wolfshieldrx Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 A buddy of mine wants a marlin spike. Anybody ever make one? Mild steel, carbon steel, or ? Tips or techniques? I was thinking mild steel, drawn to a blunt point with a punched eye, but?? Any and all ideas appreciated...bart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nett Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Today, sailors have the luxury of purchasing marlin spikes made from stainless steel. If you know how to treat stainless after forging, I would suggest using stainless. That being said, steel is still a most appropriate material. Forged and normalized medium carbon steel would do the job unless your buddy works steel cable, then the tip could be hardened a bit. The eye could be designed to double as shackle pin wrench, a clever and thoughtful design I've been seeing the last few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I would use carbon steel, probably drill rod - because a lot of leverage can be applied to a piece of rope and mild steel will likely bend (unless you make a really big one). No need to heat treat the drill rod, just being normalized should be enough spring. If you do use mild steel, heat treat it in brine to give some stiffness. I would also flatten the end with the hole and drill a couple of holes in a figure 8 then file them to form a figure 0 for the eye. Make sure all the edges are soft so no burrs can tear the line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I made several out of 3/8" round stainless steel, rounded over one end and drilled a hole in it, the other end was stock removal with a flap disk to get it pointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfshieldrx Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share Posted November 25, 2008 Thankee! Sounds like a plan...bart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 I like to handle my marlinspikes. Here are some that I have made. I don't usually need an eye for the ropes that I work with here on the farm. Real sailors might need to work much larger lines. About 3/4" manila is as heavy as I use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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