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Old 01-31-2011, 06:38 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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Ed makes a good point, the HC on a railroad spike only means that it is high carbon FOR A RR SPIKE not high carbon as in high carbon steel. I think I remember reading in one of my metallurgy books that once you pass about 30-35 points of carbon in a steel alloy you have achieved all the additional strength that carbon will provide. After that you're dealing with hardness and wear resistance.

Doug Lester


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