Gerald Boggs

Thank you very much for the reply :-) Maybe I'll forge them into a pair of small axes and soak them in acid to bring out the texture.

OK, I found a few more spikes. Of them, only one was clearly WI, the rest sparked close to HC modern spikes, but one of them when I cut and bend, didn't break cleanly like steel does. So I put them overnight in muriatic acid and two of the three, etched like WI. Anyone know what these might be?

Interesting, I've used left handed scissors with no trouble, but since that means I would have to carry a pair around, I found it easier to teach myself to use scissors with my right hand.

As any left-hander has learned the first time they try to use them :-(

I'm a full time blacksmith and while I have a 600lb, 400lb and used to have a 215lb, I use a 100lb anvil for most of my work. The 600 is mostly just to look cool in the shop.

This is rather an ironically humorous statement :-)

It's made in China. Does that answer your question?

What other parts of the tracks were wrought iron? I've come across quite a few bits over the years and chucked them in the recycle bin. Now I'm wondering if I should have been checking see what it was. I'm near the old Blue Ridge Tunnel and Afton was a busy little railroad stop back in it's day. Once it was over, all the RR buildings was razed and bulldozed. If you didn't look at the old photos, you'd never know there was ever a stop.

On the corner of my land was a country store, I've thought for years about digging around and see whats what. Also, across the road was a blacksmith shop, for years they dumped trash and clinker across the back lane (now main road), onto what is also my land. Maybe I'll start poking around there with a shovel.

Thanks for the answer, but no need for the photo, unless you want to share with others. I asked because while digging in a new raised bed, I dug up a spike. Did the cut and bend and it acted like WI.

I've done a bit of searching and not found anything, so here I've come, hat in hand. Do any of you Masters of Lore, know if wrought iron was ever used for railroad spikes?

Not familiar with the product, but the SDS lists Gallic acid as an ingredient. Best I can tell, Gallic acid and Tannic acid are basically the same thing. Here's a article "Tannic Acid Coating for Rusted Iron Artifacts" https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/tannic-acid-rusted-iron-artifacts.html I seem to remember, if you boil your hunting traps in a mixture of whole crushed walnuts and water, it will blacken them and offer some rust protection.

Have you tried looking for blacksmiths/bladesmiths in Northern Norway? They would likely be in a position to help you find an anvil. Too bad Telemark is in the South.

What angle are you making the edge?

Help me out, what is an "asymmetrical centre back seam" and how do I see it?