Jeep (TJ) coil spring steel blade?

[PIndelicato]

Here is the 2nd blade I've forged, made from a length of what was a Jeep TJ coil spring.

I know most folks recommend using known steel around here, but I'm curious if anyone knows what steel a later model Jeep coil is made from, or at least if anyone has made a useable blade from one?

I'm trying to decide whether to go to the effort of finishing it (I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out for a 2nd effort), or if I should chalk it up to forging practice and maybe use it for some grinding practice as well.

Thanks!

 

[deker]

Looks good from here! And yes, thought we espouse the use of known steels around here, it is indeed worth finishing out and I think you should do so! I don't know what a jeep coil spring is made from, but you should be able to get a decent HT with it pretty easily. The trick here is to take another small piece of it (you do have some more right?) and work with it to develop your HT for that steel. That basically amounts to "heat it, quench it, break it" for starters and then figure out tempering temps with the brass rod test or something similar. There's lots of threads around here on that kind of stuff so you should be in good shape for info.

Good luck and keep hammering!

-d

 

[PIndelicato]

Thanks Deker, I have a whole coil of it so I'll try another piece to experiment with and read up on the testing you refer to.

If anyone else has experience working with a late model Jeep coil spring, I'm all ears!

 

[prairie-ghost]

The only way to know its worth is to test it.