Tried using a railroad spike for a full-size chef knife and the carbon content was way lower than I expected.

The blade wouldn't hold an edge after three hard cuts through a carrot, so I learned the hard way that most spikes are just mild steel, not worth the time if you want a real working knife have any of you actually gotten a spike to harden properly?

3 comments

3 Comments

quinn3412d ago

Ha, yeah mystery metal is the perfect way to put it. The thing is those spikes were never meant to be knife steel they are just cheap fasteners for keeping tracks down. You're better off finding an old farm truck leaf spring or a farrier's rasp if you actually want something that hardens.

coleman.hannah3d ago

carbon content was way lower than I expected" - yeah, that's just railroad spikes for you. They're basically mystery metal, not worth the gamble.

parker_hall52d ago

Used to think railroad spikes were worth the trouble but @quinn341 and you both convinced me otherwise.