[SPAM]Re: [TheForge] 1045 Steel (?)

[Dann Johnson]

Dan

Yop. I read that too, but it is the specs of the min carbon content.

They are supposed to be a minimum of 30 points carbon, but many 
sources rate them at 1040 or higher.

If you go partway down the  URL to the  RR SPIKE link  and click on 
that... several guys from this list have posted comments.

On the junk steel link below, the 3rd 4th and 5th post  rate HC 
spikes as 1040 steel or higher.

<http://www.anvilfire.com/index.php?bodyName=/FAQs/junkyard_steel.htm&titleName=Blacksmithing%20and%20metalworking%20FAQ%20from%20anvilfire.com>


I've had pretty good luck selecting a bunch of 'look-a-like' 
spikes  from the same batch and adjust the quench accordingly.
The cost of the spikes is so close to zero, that they are also about 
perfect for a youth to use,  to make their first knife, etc.
I've had a lot of fun with that with nephews and nieces at the 
forge.  Also with college buddies that come home over breaks with my 'kids'.

Some of those spike knives hold an edge pretty well.  Several 
times  I've  worked through a long day demonstrating  rope making, 
using a spike knife for  cutting  / finishing rope spliced,  without 
re -sharpening it, when my 'Buck' knife would have had to been 
re-sharpened several times.

When I quench them in cool water, the HC Spikes that are 5/8 square 
do a  decent job at holding a rope cutting edge.  The old spikes 
WITHOUT  the HC that are basically 1/2 inch are are only good for 
letter openers.  The spikes with visible  'rail- wear' on them are 
also the softer steel.

It was interesting to read the follow up posts...  that the spike are 
more ' vegetable soup  than I had known... reading  that some posts 
that cite magnesium, rather than  carbon content that making  them hard.

Dann

10:50 AM 3/4/2008, you wrote:
>Dann,
>Spec data sheet for "HC" spikes say 30 pts. carbon Max.
>Which makes them mild steel.
>
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Dann Johnson" <dann at wctatel.net>
>To: "Bob Ehrenberger" <eforge at centurytel.net>; "Sponsored by ABANA" 
><theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2008 10:52 AM
>Subject: [TheForge] 1045 Steel (?)
>
>
>>
>>
>>I believe that  railroad spikes marked "HC" are 1040 or 1045  steel.
>>A friend of mine  gave me  two  5- gallon buckets filled with  old 
>>railroad spikes, that cost him  a dollar a pail.
>>The buckets were so heavy that the handle tore loose from one  of 
>>the plastic buckets, when I tried to pick it up.
>>
>>I'd guess that you are just looking at new steel, but there is a 
>>ton of good old carbon steel out there for scrap prices.
>>http://www.anvilfire.com/21centbs/jnkstee1.jpg   Sometimes it is 
>>even cheaper than that, if you do a drive through the country and 
>>can talk a farmer into selling that rusting piece of old machinery 
>>sitting in the corner of his yard.
>>
>>7 or 8 years ago, I bought a combination straight pein / cross pein 
>>hammer from Nathan Roberts.  I love that hammer  and think it is 
>>worth the $40 plus dollars that I paid for it.   I learned that 
>>Nathan  originally  made his hammers using the  1045 steel  from 
>>old ( pull type- ground drive ) manure spreader axles.
>>
>>I've seen countless of these old manure spreaders sell to iron 
>>scrappers at auction for $10 or so dollars each. I bought an old 12 
>>foot 'digger' that also had a good steel axle for  $5 at farm 
>>auction. One manure spreader axle is enough to make  a 
>>dozen  (or  two)  hammers.
>>
>>Knowing it was good steel, I felt guilty allowing my son to cut up 
>>the axle  of another one, to be tossed into a load of  scrap last 
>>fall.  I'd bet a telephone call to an iron scrapper would find you 
>>some locally.
>>
>>There was a lot of good carbon steel on old farm machinery.
>>
>><http://www.anvilfire.com/index.php?bodyName=/FAQs/junkyard_steel.htm&titleName=Blacksmithing%20and%20metalworking%20FAQ%20from%20anvilfire.com>
>>
>>
>>Dann
>>
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