Hi...I have the opportunity to pick up some non-tempered  spring steel 1/4" x 1 1/2" x 24" long at a local spring shop. Is this worth checking into? Can items like hawks / knives / punches / chasing tools be made with this? It's free. So I'm all in. I'll let you know what I come up with.

Non temperd? Are you sure we are not talking about annealed, non hardenned Spring steel? Non temperd would be hardenned but not "temperd" which is controlled heating of hardens steel to make it tougher/less brittle. 

Typicaly new spring steel is good stock for shop tools and hard service knives and axes (tho it is difficult to forge weld). Ask about the spacific alloy as that can effect the proper forging temp as well as how you heat treat it 

Charles...it may very well be annealed and I have the terminology wrong. I will definitely ask about the specific alloy...good call Charles!

If you can try to find out what alloy of spring steel it is; but's that'a a great size for forging many items and a price you couldn't beat with a steam hammer!

If you're getting drops from a sprig shop they're cut offs too short to use for springs and are mill annealed or normalized. I don't know which but they're easy working soft, you can bend it cold, drill it punch it, saw it with a hack saw like any medium carbon steel.

It's a heck of a good score, congratulations.

Frosty The Lucky.

We all stumbled over the terminology in the beginning...

This is absolutely not worth your time. Better collect all that stuff and send it to me; I'll take care of disposal for you.

I'm much closer to you.  If there's enough I'll just come pick it up and dispose of it for you.  I'll even load it myself for free.

 

They could help pay for your quad-state trip; Just set them out on a small table with a money jar and a identification and a price and stop by to collect the money a couple of times a day.  It's how I pick up known alloy stock to have on hand...