Railroad tracks are known as some of the most popular anvil alternatives in Blacksmithing for various reasons. Depending on the size of the track, it can be used for small projects while others use it for larger projects. Some people say that the railroad anvil is not as good as a regular anvil.
In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about using a railroad track as an anvil.
So, is a railroad track a good anvil alternative?
The railroad track is an ideal anvil alternative for beginner blacksmiths since they don’t require expensive equipment. Due to the lower hardness level than typical anvils, railroad tracks are ideal for small and medium-sized projects. Railroad tracks are cheap and oftentimes you can even find them for free.
Before we dive into the main topic, here’s a cheap railroad track anvil on Amazon if you don’t want to spend time looking for a used one. I’ve ordered one purely for aesthetics, although I was surprised by how good it is for small to medium-sized projects. They even solved the noise problem railroad anvils have because of their shape.
Benefits of Using a Railroad Track Anvil
As we already said, the railroad track is the most common anvil alternative among blacksmiths, especially beginners.
Cheap Alternative
The first great benefit of the railroad track is that it is relatively cheap to acquire, sometimes even free. Contact everybody that you think they have one laying in their garage or around the house.
Multi-Purpose
Another great thing about the railroad tracks is that they can be dressed and look like a “real “anvil. You can cut and shape the horn based on your needs. You can smooth the edges, so they don’t cut into the material and many other things to support your blacksmithing work.
Tough and Durable
The railroad track is usually tough, meaning it can withstand a lot of hammering. But that feature alone is not enough; the anvil should also be hard. While the railroad track is not composed of the hardest steel, it still has a decent hardness level. Note that they drastically vary in their composition in different parts of the world.
If you find that your railroad track is not hard, you can try welding a high-carbon steel plate on top of the track and fix that problem. As you see, for both situations, there are solutions. When I picked the railroad track a few years ago, I first tested its hardness.
Unfortunately, I don’t remember its exact hardness level, but I know it wasn’t enough to use it as an anvil. So, I decided to weld a plate of 1095 steel. With enough dressing and proper mounting, that anvil is still in my workshop and serves me well.
Ideal Size
The rail is ideal for making small and medium-sized projects, representing most beginner work. You can easily forge hooks, bottle openers, fire pokers, and many others. Besides that, it is also sufficient for making various knives, so if you are more into bladesmithing, a piece of the railroad track is an ideal choice.
Pros of Railroad Track Anvils
- Cheap
- Easily Available
- Tough and Durable
- Can be Hardened
- Ideal for Beginners
Cons of Railroad Track Anvils
- Not Suitable for Large Projects
- May Need to be Hardened
- Less Durable than Blacksmithing Anvil
What Are Railroad Track Anvils Made From?
According to the American Society for Testing Materials, railroad tracks are made from steels in which carbon, Manganese, silicon, and phosphorus are primary alloys. Carbon content ranges from 0.55 to 0.82%, depending on weight and size. Rail contains a high quantity of Manganese, which increases strength and abrasion resistance. Steels like 1084 or any equivalent hot-rolled steel are commonly used.
1084 is medium-high carbon steel, which can be heat treated. It contains 0.8-0.9% of carbon, 0.9% of manganese, 0.5% of silicon, 0.3% of phosphorus, and 0.5% of sulfur. This steel has incredibly high wear resistance, making it less likely to crack.
It also allows a solid heat treatment that will increase its hardness. Namely, the face of the anvil must be hard enough to endure constant striking, so having a hard surface is essential. There is nothing worse than having a damaged anvil on the first day of usage.
In that case, you have two choices, to dress it all over again or throw it away. I usually prefer the other option. I want to note that these statements don’t necessarily apply to all countries. Some countries use better-quality steel while others lower-quality steel.
There are many possible steel grades used in making railroad tracks. Some may turn out to be excellent anvils, while others do not.
Can You Harden a Railroad Track?
I see a lot of debates on the blacksmithing forums where some say that railroad tracks cannot harden while others argue otherwise. As always, I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.
Since not all railroad tracks are the same, not all of them can be effectively hardened. Due to the medium carbon content, any attempt to quench hardening usually results in no hardness gain or too much of it.
Worst case scenario the steel can develop a large crack which may ruin all your hard work after the quenching. On the other hand, the best-case scenario is having a harder face of the anvil.
The bottom side is usually softer than the top, and therefore if you plan to use the bottom side, hardening becomes even more critical. The top side is typically quenched, but it is still not as hard as before it has been in service.
One of the best ways to harden the railroad track is by water-quenching it.
Quenching is a cooling process where hot material is taken out of the forge and immediately placed in some medium, usually in water or oil, for those unfamiliar with this term. After cooling down, the material becomes much harder and more brittle.
How to Harden Railroad Track
Before starting, make sure that the rail is adequately cleaned. Contrarily you are putting the whole further process at higher risk of cracking. After cleaning, bring it to a non-magnetic temperature and take it out from the forge. Now, slowly soak it in a water bucket at a slight angle.
Do not drop it. After the complete cool down, take it out and test it with a file. If the file bites it, the hardening process is not successful. On the other hand, if it doesn’t grind into it, the railroad track has been hardened correctly.
In terms of the ideal hardness of the anvil, it is very tough to say the exact level, but anywhere from 50-55 HRC is sufficient as a general rule of thumb. Having the hard anvil helps to reduce the damage of wearing down. It also provides a better rebound when hammering.
This guy made an excellent video on this topic; check it out.
What Size Should the Rail Track Be?
Well, it depends. Since I could leave it at that, I highly doubt that this answer satisfies you, so let’s answer this in greater detail.
The size of the rail track should fit the type of blacksmithing work you are doing. Therefore, if you work only on small-sized projects, you need a smaller piece of rail track. Contrarily, if you make larger projects, you need a larger piece of the track. Except for the type of work, hammer weight is another crucial factor. Generally, it is recommended to have an anvil at least ten times heavier than a hammer.
So, if you mostly use a 2-pound hammer, the minimum weight of the anvil should be 20 pounds. The ideal weight ratio of the anvil to hammer would be somewhere between 30-50:1. For example, if small projects like hooks and bottle openers are all you do, you don’t need an anvil more massive than 100 pounds.
On the other hand, if you are more into bladesmithing, we recommend having at least a 120-150 pound anvil. While lighter anvils would also do the job just fine, remember, a heavier anvil is almost always better.
Another common question is whether you should use the bottom or top side as the face.
Remember, your goal is to have as much weight as possible to produce greater force under the hammer. Knowing that it usually doesn’t matter much which side is used. The top side is generally used as the face due to the lower vibrations and ringing noise. The bottom side is usually completely flat, making it ideal for mounting on a base.
Let’s go back to the size factor. Another extremely important factor is portability. Do you have regular blacksmithing shows? Do you have to move your anvil often? These are also questions you have to ask yourself before choosing the right size of the rail track.
If you have to move the anvil very often, we recommend having an anvil no heavier than 100 pounds, mainly due to practical reasons. Imagine having the 200 or 300-pound anvil that you have to move in and out each week. It is simply not practical or easy. Moving that monster would require having at least two or three persons. As you can see, it would be a huge PITA.
I have seen some people welding together three pieces of rail tracks. While for some large projects that may be necessary, it is simply not for most beginner blacksmithing work. Typically, a 20-inch piece of railroad track with a plate of high-carbon steel welded on top is sufficient.
Where to Find Railroad Tracks?
The wonderful thing about rail tracks is they are most easily available. It may be a little harder for some people to find them, while for others, it is very easy, primarily depending on where you live. Before discussing where you can get them, I should first say where you shouldn’t do that.
Namely, NEVER search them on the railroad property! You can get yourself into serious legal issues. Okay, with that out of the way, let’s move on.
You could find railroad tracks in a variety of different places.
The first thing you do is tell your family and friends that you are looking for some piece of rail track and see if someone has it. You would be surprised how often people have stuff like that laying in the garage or around the house. Most of the time, it is just useless for them, but for you, it is gold.
For example, my buddy gave me two pieces of railroad tracks for free. He couldn’t wait to get rid of them finally. The best thing about that was that these tracks didn’t require a lot of dressing. They were already shaped like an anvil.
Another commonplace to search for rail tracks is a scrapyard. Not only that, there is a high chance of finding it, but the price you will pay is low. In a scrapyard, you can find many useful things for your work, from metal used as a material to old anvils.
There are various state sales, auctions, maintenance yards, and auto repair shops. Ideally, you want to find already track that is already dressed. Since that is rarely the case, know that you will have to do that either by yourself or pay someone else to do it.
In the end, the most crucial thing is to start Blacksmithing. Don’t wait until you can afford the best equipment and tools. That is absolutely not necessary. As the Nike slogan says, “Just do it.”