eseemann Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Good Morning All, The local discount store has a set of 2 large springs, look like truck springs or lift kit springs, for about $30.00. The steel is at least 1/2' maybe more thick, the coil is about 5" to 6" wide and about 2' long. I have read about why not to use old junk yard springs due to a life time of bouncing around but I wondered about new springs. Can one cut a bit off and re-forge the steel? I will update with a picture this afternoon, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eseemann Posted May 3, 2013 Author Share Posted May 3, 2013 The springs are Moog 5716 or 5778 about 1" thick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 The steel designation means nothing to me but I'm not a blade guy. New steel is always better than salvaged steel from the workability and hidden faults perspective. Unless there's something about those particular steel types forging it into.else is why we do this stuff. So sure, I'd give it a lash. The ONLY way to know is try it, it's a different thing if it's a known steel. Of course there's probably soeone here who knows it lik the inside of their mouth and will post right after I hit "post". Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eseemann Posted May 3, 2013 Author Share Posted May 3, 2013 That is what I like about you Frosty, you always give advice in such a way that I feel encouraged and if your advice is not to do it you do not sound like you are on high. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 You're welcome. Smithing has brought me some deep pleasure and a couple times, made my detractors shut their stupid mouths for good. It feels good to me to be able to take scrap, junk, refuse and turn it into useable tools or whatever I wish. Passing good feelings along is a good feeling in itself. A man can't have too many friends, you just never know when you'll need all the backup you can get. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psi_mauler Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Yea frosty. Thanks for helping the new peoples, and the oldies that get stumped. I love blacksmthing and blade smithing. As for the old springs, I can attest to disaster using those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Usually something like 5160 from everything I have heard. I remember reading some old post somewhere about someone who was getting new springs and they worked pretty good. Ofcourse I have heard of people using old springs with good luck as well. The new ones shouldnt have any cracks in them. For 30 bucks I would do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearhartironwerks Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Hi The new ones I have are labeled with the manufacturer's name and a part number, so I called and they are indeed 5160. Sounds like you're on to a good deal. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilt and Hammer Workshop Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 There's always the slight chance of having issues with old leaf springs at the molecular level.. But I would never turn a beginning knifemaker away from using them as blade material. I've worked with leaf springs of all thicknesses and lengths,all used,and I've never had the slightest issue with the integrity of the steel . New ones are naturally superior ,but they are also much more difficult to locate. I just wouldn't conclude that using old springs is a bad idea. Even the infamous Nepalese Khukri knife is often forged from recyled truck springs. Part of the historical craft of smithing is using whatever materials you can obtain to their best advantage,old or new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aden Cassidy Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Mostly I just use old leaf springs BUT they can be a pain if you want to make a smaller knife, all that drawing out can take a while to get it a useable thickness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Where are you at? Or could you find new steel drops from a spring shop for scrap price! (And yes the new springs would be excellent for blades especially the larger ones. Just expensive to me AKA el cheapo grande!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_cat Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 · Hidden by Moderator51, May 6, 2013 - Language,,he included the shxx word in post. Hidden by Moderator51, May 6, 2013 - Language,,he included the shxx word in post. I had bad luck tonight using a new spring. I was attempting to make a Kukri. I spent 20 mins drawing out the handle. I marked off my blade length and went to cut off the excess when the handle broke off. Im not sure if I messed up or it it was junk metal. it looked like shit steel at the breaking point. Pastey looking like the cheap indian iron used to make road drains and manholes. Link to comment
Zanshin Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 I used tons of springs, always used. The problem with the old ones it's, principally, that they are made out of worse material than the new ones, lots os time C45. Over time the steel manufacturing has improved and I found really good material, mostly on 4wd offroads truck. Really good are train spring leaves (55si7). It is true that if hardly used, they can have some micro fractures maybe not visible but, blow after blow, they can cause a bad ending of our projects. Personally, i like better using the junkyard ones but only beacuse I love recycling!!! :D :D :D Francesco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 I had bad luck tonight using a new spring. I was attempting to make a Kukri. I spent 20 mins drawing out the handle. I marked off my blade length and went to cut off the excess when the handle broke off. Im not sure if I messed up or it it was junk metal. it looked like shit steel at the breaking point. Pastey looking like the cheap indian iron used to make road drains and manholes. Coarse, grainy gray with little sparkles? Looks kind of like cast iron yes? Not the steel's fault, you failed to work it enough or fast enough and allowed grain growth to make it brittle. Next time leave the thinner sections till last, they heat faster and the longer above critical without refining the grain with a hammer the more brittle it'll get. Don't sweat it's part of the learning curve and education costs one way or another. It'll be better next time. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eseemann Posted May 6, 2013 Author Share Posted May 6, 2013 I am in Huntsville Al and I have not had the time to make friends with shops where I can get drops but I am working on it. I am working a 5160 drop of stright rod stock and I know what people say when they say working mild steel is nothing like working good steel. Ernest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_cat Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Thanks frosty. Its been bugging me all day. In additon to what you said, I also threw the handle end into water to make cool enough to hold without using tongs so I could work the blade end. This obviously hardend and made the handle even more brittle. I need to slow way down. I watch all the Youtube vidoes of experienced guys and they make it look way easier than it is. I need to stop trying to accelerate my learning curve and just slow down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 You bet Jay, I'm not a blade guy but worked with tool steels since Dad's shop. Yeah, quenching the tang was a mistake for sure. It's not so much you need to slow down but need to know where to go fast. cooling tool or other high carbon steel is NOT the time to go fast. Making some tongs to fit your blades aught to take care of it. OR maybe forge the blade from a LONG piece of steel and leave the tang for las, THEN part it from the bar, do a little touch up and not worry about grabbing HOT steel. How about this, forge two or three blades at once, when one starts getting too hot, drop it on the ground to cool and work on another one. Hmmmm? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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