Spark test on a car coil spring

[Xavier F-C]

I recently acquired 2 car coil spring weighting about 5 kg each with a "Kia Sedona" chalk mark.

When I did the spark test, the sparks were much shorter with a "tiny explosion", unlike the plain carbon steel I have used.
I wondered why the sparks looked that way. I am just curious about the mystery steel. 

The circles are just highlighting the "tiny explosion" I mentioned.

[Gergely]

Well, I can only tell my beliefs on this - no actual facts whatsoever. When I see these shorter sparks with the "tiny explosions" I usually consider the alloy being high carbon content. 

Try to search the topic templehound started about one of his knives (sorry for the minimal info) he shows an awesome picture of the sparks of the steel he used. That goes well with your style of sparks. And he mentions there the number of the alloy.

Bests:

Gergely

[Daswulf]

Looks like inbetween mild and medium carbon steel based off the chart that has been going around.  Easily found through a Google search of "spark test chart" 

 

[Gergely]

Found the topic. The steel is 1.2516. It's not very good alloy for springs, it's a 1,2 % carbon with some V and W in it - It is very unlikely to have this alloy in coil springs

But the pictures are beautiful:

But I still hold my point on the shorter sparks - higher carbon content. 

[Xavier F-C]

Thanks for the info guys!

I will eventually post what the heat treat does, especially if something unusual happens.

[John in Oly, WA]

I guess I won't be parting out my mini van then (Kia Sedona). LOL