Where to find 1mm or .037 flat spring steel

[Scota@4570]

The spring from a recoil starter of a small engine. An obscure one is the spring that powers wind up record players. The thickness specified seem a bit thin.

Brownells sells suitable spring stock. You can file it thinner and add a taper. That is a much better way to make the spring. Even better is to make it out of solid stock so that the hole for the screw is solid and the leg is tapered.

I have done a different way with the Brownells material. The end where the screw goes is forged to make a place for the screw. The screw head ends up about even with the leg. See attached.

 

[BadDaditood]

I get broken springs from my local outboard (OB) motor place, as the recoil starter on smaller OBs use long (6 feet+) heavy wire flat spring steel coils.

FWIW McMaster-Carr has flat 0.032" spring wire, but their prices are PROHIBITIVE as you need to buy 25' at a minimum!

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/spring-steel/wear-resistant-1095-spring-steel-sheets-and-strips/

I ordered 3 thicknesses of annealed sheet 1095 from McMaster Carr, wasn’t terribly expensive.
I measured sear springs, frizzen springs and mainsprings and got an 8x12” sheet of each.
McMaster Carr ships extremely fast- after ordering it’s usually on the porch already. In fact, one time I received it Before I ordered it! True story!

 

[Buckskinquin]

A newby I met last year had the same spring break. He made one from a paper clamp, black metal and chrome handles. Works well, I was impressed with his repurposing.