Lock Bar hardness

[John L]

If blade is 60 RC +/- what hardness should the lockbar be on a scale release auto? What hardness is 01 as you purchase from distributors..assuming annealed state?

 

[R APPLEBY]

Since the lock bar is not a spring it should be the same hardness as the blade, if the lock bar is softer than the blade the blade will cause premature wear on the lock bar.

 

[rlinger]

I just grabbed a piece of O1 and tested it: about 5 to 7 HRc. Probably a little off though since I had done some barrel browning tests on it and there is surface corrosion. Annealed O1 is pretty friendly to machine.

RL