[TheForge] Rail Anchors was Hay rake tines

[David E. Smucker]

Ron,  Note in another reply Dan Tull thinks they spark like 1085.  (By the 
way they are called Rail Anchors -- developed for use on weld rail.  My Dad 
did a lot of work on these 40 years ago.  He not around any more so I can't 
ask him.)

A quick Google search on these only turned up some performance spec's not 
material spec's but they called for a heat treat of spring material to a 
Brinell of 363 - 401.  This would make sense with Dan's call of them being 
1085.  Railroads don't like to spend a lot of money for these since they use 
lots and lots of them, so a simple steel like 1085 makes sense.

I haven't made woodturning tools myself, but I have had some wood turners 
make tools in some of my classes at John C. Campbell.  We used either W 1 or 
O 1 or leaf spring - 5160.  Not as good as high speed steel turning tools, 
but the price is right.

Dave

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Ron Childers" <munlaw2 at hcsmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2009 2:37 PM
To: "'Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA'" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [TheForge] -Hay rake tines

> Dave, do you make tools for wood turning? I found some cotter-pin looking
> things on the railroad and they are harder than woodpecker lips. They are
> about 1/2" x 3/8" and when straightened they are about a foot long.
>
> Does anyone know what kind of steel these could be?
>
> I made a couple of gouges for my wood lathe and some chisels and they hold
> an edge pretty well, but I haven't tried making a knife out of them.
>
> Ron
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David E. Smucker
> Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2009 1:59 PM
> To: TheForge
> Subject: [TheForge] -Hay rake tines
>
> Ron,  I think we are really coming from the same point of view -- for thin
> sections of W 1 oil works great and you are less likely to lose the item 
> to
> cracking.
>
> On unknow steels I often first quench in oil -- then if the tool doesn't
> come up to the hardness I am looking for I reheat treat going to water or
> brine.
>
> I almost always temper -- mostly in a small oven, that is in my shop. 
> While
>
> I make wood working tools, I not a bladesmith so don't look for quite the
> performance you bladesmiths do.
>
> Dave
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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