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I am a beginning blacksmith and would like to forge with railroad spikes as I have in the past (with legally obtained one's). I live near a railroad and I often see homeless people collecting things, I was wondering if it was legal to collect a few (like less than 10 once every few months) to keep, not to sell. Would it matter if I stayed farther away from the track, or sticked closer to the road? Any advice whatsoever would be appreciated :)
ask at the railroad yard
Look up railroad law and you'll be surprised, I think. No, it's not ok. It's not ok even to be on railroad right-of-way except at a marked RR crossing.
The property of the railroad remains theirs even if it is off their right of way.Quote:
Originally Posted by jephe44
I bought a property close to the rail. Still waiting for the railroad police to come out and pick up about 900 lbs of their material that was scattered in my yard.
Some of it was half buried and ruined my lawn mower blade.
The local office for the rail said they could not even come remove it because it would be illegal. Even though they work for the railroad!
You want cheap good iron. Go to a pull off type auto parts place. Get you a leaf spring or anything from the suspension. Experience does not matter as far as smithing, but the better the steel the better your forge has to be.
Railroad spikes are crap as far as smithing.
OLD VINTAGE steel files and rasps were FORGED in the USA and are great for forging . I wouldnt use anything newer style because it was probbally CAST in china. But I also agree with VERYOLDGUY that leafsprings are excellenta as well.
Thank you for the advice, I just knew that railroad spikes where good cheap practice, I made a knife as one of my first projects, its more decoration than anything, but it still cuts. I know that usually car springs are pretty good for that, although the are more expensive.Quote:
Originally Posted by VERYOLDGUY
I had been told that it would be considered stealing, but i wanted to know if there was a line that the scrap could cross to become free game, thanks though.