materman Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 Had a question if I may. I am always saving good pieces of iron I find while metel detecting or out and about, and a while back I came across a link to a train car in a old dump. I figured it was a good piece to haul home to maybe make something out of, but have no clue to what metal I would be working with. All I know is that they must be pretty tuff to link train cars together. Any thoughts or answers appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 There is a decent chance that it is wrought iron which would make it quite a find. I suggest that you do a spark test with a grinder. To me, it looks like the link couplers they used before knuckle couplers came in the latter part of the 19th century. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 I also love metal detecting and saving interesting finds for possible use. I agree with george in trying the spark test. Or you could cut through a better portion of it and do a break test to see if it has the fiberous wroughtiron structure or the granular steel structure. A third method might be electrolysis to see if the fiberous structure shows or not. A 4th might be to etch it in ferric chloride. Either way, cool find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Griffin Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 How many people here like to metal detect? I too like it and have buckets of metal I have saved. I don't get to do it much anymore due to my health but have a trip planned in the future. There is an old loging spur on our hunting lease and I'd like to get some more rail spikes. The track was there in the 30's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
materman Posted June 4, 2021 Author Share Posted June 4, 2021 George N. M. when I first found it, wrought iron was on my mind. But after realizing it was a link for a train car, I had to start wondering. I cleaned off the rust on a small portion when I got.it home but didn't see what I would call layering like on wrought iron. I might do a spark test to see what it has to say. And Daswulf, my boss owns thousands of acres which is littered with dozens of old homesteads and even ghost towns. So I have a large collection of old files, broken buggy springs hatchets and axes that I have been saving to make some stuff out of. Figured a knife from this stuff along with some copper or brass bits would be cool. 11 minutes ago, Randy Griffin said: How many people here like to metal detect? It's a great hobby in my book and a way for me to get a little more exercise. Plus I love history and live and work in Bushwhacker and Jayhawk territory. Some of my best bits of iron came from the blacksmith shop of a 1890s ghost town. Even some hammer heads I want to restore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 Sounds like a fun time detecting. What other cool things have you found around there? The files may be better suited to knife material. Really it depends on what that spark tests. Even then you'd be wise to take a sample to test harden to see if you get the desired results. It's pretty frustrating to forge and grind a knife only to find that it won't harden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 Willie White demo'd a buggy spring knife at Quad-State back when it was still be held at Emmert's place. He liked buggy seat springs so much he had personally depleted the local supply! A train link would have been tough over hard and so may not be the best alloy for blades---test and see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
materman Posted June 6, 2021 Author Share Posted June 6, 2021 Well George N.M. I think you are the winner. Went out to the shop and put the grinder to the link and though I am no expert and have no known wrought iron to test, I believe that is what it is. Just a medium amount of small sparks with no linear structure or not much. Would never have thought they would have used this type metal to couple trains together, but I guess. Probably just keep it as a relic now for it is a cool piece of history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 At the time that was the usual material for machines, trains, etc.. Knuckle couplers came in about the same time "Bessemer" steel came into common (read: cheap) use. So, not so surprising that a coupler link was made of wrought iron. That was actually the main basis for my speculation. Cool find and relic. It might even have some value to a RR collector. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 7, 2021 Share Posted June 7, 2021 Remember they used to make Battleship anchor chains from real Wrought Iron also the main drive shafts! I think it is in "Wrought Iron: Its Manufacture, Characteristics and Applications" Aston & Story where they show the forge welded build up for a main power shaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.