flattening a leaf spring

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PaMtnBkr

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Dec 31, 2009
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I have an old leaf spring that my grandfather used for prying abalone off the rocks up in northern Calif back in the earl 60's that my dad recently gave me. i would like to make a gift knife out of part of it for my dad. I KNOW, "mystery steel, buy some 1084/1095 from Aldo, etc" but this knife will be more of a memento than an actual working blade. My question is, what is the best method to take the curve of the spring out? Just anneal and flatten? I plan on playing w/the heat treat to learn a bit but really have no real use expectations from the finished product, just a 3 generation link that my dad and I can enjoy. Thanks, Don
 
Things like this deserve being made into a knife. Anneal it with a sub-critical anneal to spheroidize it, and it should be easy to flatten and grind. Do the HT as if it was 1095. Temper at 400F. That should give you a reasonable blade.
 
I am just a hobbyist, but I agree with Stacy, this is something that deserves to be made into a knife. :thumbup:

How about a work in progress as you build?

Keep us informed.

Pat
 
Absolutely make this into a knife!!! I have an old plow blade that was never used, but my grandfather put it in his shop as a kind of decoration (though it wasn't way old, he bought it new in the 50's) and I am waiting for a design to strike me so I can make it into a knife for my mom and one for my uncle, her brother... If there is enough steel left, also for myself and my cousins... This, in my opinion, is one of the greatest knives that any of us could ever make. Made from something that ties us together, shares our artistic vision, and allows the materials to live on in an object that is easily carried and shared.
+1 for the WIP thread. Would love to see what you end up with!
 
Thanks guys! I appreciate all the responses! I'll have to do a WIP once I get it moving! Thanks for all the encouragement!
 
Not to hijack the thread, but it is important to do projects such as this. My brother-in-law had an old (100+) blade and asked if I could make him a smaller knife out of it, I did, and also had enough left to make me a small blade also. He has since passed and both knives are priceless now.

And just another "good luck" :)
 
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