Fox Wedges

[Dax Hewitt]

I don't know what you call them around the world but in the UK we have a tool called a Fox Wedge. 

Think a thin wedge about 3 inch long, 1/4 or maybe 3/8th at one end, 1/16th at the other end and a taper ground on the last 16th and about 1 inch wide. 

You use them to hammer in between machine components to split the faces. 

I'm going to forge some, mild steel is a bit soft so I'm thinking of using some 9/16th section coil spring that I have from a mate fitting new springs to his 4x4.

Does the hive mind think they will be tough enough without hardening? I don't know what steel the springs are and I have not done any heat treating since I made a center punch at engineering college 32 years ago. 

[Steve Sells]

iirc in general nominal hardness from carbon content is reached at about 0.60 carbon.  Higher levels mostly only add to abrasion resistance

[ThomasPowers]

I don't know your specific usage; but I would try an oil quench and then temper to dark blue to make the faces a bit more resistant to gouging if that is a problem.  Normalization only if breaking is an issue.

[George N. M.]

Dax,  I agree with Thomas.  You might as well go ahead and harden and temper them.  They might work un-heat treated but they are more likely to work with the heat treatment.  Also, good practice on a simple project that you don't have hours into.  You'd rather do your mistakes and learning on something like this than a blade or a hammer head.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Dax Hewitt]

Thanks guys. 

Oil quench and blue it is. 

I will report back with the results.