There is more to making a knife than just the materials involved.PROPER and careful thermal treatment, a thermal treatment that is OPTIMAL for that particular material will work wonders on the end use, couple that with good edge geometry and you will have a pretty decent knife. I have made 100's and 100's of these things and when properly heat treated, they aren't all that bad, considering what they are. However, we refer to them as high carbon, they are not within the range of steels known as high carbon or hypereutectoid according to the steel industry standards, and have not been since at least 1926, when most track spikes were previously manufactured from wrought iron.'' The consequences for the industry would be too great to consider. Abent spike still holds the rail while a fractured spike would not. After all, brittle spikes would not be desirable as a track spike. 'Because of the bending tests required, the carbon content will not be greater than 0.30%. When copper is specified, the letters 'CU' shall be added.'Īdditionally included in a fax to Mike Blue by the gentleman at Wellington industries, a division of Sheffield Steel: Marking: A letter or brand indicating manufacturer and also the letters 'HC' indicating high carbon, shall be pressed on the head of each spike while it is being formed. Thickness of the spike without cracking on the outside portion of the bent port

Through 120 degrees around a pin, the diameter of which is not greater than the G properties: The body of a full size finished spike shall stand being bent cold

Reater than 0.30%, nor greater than 0.20% copper. 2-3: Specifications for high carbon steel track spikes 1968. S specified, the letters 'CU' shall be added. A letter or brand indicating the manufacturer shĪll be pressed on the head of each spike while it is being formed. T cold through 180 degrees flat on itself without cracking on the outside portio 'A low carbon track spike will not contain greater than 0.12% carbonīending properties: The body of a full size finished spike shall stand being ben Two sizes of track spike are identified, one of 5/8 inch square shaft and Two classes of track spikes are given specifications, both low carbon and high cĪrbon. Original document, 1926, revised last in 1968 'American Railway Engineering Association's Specifications for Soft-Steel Track Spikes.

Heat treating railroad spike knife