Spring making

[Phil Coffins]

A recent antique pistol of civil war age came with a broken main spring. Using the 1095 spring stock sold by Brownell’s it was easy to make a new one. Gluing it to piece of metal allowed me to draw file the thickness down to match the broken one. The material is easy to saw and file to shape and after making the sharp bend in a vice the curve is bent by hand. Heat treat can be done with a couple of propane torch’s then quenched in warm oil. Polished it is heated slowly to an even blue before oiling. Apparently the broken one was made from a file but the teeth had not been removed. It broke exactly in the teeth!
IMG_0682 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0681 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0684 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[maillemaker]

It's a true mastery of a craft when the craftsman makes things from scratch.

 

[rich pierce]

Nice. 1095 is a little high octane for me but it came out great.

 

[stubshaft]

Looking good!

 

[Nobade]

There is a very good article in this month's Muzzle Blasts on this exact subject. Looks like you have a good handle on it!

 

[ZUG]

I agree with Rich on the use of 1095. It is a good high quality spring material but it can be a bit tricky to heat treat. I prefer to use either 1075 or 1084. They are a bit easier to heat treat and cost less for the material.

 

[LRB]

A recent antique pistol of civil war age came with a broken main spring. Using the 1095 spring stock sold by Brownell’s it was easy to make a new one. Gluing it to piece of metal allowed me to draw file the thickness down to match the broken one. The material is easy to saw and file to shape and after making the sharp bend in a vice the curve is bent by hand. Heat treat can be done with a couple of propane torch’s then quenched in warm oil. Polished it is heated slowly to an even blue before oiling. Apparently the broken one was made from a file but the teeth had not been removed. It broke exactly in the teeth!
IMG_0682 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0681 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0684 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

If you are going to temper for a spring by color, you need to slowly bring the heat color to neutral gray then quench or just let it cool. Blue color is about 150° below the necessary temper range. Spring temper needs to be in the range of 42to 46 Rc. hardness. Especially with 1095. 1075/80 is a much better and easier steel to work with. If you have access to a lead thermometer and a lead melting pot, bring the hardened spring to 750°F in the lead, soak for a long moment or so, then remove and let cool.

 

[Phil Coffins]

If you are going to temper for a spring by color, you need to slowly bring the heat color to neutral gray then quench or just let it cool. Blue color is about 150° below the necessary temper range. Spring temper needs to be in the range of 42to 46 Rc. hardness. Especially with 1095. 1075/80 is a much better and easier steel to work with. If you have access to a lead thermometer and a lead melting pot, bring the hardened spring to 750°F in the lead, soak for a long moment or so, then remove and let cool.

Thank you for your observation. Having used this material for dozens of springs of many sizes and forms I believe I’ll continue to us it expecting the same success.

 

[LRB]

Thank you for your observation. Having used this material for dozens of springs of many sizes and forms I believe I’ll continue to us it expecting the same success.

Just giving the facts. You may do as you wish but those following this posting should do their own research on spring making. It is not voodoo or secret recipes, it is simply the use of positive results well proven and well established by metallurgical science. Most any high carbon steel will make a good spring when well hardened and tempered to a hardness range in the mid or low 40's Rockwell which is in the gray neutral color zone. Actually, some, not necessarily all, high carbon steels are at some risk for breakage in the blue temper color range. Look up "blue brittle" temper range for steels. Knife makers as well as those making springs should be aware of this.

 

[FlinterNick]

A recent antique pistol of civil war age came with a broken main spring. Using the 1095 spring stock sold by Brownell’s it was easy to make a new one. Gluing it to piece of metal allowed me to draw file the thickness down to match the broken one. The material is easy to saw and file to shape and after making the sharp bend in a vice the curve is bent by hand. Heat treat can be done with a couple of propane torch’s then quenched in warm oil. Polished it is heated slowly to an even blue before oiling. Apparently the broken one was made from a file but the teeth had not been removed. It broke exactly in the teeth!
IMG_0682 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0681 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0684 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

I try to avoid 1095 for springs, the temper has to be right around 800 or it will break just sitting in the lock.

I’ve been using 6150 knife billets, never broken a custom spring. Going to give 80CRV2 a shot

 

[Phil Coffins]

Which is right, 750 or 800 degrees?