I have some folks wanting me to build a couple of fish gigs. I beleive the metal is gonna be around 3/16 or 1/4, it should be somewhat tempered or hardened. The ones I've seen are spring type steel I think. What type of steel plate should I start with? And then do I quinch it in oil or water to get it to where I need it? Thanx for any help on this. I do have torches and plasma cutter and other equipment. Later, Cooter

Find an upholstery shop and get some spring wire, bend it cold around two different sized mandrels, braze together and braze a garden hoe ferrule on to that for the rake handle to go into.

These are some pretty big gigs. Do they use springs say 1/4" thick? Thanx

When you say "gig", I thinkn of a three-tined, barbed trident sort of thing, using 1/8" diameter tines. Long handle like a rake, used to spear frogs and fish.

The only things I've seen that used 1/4" rod were gaffs, basically a giant fish hook mounted on a handle. Used to yank a fish out of the water and into the boat.

For a gig, irnsrgn has a great idea with the upholstery springs. Work cold, no further heat treating required. For a gaff, use a high-carbon stainless steel such as the 400 series, if used in salt water. For fresh water, the stainless is stil a good idea, as gaffs get left in the boat all the time. Heat treat according to manufacturer's spec for the particular alloy.

This is a 4 tine gig almost like you are talking about with the exception it is about the size of your hand less the thumb and half your palm, and the tines are about 5/16th wide by about 3/16th thick, and about 6" long tines.

cooter, check with the garage door installers in your area.The springs that are used on garage doors are made in several different diameters.They may have a pile of used springs from damaged doors or upgrades.

Here is a pic of the style of gig that I make for the fish giggers around here.
I start with an old four or five prong pitchfork, reshape the tines to about an inch between the tines, cut the tines to length, weld on the barbs and a shaft, roll a socket out of 16 guage sheet and weld. The I harden just the tips of the tines in oil and draw back to a purple. The giggers around here gig in gravel bottom streams, so the points have to be pretty hard to stand up.

BT

Here is a pic of another style that I make, one piece forged from car spring. This one hasn't been "finished" yet, still as forged.