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How good is spring steel?
- Thread starter BigDude
- Start date
Is that good steel to use, or should I buy something else?You can use the search function (if it works, which it often doesn't) or google with advanced settign set to return only results from bladforums.com, and find a LONG list of threads in which spring steels have been discussed. For what it's worth, my first knife was from an old spring from the local garages junk pile, and it's held up well to constant use by a woodcarver to whittle bits of wood.
Taking the following with a grain of salt since it's culled from advice and threads on here rather than from a mettalurgical degree and decades of experience as some of the later poster will have, but it's what I've learnt from listening in to the discussions.
"BUY SOMETHING THATS A KNOWN STEEL" is the most ocmmon advice, you then know what it is, and can heat treat it according to the specs for that steel and have it behave predictably.
If you wish to carry on with what you have and are willign to accept the waste of time if it ends in tears and lamentations, then remember it's a Mystery metal. Car springs are likely to be 5160, but it could be a lot of other steels that treat to hold a flex and bend under shocks. Heat up and quench a pice and then stick it in a vise and whack it to see if it shatters, if it does then make a knife out of it and treat as for 5160, make another and treat as for 1075 and make a third and treat as for 1095, then test them and see which holds an edge and survives the best. Once you know which one ends with the best result, use that heat treat.
As to using it as is, doesn't it have a bow in it that will make a funny curved knife? and it's probably tempered into a HRC of the mid 40's somewhere, fine for a machete or big woods chopper thats possibly going to meet a rock or brick or other obstruction, but it's not goign to hold an edge like a high 50's low 60's HRC knife.
hope this helps, even if just to spark off all the denunciations explaining why my advice is out of line
good luck
Taking the following with a grain of salt since it's culled from advice and threads on here rather than from a mettalurgical degree and decades of experience as some of the later poster will have, but it's what I've learnt from listening in to the discussions.
"BUY SOMETHING THATS A KNOWN STEEL" is the most ocmmon advice, you then know what it is, and can heat treat it according to the specs for that steel and have it behave predictably.
If you wish to carry on with what you have and are willign to accept the waste of time if it ends in tears and lamentations, then remember it's a Mystery metal. Car springs are likely to be 5160, but it could be a lot of other steels that treat to hold a flex and bend under shocks. Heat up and quench a pice and then stick it in a vise and whack it to see if it shatters, if it does then make a knife out of it and treat as for 5160, make another and treat as for 1075 and make a third and treat as for 1095, then test them and see which holds an edge and survives the best. Once you know which one ends with the best result, use that heat treat.
As to using it as is, doesn't it have a bow in it that will make a funny curved knife? and it's probably tempered into a HRC of the mid 40's somewhere, fine for a machete or big woods chopper thats possibly going to meet a rock or brick or other obstruction, but it's not goign to hold an edge like a high 50's low 60's HRC knife.
hope this helps, even if just to spark off all the denunciations explaining why my advice is out of line
good luck
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2003
- Messages
- 2,361
I have very good friend that wants a blade as a favor, he wants it quick and simple and it will be rough looking for re-enactment purposes, it will not be for cutting competitions, survival
, or serious hunting use. I intend on forging it out of an old spring to add to the character of it. My name or mark will not be going on the blade. I wanted to mention this because I am often the most adamant about not using old scrap steel for knives your name will go on, but I am capable of doing things for fun now and then so I am not a hard @$$ about things all the time.
That being said, I will not be using salt baths and all the fancy gadgets to make this knife. If I am not even certain what the steel is it would just be a waste of gas and electricity to fire up the salt baths. What temperature should I set them for? On mystery steel acuracy and precision in the heat treat is a waste of time. One needs to settle for mediocrity or "good enough", and on some blades that is indeed "good enough". It will be fun to heat one up in a forge by eye before quenching it in oil like I did in the old days.
The world will not come to an end if you use old springs, but then you will not make the best knife possible to stamp you name on either. We eachl just need to decide if that is all right or not.
, or serious hunting use. I intend on forging it out of an old spring to add to the character of it. My name or mark will not be going on the blade. I wanted to mention this because I am often the most adamant about not using old scrap steel for knives your name will go on, but I am capable of doing things for fun now and then so I am not a hard @$$ about things all the time.That being said, I will not be using salt baths and all the fancy gadgets to make this knife. If I am not even certain what the steel is it would just be a waste of gas and electricity to fire up the salt baths. What temperature should I set them for? On mystery steel acuracy and precision in the heat treat is a waste of time. One needs to settle for mediocrity or "good enough", and on some blades that is indeed "good enough". It will be fun to heat one up in a forge by eye before quenching it in oil like I did in the old days.
The world will not come to an end if you use old springs, but then you will not make the best knife possible to stamp you name on either. We eachl just need to decide if that is all right or not.
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2003
- Messages
- 2,361
I wouldn't make a junker, I belive it will be absolutely perfect for its intendended function.
- Joined
- Sep 26, 1999
- Messages
- 4,486
Lots of cool knives have been made from old springs.If you are questioning the steel then quench a piece and see if it breaks,if so make a knife and then decide if you want better steel.
Just make the knife accept the first results as a learning experiece and learn what to do next time...
And I agree with everything Kevin just said.:thumbup:
Good Luck,
Bruce
Just make the knife accept the first results as a learning experiece and learn what to do next time...
And I agree with everything Kevin just said.:thumbup:
Good Luck,
Bruce