Usable spring steel?

[Larry (Omaha)]

What used throw away items are good for making smaller springs? Patch box latch, and lid power springs are what I am thinking about.
Would a Sawzaw blades work?
Thanks
Larry

 

[ZUG]

Try it and let the rest of us know. I prefer to use 1075 annealed spring steel stock that I buy from a steel dealer. I don't mess with unknown steel. There is too much time invested in making a spring to guess how to anneal, harden, temper mystery steel

 

[Herb]

Hacksaw blades work well. So does banding from lumber.

 

[TDM]

Hacksaw blades work well. So does banding from lumber.

Never thought about lumber banding, I like that.

 

[Cruzatte]

Hacksaw blades work well. So does banding from lumber.

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

[Red Owl]

I think any type of high carbon steel can be tempered to a spring. I make 440C stainless plain, slip joint folders and use the same for the spring.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Thanks for the replies. My thought is that a hack saw blade would open a patchbox lid, but thinking of trying a thicker sawzall blade for the patch box catch/relase spring. Got to have a hook on that puppy.
Larry

 

[waksupi]

Any old coil springs forged out make great springs.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

lawn mower recoil spring

 

[rich pierce]

These are low stress applications so many things will work. Mainsprings and frizzen springs requirements are much higher and steel, hardening, and tempering are more critical.

 

[TDM]

Thanks for the replies. My thought is that a hack saw blade would open a patchbox lid, but thinking of trying a thicker sawzall blade for the patch box catch/relase spring. Got to have a hook on that puppy.
Larry

For your purposes l think a hack saw blade would do the trick. I’ve never re-hardened spring steel before only worked with regular high carbon but the process is basically the same.

 

[LRB]

Never thought about lumber banding, I like that.

All metal banding used to be of 1095 spring steel. Much of it now is some kind of plastic

 

[11Bravo]

We used to get pipe banded with steel, never thought of using for a spring. As a side note I used to amaze the other guys when I cut the bands with my 110 Buck knife I carried every day.

 

[Red Owl]

Some of the Industrial hacksaw blades- I'm told only the teeth have high carbon steel.

 

[ZUG]

Red Owl is correct. The better saw blades are made with hard teeth and flexible backs called Bi-Metal blades. The cheaper saw blades are made with plane carbon steels.

 

[Red Owl]

And, the hacksaw blades you buy at Home Depot are paper thin and about a 1/2" wide. These industrial hacksaw blades are about .10 thin and 1" wide.