Thank you so much for all that you do. I learned much of what I know of blacksmithing by watching you and a few other blacksmiths on youtube. Thank you so much for taking the time to actually SHOW how things are done and explain the process. You are a great teacher.
Really nice spike knife. You are demonstrating to this knife maker one reason why I need to be a better blacksmith. Right off the anvil, that thing looked great.
I made that spike you are using in the video been making them 35 plus years all love seeing someone make knives out of them and you did a great jod I’m going to try it myself soon the spikes are made at about 2300 degrees we make about 300 a minute on 100 plus year old machines that’s still running good
I used to make all kinds of things with my great-grandfather when I was younger. Listing to you work steadily, focused, and at ease in your workshop took me back to some very fond memories. Thank you ❤️ Please continue to make wonderful crafts and tools! 🌟
great job and explanation. ive made several of these though not practical to carry because of the weight they where completely functional and held a decent edge because knowing the steel aint good for cutting tasks i forge welded a 3/8 allen wrench to the spike to use as the cutting edge
I live 40 feet from a railroad track in Maine. Hundreds of these spikes line the rail side. Not once have I ever looked upon one as wicked as this one. New subscriber. Thank you friend
Beautiful example! I really like the way you fuller in the transition, mine are always a little sloppy in that area so I'll try that next time! And regarding tempering/heat treat, even if it doesn't do a ton of good for a railroad spike knife, it's great practice for when you move up to more durable metals (1084 is wonderful for beginners, as I'm sure you know). Also, Tandy Leather makes a pretty cheap knife sheath kit that's perfect for this size of knife, the combo then makes for a great "box opener" present. Thank you so much for the video!
Thanks, John. I've learned more from you and Roy Adams than any other blacksmithing channels. Using that small vice as a third hand is a priceless innovation.
Hello John What a beauty for me . You Made a wonderfull looking knife The ege may not stand as long as a so called normal steel knife but it is a eyecatcher and that counts Thank you for this Video Take care and have a good week Yours Frank Galetzka
Railroad spike i hope i have one . already here in Iraq it is used to making (Palm knives) because it is made from high carbon steel..nice job.. like from Iraq
My forging partner and I were asked by our friend (who started blacksmithing with us, and whose shop we still use) to make his father a RR Spike knife before be passed away last year. I'm not a huge fan of RR Spike knives, but there are reasons (sentimental for instance, or for practice, or because they can be interesting) to make them. Thanks for one of the better step-by-steps that I've found on how to make one, because I need to get some practice ones done before I make the memorial one.
I have cut the point off the spike and stick welded a piece of 1084 to the spike to forge a quality blade from. Makes a much better knife and looks the same! Many retired RR workers like these knives but mistakenly think the spike material is good iron for knives. Nice video!
AWESOME VIDEO. I don't care if it's made out of clay. The cool factor gives the right of passage. Plus. If I made it it cuts and looks good.... Mission accomplished🔨🔥
Hi John. Your videos are always full of inspiring little details. It never would have occured to me to use a hobby vice on the anvil. I'm not sure when I'll need that trick, but hopefully it will come to mind when I need it.
The little comments/tips you give all along are SO valuable to a newbie like myself. Thank you so much! (Now, I just need to find some classes in the Denver/Springs metro area)
Seeing how you love to share your knowledge with others I thought I would share some with you. I just learned that hc does not stand for high carbon, it stands for Highway Crossing. They use a different spike because of the concrete that goes beside it.
Such a huge amount of possibilities w a spike! Even though the spike itself isn't lended to the best blade, it does forge weld nicely it steels that do. Practically speaking perhaps not the most profitable process. However there is a maker satisfaction level that can out weigh the profit margin IMHO. Crawford out 🙏🔥⚒️🧙🏼♂️
Great job I learn so much from you and look forward to your next lesson. As always you are honest and factual because you said the metal in a spike is not knife quality where other sites would never tell you that.
Very nice knife, despite you disqualifying the steel grade. Enjoyed very much, as I have a small pile of spikes, but have yet to venture through this rite of passage. Enjoyed, cheers!
Glad you mentioned the fact that this isn't good knife steel. I've tried to tell people I know that they just won't be a good knife. They can look nice, but they just aren't going to be quality blades.
It's made by Steve Fontanini at Fontanini Anvil and Tool, used to be Rat Hole Forge. I just picked up a 250# one from him, love it! John has the 460# Anvil.
They are fun to make. I use mine for digging in the dirt and everything at work I wouldn't use a good knife for. John a quick tip, those Scotch-Brite belts if you have an old one cut a chunk of it and glue it backwards to your platen.it will get rid of that thumping sound. Smoother grinds 👍
Interesting idea. Does it end up with slightly convex grinds due to the soft surface? That wouldn't be an issue for many knives, but for the carving knives its a real problem.
Great video, as always. Cool to see that anvil vise making an appearance again, too. If you remove the secondary jaw, it's a lot easier to get your work in and out of the vise quickly, though you can see how the angle of the jaw helps to trap the spike's shank in place. That's a handy feature at times!
That little vise may be the best option for this anvil. The pritchel hole is so tall it won't really grab a holdfast. So thank again for sending it out/
@@BlackBearForge I'm glad you find it of value. I've got another version I developed and you might find it a good fit for your shop...... I'll see if I can get it prettied up and send it your way.
you're lucky you have nails to forge cool stuff. Here in France, we have big screws for the train tracks. It's complicated to forge something cool with that!
Another great tutorial. Thank you. I really like the look of a RR spike knife. I'm going to try to stretch out the blade, split it and forge weld a better quality piece for a good cutting edge, same as when forging a hatchet. After putting a twist on the handle I plan to slim down the grip for comfort and aesthetics. Could I get your opinion, please?
Lotta guys use all kinds of power tools and presses, i like watching you for your hand technique. Never know when the lights'll go out... thanks for the upload.
Holy crap, I'm in love with that hardy vise. What a brilliant idea! I'm gonna make my own as soon as I come across another cheapo machine vise in my travels. :)
Quenching in water hardens high carbon steel more than quenching in oil. I used to make hammers out of A36 mild steel that way and they turned out good. These were 5 pound short handled hammers.
Awesome video. I saw this come across my news feed on Facebook completely randomly. I’ve never done any black smithing before (worked with metal as a welder though) but now I really want to try it out lol
I'm not a knife person but I would like to know more. Could you explain the difference types of quality of steel for knives and what's best for EDC or hunting? Maybe even make a high quality knife to compare? Edit: sorry, just finished the video and you touched on some steels people generally make better knives of
Usually you want a steel with a higher carbon content as this makes the steel harder and therefore maintains the edge longer. If you would like to know more about some of these steels, download the heat treaters guide app. God bless and good luck.
When it comes to knives and blades ; the best channel is "That Works" -- they do forging blades videos but also instructional and explanation videos ---
I think railroad spikes lend themselves nicely to make coat hooks or something. Turn the head upside down and it becomes rather useful for hanging things on
@@BlackBearForge oh yes this is true, I forgot about the billhook and other such implements. 1% is a good average. Always love your videos. Your filmography is incredible. such Leaps and Bounds over the past few years I've been watching. I enjoy the way you put them together just as much as I enjoy the projects
This is a good looking spike knife ! I have seen in the comments about case hardening. The problem with case hardening is the hardened edge is ground off quickly. THERE IS A REMEDY FOR THIS. There are a handful of professional knife makers that like to promote the advantages of a 'Chisel Edge". That is only one side of the knife blade has the bevel .The back side is left flat. Thus - the blade is only honed from the bevel side.If the blade is only case hardened as suggested, the thin case hardening along the back side will always be a hard cutting edge.
Just discovered your channel, love what ive seen so far. Ive always been intrested in blacksmithing but never known how to get in to it, would live to do it for a career, but i think im a bit old to get an apprenticeship in it now unfortunately
I work at Forge a Memory under Chad Osborne on Mackinac Island, and we harden a railroad spike to 57 rockwell. Proven with hardness files, and we can clamp them in a vise after quenching and snap the tips clean off. They hold up surprisingly well with a good water based rapid quench. Breaking that steam barrier is key. We make probably 500 of these a season.
i have a knife i made from a spike i carry on my belt. it has an elk antler handle. my spike knife is tougher than any gerber i have seen. i have batoned it through a post oak log to shape bow staves and it survived undamaged. not even a roll on the edge. if you bring the high carbon spike knife up to 2500*F then quinch in room temperature vegetable oil until the blade drops down to under 800*F then let it cool to ambient temperature naturally then temper it at 400*F for an hour it will be plenty strong enough for reliable camp, hunting, daily carry knife. sure it is not a w2 knife, but 1095 is a good daily carry knife and that is what the railroads use is 1095.
I bought a house from a retired Railroad engineer and I bet I have 1,000 RR spikes and 100 feet of Railroad track, mostly heavy main line like 147lbs per 3ft.
A laminated piece of O1 or 1095 would make you the King of the Railway Spike Knife. With the right dies for splitting at the power hammer you may find them worthwhile. Just go real simple on the handle. Maybe 50 a year in batches of 10 at 300 a piece. With your touch marks, I'd pick one up!
Hi John. Just enjoying another one of your videos and I noticed something that you or no one has spoke of that I recall lately. I noticed that your "New" 300 year old Fontanini Anvils patina and wow does it look awesome. It caught my eye while watching you there and really enjoying how good that thing looks after only a short while of having it. I wish that I aged that well but that's a different argument ,,,lol. Tell the wife Hello and keep hammering. The RR Knife looks good also by the way and like the new belt sander as well. Cheers-Chuck~
Thank you so much for all that you do. I learned much of what I know of blacksmithing by watching you and a few other blacksmiths on youtube. Thank you so much for taking the time to actually SHOW how things are done and explain the process. You are a great teacher.
Wow, thank you!
Really nice spike knife. You are demonstrating to this knife maker one reason why I need to be a better blacksmith. Right off the anvil, that thing looked great.
I made that spike you are using in the video been making them 35 plus years all love seeing someone make knives out of them and you did a great jod I’m going to try it myself soon the spikes are made at about 2300 degrees we make about 300 a minute on 100 plus year old machines that’s still running good
I used to make all kinds of things with my great-grandfather when I was younger. Listing to you work steadily, focused, and at ease in your workshop took me back to some very fond memories. Thank you ❤️ Please continue to make wonderful crafts and tools! 🌟
That was a nice way to spend having my Sunday morning coffee. Love that new belt sander BTW. Cheers!
great job and explanation. ive made several of these though not practical to carry because of the weight they where completely functional and held a decent edge because knowing the steel aint good for cutting tasks i forge welded a 3/8 allen wrench to the spike to use as the cutting edge
I live 40 feet from a railroad track in Maine. Hundreds of these spikes line the rail side. Not once have I ever looked upon one as wicked as this one. New subscriber. Thank you friend
Beautiful example! I really like the way you fuller in the transition, mine are always a little sloppy in that area so I'll try that next time!
And regarding tempering/heat treat, even if it doesn't do a ton of good for a railroad spike knife, it's great practice for when you move up to more durable metals (1084 is wonderful for beginners, as I'm sure you know). Also, Tandy Leather makes a pretty cheap knife sheath kit that's perfect for this size of knife, the combo then makes for a great "box opener" present.
Thank you so much for the video!
Great job John.pretty cool project. Thanks for sharing with us. Stay safe and keep having fun around there. Fred.🙏🏻🙏🏻👍👍👏🏻👏🏻👋👋
Nice. You did that fast, the blade shape happened so quick it looked easy. See you next Sunday.
Thanks, John. I've learned more from you and Roy Adams than any other blacksmithing channels. Using that small vice as a third hand is a priceless innovation.
As far as railroad spike knives are concerned, yours is really nice!
I learn so much watching you work. This is a fun hobby
Thanks for watching!
Hello John
What a beauty for me . You Made a wonderfull looking knife
The ege may not stand as long as a so called normal steel knife but it is a eyecatcher and that counts
Thank you for this Video
Take care and have a good week
Yours Frank Galetzka
i love the knife ball
New, to me at least, addition as in the hardy hole vice. Handy for that spike 👍
My grandpa showed me how to make a knife and fork out of a railroad spike I was 13yrs old at the time, never forgot how to do it.
Beautiful spike knife.twist look cool. Love clean bevels 👍👍🔥🔥🔥
Thanks 👍
Well done John 've seen you make a few spike knives now but for someone who doesn't do it often this one came out top notch. Thanks for sharing.
Railroad spike i hope i have one . already here in Iraq it is used to making (Palm knives) because it is made from high carbon steel..nice job.. like from Iraq
My forging partner and I were asked by our friend (who started blacksmithing with us, and whose shop we still use) to make his father a RR Spike knife before be passed away last year. I'm not a huge fan of RR Spike knives, but there are reasons (sentimental for instance, or for practice, or because they can be interesting) to make them. Thanks for one of the better step-by-steps that I've found on how to make one, because I need to get some practice ones done before I make the memorial one.
I'm glad it helps
I have cut the point off the spike and stick welded a piece of 1084 to the spike to forge a quality blade from. Makes a much better knife and looks the same! Many retired RR workers like these knives but mistakenly think the spike material is good iron for knives. Nice video!
AWESOME VIDEO. I don't care if it's made out of clay. The cool factor gives the right of passage. Plus. If I made it it cuts and looks good.... Mission accomplished🔨🔥
Been watching you for 2 years and as always you do a great job of explaining the practical side of it.
Hi John. Your videos are always full of inspiring little details. It never would have occured to me to use a hobby vice on the anvil. I'm not sure when I'll need that trick, but hopefully it will come to mind when I need it.
Another viewer sent that to me a few years ago. Pretty slick idea
The little comments/tips you give all along are SO valuable to a newbie like myself.
Thank you so much! (Now, I just need to find some classes in the Denver/Springs metro area)
Glad it was helpful!
love that wilton grinder there is just so much you can do with a rr spike
I love the little hardy clamp
One of the viewers sent that to me a few years ago.
I have 2 five gallon buckets full of rail road spikes I’d love to donate to a Blacksmith but I don’t know of any around my area
Where are you, I'm getting into blacksmithing
That's so cool!! I see so many spikes just laying around, just going to waste! That knife looks awesome! 🔪
Seeing how you love to share your knowledge with others I thought I would share some with you. I just learned that hc does not stand for high carbon, it stands for Highway Crossing. They use a different spike because of the concrete that goes beside it.
Nice job, John! Everything you do, you do well! As always, it is a great experience watching you work and teach!
Thanks for this, found you on facebook and have enjoyed your videos since.
Welcome!
I've always used offcuts from old farriers rasps to create the blade. Works well and costs very little for materials.
Such a huge amount of possibilities w a spike!
Even though the spike itself isn't lended to the best blade, it does forge weld nicely it steels that do.
Practically speaking perhaps not the most profitable process. However there is a maker satisfaction level that can out weigh the profit margin IMHO.
Crawford out 🙏🔥⚒️🧙🏼♂️
Still a nice knife for around the shop, looks fun to make. Thank you for sharing John.
Great job I learn so much from you and look forward to your next lesson. As always you are honest and factual because you said the metal in a spike is not knife quality where other sites would never tell you that.
Good looking knife nice project to complement an all-around collection of blacksmith possibilities
Very nice knife, despite you disqualifying the steel grade. Enjoyed very much, as I have a small pile of spikes, but have yet to venture through this rite of passage. Enjoyed, cheers!
They're great for a clamshell around O1
If you like O-1...i prefer fast quench steels so add in some W2
Glad you mentioned the fact that this isn't good knife steel. I've tried to tell people I know that they just won't be a good knife. They can look nice, but they just aren't going to be quality blades.
that's an absolutely gorgeous anvil you've got there bud
It's made by Steve Fontanini at Fontanini Anvil and Tool, used to be Rat Hole Forge. I just picked up a 250# one from him, love it! John has the 460# Anvil.
That's such a cool and useful Hardie tool!!!! I need dis!!
Very cool I have held on to a few spikes from 40 years ago to make something like that . Thanks
They are fun to make. I use mine for digging in the dirt and everything at work I wouldn't use a good knife for. John a quick tip, those Scotch-Brite belts if you have an old one cut a chunk of it and glue it backwards to your platen.it will get rid of that thumping sound. Smoother grinds 👍
Interesting idea. Does it end up with slightly convex grinds due to the soft surface? That wouldn't be an issue for many knives, but for the carving knives its a real problem.
@@BlackBearForge not as much as you would think. Try it yourself see what you think I would love to hear your opinion on it
Great video, as always. Cool to see that anvil vise making an appearance again, too. If you remove the secondary jaw, it's a lot easier to get your work in and out of the vise quickly, though you can see how the angle of the jaw helps to trap the spike's shank in place. That's a handy feature at times!
That little vise may be the best option for this anvil. The pritchel hole is so tall it won't really grab a holdfast. So thank again for sending it out/
@@BlackBearForge I'm glad you find it of value. I've got another version I developed and you might find it a good fit for your shop...... I'll see if I can get it prettied up and send it your way.
you're lucky you have nails to forge cool stuff.
Here in France, we have big screws for the train tracks.
It's complicated to forge something cool with that!
I like it , I made one almost the same twisted the handle then flattened the sides added antler slabs on handle .
I wish this guy was my grandpa
THANK you for sharing
Wow man, you make it look easy
Another great tutorial. Thank you. I really like the look of a RR spike knife. I'm going to try to stretch out the blade, split it and forge weld a better quality piece for a good cutting edge, same as when forging a hatchet. After putting a twist on the handle I plan to slim down the grip for comfort and aesthetics. Could I get your opinion, please?
Lotta guys use all kinds of power tools and presses, i like watching you for your hand technique. Never know when the lights'll go out... thanks for the upload.
Thats certainly the way I work most of the time. I tend to do things by hand for the videos because I know not everyone has those other tools.
Holy crap, I'm in love with that hardy vise. What a brilliant idea! I'm gonna make my own as soon as I come across another cheapo machine vise in my travels. :)
Very nice shape & thickness of the blade!!
Thanks 👍
You do great work, It's a pleasure to be able to check it out. 😁
Thanks for the visit
Beautiful knife! Well done! 👌🏼
THAT ANVIL YOU HAVE IS VERY INTERESTING AND I BET VERY EXPENSIVE ‼️🇺🇸😎☕️
fontaninianvilandtool.com/
Mate, it's a whole bunch prettier that the one I made at a course.
I had one in the 90's that had a length of harder material welded on for the edge. No idea of the metals content. Held a edge well.
Quenching in water hardens high carbon steel more than quenching in oil. I used to make hammers out of A36 mild steel that way and they turned out good. These were 5 pound short handled hammers.
I made a non twist one not long ago fun to make hand sharpening and a little grinding
The world is ending when John makes a knife!!
Awesome video. I saw this come across my news feed on Facebook completely randomly. I’ve never done any black smithing before (worked with metal as a welder though) but now I really want to try it out lol
Love to watch you work
I'm not a knife person but I would like to know more. Could you explain the difference types of quality of steel for knives and what's best for EDC or hunting? Maybe even make a high quality knife to compare?
Edit: sorry, just finished the video and you touched on some steels people generally make better knives of
Usually you want a steel with a higher carbon content as this makes the steel harder and therefore maintains the edge longer. If you would like to know more about some of these steels, download the heat treaters guide app. God bless and good luck.
There are many videos on different steel.John at Black Bear Forge is not a big knife maker. Just not his cup of tea. I was surprised he made þis one.
When it comes to knives and blades ; the best channel is "That Works" -- they do forging blades videos but also instructional and explanation videos ---
Thanks!
and thank you for the support
Thanks John I've been waiting for you to make a knife , And as you say it's not the best steel to use but it is good practice . :)
Nice work. Great video. Thank you for sharing
I think railroad spikes lend themselves nicely to make coat hooks or something. Turn the head upside down and it becomes rather useful for hanging things on
Beautiful
Never thought I'd see the day. Great work as always
This actually the 8th knife based video, so that makes just under 1%
@@BlackBearForge oh yes this is true, I forgot about the billhook and other such implements. 1% is a good average. Always love your videos. Your filmography is incredible. such Leaps and Bounds over the past few years I've been watching. I enjoy the way you put them together just as much as I enjoy the projects
This is a good looking spike knife ! I have seen in the comments about case hardening. The problem with case hardening is the hardened edge is ground off quickly. THERE IS A REMEDY FOR THIS. There are a handful of professional knife makers that like to promote the advantages of a 'Chisel Edge". That is only one side of the knife blade has the bevel .The back side is left flat. Thus - the blade is only honed from the bevel side.If the blade is only case hardened as suggested, the thin case hardening along the back side will always be a hard cutting edge.
Pretty cool. The handle reminds me of the Raptor by Gil Hibben.
Thanks for the video John!
Not bad for a blacksmith,…I’m impressed
Super Knife
Love your videos, very relaxing and informative
Make Your Work. Tnx for showin on Video
Just discovered your channel, love what ive seen so far. Ive always been intrested in blacksmithing but never known how to get in to it, would live to do it for a career, but i think im a bit old to get an apprenticeship in it now unfortunately
I work at Forge a Memory under Chad Osborne on Mackinac Island, and we harden a railroad spike to 57 rockwell. Proven with hardness files, and we can clamp them in a vise after quenching and snap the tips clean off. They hold up surprisingly well with a good water based rapid quench. Breaking that steam barrier is key. We make probably 500 of these a season.
Interesting and good to know
Pretty slick idea with that little vise setup!
Someone sent that to me a few years ago, very handy
Always appreciate your hammer work.
Nice John!
I bet railroad spikes would be good for making sheet metal forming hammers. Like ones for making copper bowls, cups, horns etc
SOLD - This knife is available in my Etsy shop - SOLD
www.etsy.com/listing/1050609110/railroad-spike-knife-hand-forged?ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1
It's sold out because it's wicked beautiful. Awesome workmanship my friend.
i have a knife i made from a spike i carry on my belt. it has an elk antler handle. my spike knife is tougher than any gerber i have seen. i have batoned it through a post oak log to shape bow staves and it survived undamaged. not even a roll on the edge. if you bring the high carbon spike knife up to 2500*F then quinch in room temperature vegetable oil until the blade drops down to under 800*F then let it cool to ambient temperature naturally then temper it at 400*F for an hour it will be plenty strong enough for reliable camp, hunting, daily carry knife. sure it is not a w2 knife, but 1095 is a good daily carry knife and that is what the railroads use is 1095.
Great explanation!!! Thank you!
cool
Great video
Am going to make the tomahawk out of one as soon as my anvil is set up
Very clever!
I bought a house from a retired Railroad engineer and I bet I have 1,000 RR spikes and 100 feet of Railroad track, mostly heavy main line like 147lbs per 3ft.
Wanna ship me some lol
@gamingkiwi17 I could, I'll never use them all. I live in eastern Kansas.
A laminated piece of O1 or 1095 would make you the King of the Railway Spike Knife. With the right dies for splitting at the power hammer you may find them worthwhile. Just go real simple on the handle. Maybe 50 a year in batches of 10 at 300 a piece. With your touch marks, I'd pick one up!
Beautiful knife. Need to see how you forged the peening hammer you use all the time. Thanks
Hi John. Just enjoying another one of your videos and I noticed something that you or no one has spoke of that I recall lately. I noticed that your "New" 300 year old Fontanini Anvils patina and wow does it look awesome. It caught my eye while watching you there and really enjoying how good that thing looks after only a short while of having it. I wish that I aged that well but that's a different argument ,,,lol. Tell the wife Hello and keep hammering. The RR Knife looks good also by the way and like the new belt sander as well. Cheers-Chuck~
That patina is they way they come from Steve
AMAZING GOOD JOB
Very nice job John 👏👍🏻
Beautiful!!! 😍😍
I loved this!!
Can you make blacksmithing tools out of railroad spikes? I would love to see a video on making tongs out of railroad spikes or something similar