Steel from old garage door springs

[Ronin66]

So I’m just getting into blade smithing, building a forge have the anvil (early 1900’s arm and hammer by Columbus) building a belt grinder and have collected a decent amount of scrap metal, some of which is a set of old .375 wire gate door springs that are about 70 years old, does any one here have experience using metal from garage door springs at all?

[ThomasPowers]

Many people have used them for making repousse tools.  Others fire strikers.

[Frosty]

At 70 yrs old they may not have chrome in them and so be easier to forge weld. Without chrome I believe old timey springs were in the 1085-95 range but don't quote me on that, it's a memory thing.

And yes, I kept the old overhead door springs I didn't use when putting in the shop door. A friend gave me two overhead doors and all the hardware. I don't recall the wire size in the coil but it's good stuff to have on hand. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

And a little spring goes a long way.  I put a pipe vertically in my postvise and heated a spring up in the gas forge. Dropped it over the pipe, grabbed the end and ran across the shop, out the door and to the other side of the alleyway once.

[JHCC]

If you cut down one side to make a series of rings, chain mail is always an option. 

[MotoMike]

I've seen them used to make gravers.    

[Frosty]

11 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Dropped it over the pipe, grabbed the end and ran across the shop, out the door and to the other side of the alleyway once.

Yeah, one of the guys wanted to heat one section and uncoil it, it's about 4"-5" dia. x 6'+ coiled tight. We'd have to hook it to the pickup and go for a drive. I just cut short pieces.

Frosty The Lucky.