Captkhowell Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 A local commercial garage door guy has given me two sets of springs. I have a smaller set, that rod is about 1/4 inch and the second set is pretty close to 3/8 inch........I probably have thirty feet of each if I uncoiled it. My question is, when forging this 3/8 rod out, is there enough material to pound out small knives? I guess I am asking, approximately how wide can I expect for this to come out, if I get it down to, say, 1/8 inch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 It's all about volume so do the math. 3/8 rod has a cross-sectional volume of .110 cubic inch but it's not absolute because you lose some to scale. 1/8 x 3/4 has a CSV of .094 cu.inch so you can probably get close to that width. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captkhowell Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Very cool! Thanks.....that's roughly what I figured, just by looking at it. I see corkscrews, bottle openers, small knives and stuff in these springs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmall Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Well, here's the math.....(if you want to be exact) Cylinder (Rod) Volume = length x Area of circle (pi times diameter squared all divided by four) length 1 inch diameter 0.375 inchesVolume 0.110391 cubic inches For a rectangular solid, Volume = length times width times height So, to figure out the width, the formula becomes Width = Volume divided by the Length times the Height Width = .110391/(1*.125) Width => 0.883125 inches which is a little bit more than 7/8 of an inch wide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captkhowell Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Very cool! Thanks.....that's roughly what I figured, just by looking at it. I see corkscrews, bottle openers, small knives and stuff in these springs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captkhowell Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Weird...two posts......oh well....thanks for the help guys. I have read that it is possible that springs like these could be 5160 or a similar steel, decent for blades.....any truth to this? I am sure it should be fine for cheese knives, openers, cork screws and misc. Stuff.....right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Get a nicely rounded crosspeen and lean to pull the steel out to the side. springs like that also make good repousee tools and small carving tools for wood and bone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george m. Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I've used 1/4" garage door spring as the basis of fire steels (flint strikers) for years and have been told by buckskinners that mine are better sparking than most. Sparkily, George M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob S Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I am sure it should be fine for cheese knives, .....right? parmesan or brie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captkhowell Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Havarti !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 The quarter inch makes nice scratch awls with maybe a twist in the body and a rattail for hanging. We harden the business end in oil and temper to a dark straw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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