Blacksmithing Class: Forging Railroad Spike Knives

Learn how to forge a knife out of a

railroad spike

This is the perfect class to learn one of the basics of knives-making: balancing durability and hardness of the metal to make the perfect blade!

Students will utilize a high carbon railroad spike and learn methods that induce carbon into the metal while also learning how to temper in a process called normalization. The metal will then posses both features of a durable and hard metal that is ideal for knives.

As far as knives are concerned, the harder the steel, the better the edge, however, the harder edge makes for a brittle knife. A balance is needed between the soft flexible metal and the hard brittle metal to achieve a knife that will hold an edge without breaking. In this class more techniques for blade smithing will be covered, including various heat treatments, tapering, and tempering methods used to maximize strength with durability.

About the Instructor

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Class is taught by


Kenneth of Fire & Brimstone Forge

Prerequisites

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Recommended to take “Learn to Forge nails” first

Age

: there are no age restrictions to the class. Please read carefully the disclaimers and guidelines

What to wear

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At RMM, you must dress safely and appropriately. Arrive for class in all-natural fiber clothing (100% cotton), long pants, and closed-toe, closed-heel shoes with socks that protect up to the ankle. Long hair must be tied back. Nylon, polyester, spandex, or other synthetics are not allowed around machines, equipment, or processes that can produce hot fragments, sparks, or flames. Additional protective gear will be provided as needed. The CDC has



a guide



to acceptable cloth masks that help prevent the spread of infection.