5160 and leaf springs

C L Wilkins

C L Wilkins

Joined
Mar 18, 1999
Messages
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I know that once upon a time, leaf springs were made of 5160 but that is not necessarily the case today. How can a person tell? Did the manufacturer's start using something else around a certain year?

C Wilkins
 
The conventional wisdom is that General Motors products made before 1972, have 5160 leaf springs. Why no one ever talks about Chrysler or Ford springs, I don't know. But just because it is not 5160 does not mean it won't make a good knife. After all the stuff is specifically SPRING steel no matter the source, so it would have generally similar properties. I have always wondered about the springs on small, compact import cars, like old Datsuns, etc.. They are smaller hence more convenient.
 
If you are contemplating buying old leaf springs for making knives consider this. I went to a local suspension shop and after telling the guys there what I wanted the steel for they were happy to get some 5160 for me and add it to there next order of steel. For a whopping $42.20 I am getting 40' of 3/16 X 2" 5160 steel. Don't be in a rush it may take several weeks for them to reorder. Just be sure you get enough to last untill they order again.
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I grabbed the yellow pages about a month ago and called a local spring manufacture. I asked the manager, a good old boy in the best sense of the word, and asked if he had any 5160 that he could sell me.

He told me he didn't know what 5160 was and said they used spring steel that they ordered in bulk.

After I explained why I wanted some 5160 bar steel he told me to come on down to the shop and take a look in the scrap pile.

The scrap pile consisted of brand new bowed bars that had been cut after the springs had been laid out. Each bar was about 3 foot long and varied in thickness from .127 to a little thicker that 1/4 inch.

Now I am now expert at this but when the guy said there take what you want I actually think I started to drool. Not wanting to seem greedy I selected 4 bars of varying thickness.

I asked the gentleman how he thought I should straighten the bars since they were so thick and he had one of his workers straighten the bars on their huge press.

While I was talking with the two guys they continued to ask me questions on how I was going to make my knives and I told them I was just getting started and after profiling the blades on my chopsaw, and grinding them I would probably heat treat them on a buddies Oxy Acetylene Torch and then temper them in the home stove.

The manager then made a comment that literally made my jaw drop. He pointed to a covered furnace surrounded by fire brick next to an oil quench tank and said, "Heck when your ready just bring them here, that furnace has to run all day so it wont cost us anything you can heat them and quench them right here while your straightening some more steel scrap.”

Long story short I had some really good luck that day and I plan on being really careful not to mess up my good thing.


I don't know if the spring steel I have is 5160 but I plan on making my mistakes on the free steel and learning the ropes with this stuff.

Jim


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The warrior will endure great personal hardship in order to stand on a hill, howl at the moon, and proclaim his domain over all he surveys. Fredrick Lovert- Author


[This message has been edited by Dt_Trainer (edited 03-04-2000).]
 
I don't want to tell you what to do. But if any body treated me like that, They would all own one of the knives I made. Sure would help to keep a great thing going.

Marcel
 
Yep I am planning on making theses guys all a blade, I just haven't mentioned it because I am reluctant to make a promise I can't keep.

That is the way I was raised though, I have always taken my friend who fixes my car his liquid treats... Its like dad always said a man is only as good as his word.

I think I will just show up one day with a couple of completed blades.



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The warrior will endure great personal hardship in order to stand on a hill, howl at the moon, and proclaim his domain over all he surveys. Fredrick Lovert- Author
 
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