Thinning down a frizzen spring

David LaPell said:

When I bought a new frizzen for my Pedersoli .32 Kentucky rifle, I also got a new frizzen spring. The problem is, the spring is way too thick and is too heavy on tension. What's the best way to thin these down and reduce the tension on one. The photo shows the spring the gun came with and the new spring to the left.
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M. De Land said:

I have approached this by reducing the width in the spring legs rather than the contour reducing the leg thickness.

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ZUG said:

It's your spring and you should do as you like with it. If you want a back-up spring then do modify that replacement spring to fit.
You will need to reshape it - close the bend down some this will require heating the spring to red heat. When you get the proper shape then you will need to re-harden and temper it. Thin the leaves using a grinder or Dremel but keep a container of water handy to cool the spring. A fine file can be used and then then some abrasive paper/cloth should be used to remove the file marks. A lot or work but it can be done - good luck.

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FlinterNick said:

“When you get the proper shape then you will need to re-harden and temper it.“

If the spring is already hardened and tempered, you can file and reshape the spring without rehardening and tempering it. You dont’ want to reharden and temper a factory spring if you don’t need to.

If the OP need help Lee Shavers is pedersoli’s gunsmith in the USA.

https://stores.leeshavergunsmithing.com/

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FlinterNick said:

I would not reduce the width, you should be reducing the top leaf of the spring, this can be done by sanding or filing with a #4 or #6 file. Always polish out the file marks.

Closing the arms slightly to fit at 1300-1400 and retreating and tempering is an option, but you’d better know what you’re doing or it will break. Pedersoli springs are made of a harmonic spring steel, EN48 (not sure if they use EN48A) and need to be quenched using a fast quench oil and tempered at 750 degrees, times vary per spring. I woudln’t attempt this with a torch.

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FlinterNick said:

If you can make your own springs, what are you doing buying a replacement?

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M. De Land said:

I didn't, I altered the factory spring that came on the Walker and then when finished with that made a new main spring for friends rolling block rifle.

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