Railrod spike knife

[kywoodwrkr]

I got one from a member here
I do not know the Rockwell hardness, but I did get it sharp.
I like it, but it is more of a display piece for me.

That member also made the anvils, varied sizes, from old track.
Have a small, about 5 inch long, anvil out of old track.
Ideal for tapping on small internal firearms parts.
YMMV

[jmort]

I have one or two of his anvils as well. Very handy.

[Wayne Smith]

Once you get these railroad spike knives nice an sharp, Just reheat them to a bright cherry red, then dip them into a can full of
food grade bone meal. The heat from the blade will suck in the carbon from the burnt bone meal. You may have to do it in two
or three heats. When cool, clean off any scale and polish the blade. Then reheat to a cherry red and quench in oil. Just quench
the edge of the blade about 1/2 the way up the blade, Do Not quench the whole blade. Just keep the edge in the quenching oil
till the blade cools down. This way the edge is hard and a file should not cut it, But the back is soft and will give with any twisting
force. All your doing is caseharding the cutting edge. If the file grabs the cutting edge you will have to redo the bonemeal soak
and retemper. I got this trick from a old blacksmith in PA 40 years ago. Hope you can use the information.
webfoot10

Would finely ground charcoal work?

[webfoot10]

Wayne: The charcoal powder might work as it pure carbon. I've never used it , but give it a try, as it can't hurt anything.
I only used the foodgrade bone meal as I had a gallon can of it. The bonemeal that is used as fertilizer will work too.
webfoot10

[country gent]

The old mix for pack hardening ( case hardening) was bone charcoal and leather. this was packed in a container and heated to temp then container and all was quenched. The packs burning or smoldering kept oxygen out so very little scale formed when done right. For knifes to case harden a length of pipe with 2 caps and a small hole drilled in the caps. screw on cap on fill with the mix push blade in fill full and cap snugly. Heat to temp and soak for while then quench in oil or water depending on material. This process makes a mess when quenched as the vents let guench into the mix making a muddy slop.

[fiberoptik]

Interesting topic ; as someone mentioned above my beloved horse shoe knives are.stone cold during a MI deer season.

That’s why we use warmer handled knives in winter!


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[pacomdiver]

i have one that i made when my buddy still had a forge back in the late 90s, looks like the one nyfirefighter posted, even with the twisted handle

[Mr_Sheesh]

Casenite/Kasenit (sodium ferrocyanide) might do as well for case hardening. Only case hardens the outer what, 5-10 mils though? Tho I would think the bone meal etc. do about the same. No machinist but know some things