow, and if anyone could help me I'd them as far as alloy goes I'de be greatful..
Thanks guys
cheers!

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The search function is your friend. I've never seen a railroad spike in the flesh, but I know that the HC ones are specced to maximum 30 points carbon and 20 points copper... purely from the number of threads like this! ;) In other words they make good letter openers and such but not a 'real' knife -- one that'll hold much of an edge, though you might be able to get something more useful with a brine quench.

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your guess is as good as mine.

If you searched, I am sure you have seen many guesses from 1018 to 1080. no one can tell with out chemical testing and that is expensive to analize steel.

even when we know what steel in normaly used, they can, and do still use others in a pinch

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I think they are "Rail Anchors". Look like this?
railanchors2.jpg
Here is a description: Rail Anchors are manufactured in one-piece construction from spring steel or equal, heat treated and designed to eliminate creepage of track. They provide a large bearing surface against both rail base and tie, avoiding undo cutting an wear, thus prolonging the life of wood ties. The Improved Fair and Channeloc anchors are "drive-on" type anchors, driven on using a standard spike maul. The unit anchor is an "applicator" or "spring type" anchor which requires a special tool similar to a claw bar. (Rail Anchors and Tie Plates for used in Railroads, Cranes, Mines, and Tunnelling)
Sound like they may be some kind of spring steel. Hope this helps, MIKE
(I have picked up a few too)

Edit: URL for broken image above: http://www.harmersteel.com/catalog/4/04/railanchors2.jpg

(DadofFrogPond)

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hmm, they are very similar, my peice is solid 1x1 bar in the shape of the first one there..

so thats cool, some sort of spring steel.. I'm going to try a clay temper on it to see if it takes a hamon.. you can judge things by that right? 5160 doesn't take a temperline very well..

anyway, thankyou!

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OK to stop the guessing here is my file on RR steel: spikes, anchors---the weird shaped clips and rail:

American Railway Engineering Association's Specifications for Soft-Steel Track Spikes. Original document, 1926, revised last in 1968

Two classes of track spikes are given specifications, both low carbon and high carbon. Two sizes of track spike are identified, one of 5/8 inch square shaft and one of 9/16 inch.

Page 5-2-1. "A low carbon track spike will not contain greater than 0.12% carbon nor greater than 0.20% copper.

Page 5-2-2. Section 6a.
Bending properties: The body of a full size finished spike shall stand being bent cold through 180 degrees flat on itself without cracking on the outside portion of the bent portion.

Page 5-2-2 Section 11. Marking. A letter or brand indicating the manufacturer shall be pressed on the head of each spike while it is being formed. When copper is specified, the letters "CU" shall be added.

Page 5-2-3: Specifications for high carbon steel track spikes 1968. Carbon not greater than 0.30%, nor greater than 0.20% c
opper. Page 5-2-4. Section 6a. Bending properties: The body of a full size finished spike shall stand being bent cold through 120 degrees around a pin, the diameter of which is not greater than the thickness of the spike without cracking on the outside portion of the bent portion.

Page 5-2-5 Section 11. Marking: A letter or brand indicating manufacturer and also the letters "HC" indicating high carbon, shall be pressed on the head of each spike while it is being formed. When copper is specified, the letters "CU" shall be added."

Additionally included in a fax to Mike Blue by the gentleman at Wellington industries, a division of Sheffield Steel:
"Because of the bending tests required, the carbon content will not be greater than 0.30%. After all, brittle spikes would not be desirable as a track spike. A bent spike still holds the rail while a fractured spike would not. The consequences for the industry would be too great to consider. However, we refer to them as high carbon, they are not within the range of steels known as high carbon or hypereutectoid according to the steel industry standards, and have not been since at least 1926, when most track spikes were previously manufactured from wrought iron."

Of course, while some people will say .30% is bad, I know from personal experience that a well made spike knife will take a good edge. It's very likely that the document lays out desired guidelines, but the margin for error is high and some spikes end up with plenty carbon to be made serviceable. Which is why we always spark test them first.


From Matt B on Anvilfire 08/08/2007 12:10:21 EDT
"The current standard for rail anchors is 1040-1060 steel, depending upon manufacturer."


I am citing the Arema (The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association) 2007 document, Part 2 "manufacture of Rail"

Standard rail steel:
.74 to.86% Carbon,
.75 to 1.25% Manganese,
.10 to .60% Silicon
Minimum Brinell (of unhardened surface) 310 or 370 dependant of grade ordered.

Low Alloy Rail Steel
.72 to .82% Carbon,
.80 to 1.10% Manganese,
.25 to .40& Chromium,
.10 to .50% Silicon
Minimum Brinell (of unhardened surface) 310, 325, or 370 dependant of grade ordered.
My document shows the following breakdown for grades:
SS = standard strength (brinell 310)
HH = Head Hardened (brinell 370)
LA = Low Alloy Standard Strength (brinell 310)
IH = Low Alloy Intermediate (brinell 325)
LH = Low Alloy Head Hardened (brinell 370)


Clips and rail make much better knives than spikes!

My thanks for the people who have posted the excerpts from the specs that I have saved away just for this type of thread!

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right, I know that.. that's not really what I'm asking..

The j shaped peice has a much higher carbon content than the spikes.. my pics will include a picture of the spark test.
I just want to know what alloy it is.


Oops sorry RF, I misread that part of your post! That'll teach me...
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heh, thanks guys!! so I think this will make a servicable blade.. especially if its 1060 :)
or something with similar I guess.

cool, by the weekend I'll have it heat treated with a clay temperline..

oh, and no problem matt, I worded it really weird, I have that problem sometimes lol.

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Right, just figured out the gallery function (awesome!!) and here are the pictures of the knife.. The picture of the J shaped peice of steel escaped, but here is the blade..

the second picture shows the hamon faintly, without etch.. It showed up suprisingly well on the blade for some reason.. I've never had one show up better when using 1080, so it will be interesting to see it post polish.. seems to be a thin wandering line, (oh, and its random btw.. with ashi)

P1010338.JPGP1010337.JPG

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