question about steel prices - specifically 5160

Josh Muller

Josh Muller

Joined
Jun 22, 2003
Messages
3,049
so im looking for a couple of bars of 5160, since i have our schools blacksmithing shop available to me (probably the only way im ever going to do the 3/4" thick stuff i want to), and im kind of suprised at the general prices im seeing on 5160.

i know that steel prices are generally high, and have gotten a lot higher in recent times, but the price difference i see between the 5160 prices ive seen thus far and what ive seen for tool steels on toolanddie.com are quite large.

the price tool and die has for .25"x2"x36" oversize a2 is 53.61 wich is 30$ lower then i can get it in town, but even at 88$, the only price qoutes ive seen so far (admiral etc) put the same amount of 5160 in the 120$+ range


is it just that 5160 is that expensive, or that tool and die is extremely cheap? (both?)
 
I'm just a newbie with no forging experience, but wouldn't a trip to the local "pick-your-parts" auto junkyard for some leaf and coil springs be extremely cheap? I understand that late model Honda coil springs are high quality 5160 steel. Find a wrecked Infinity or Lexus, and surely the quality gets higher? :p
 
in that regard ive been really lazy :rolleyes:, i havent had the money for a while, but i still should have been calling around.

but good question :D

bout how much do sets of leaf springs cost from a junk yard?
 
....double checked Admiral's on line price list...5160 prices are shown for
20-22 foot random lengths.
 
I just called a local auto salvage yard, but the person I spoke with wasn't very "alert". But there's a bunch of these places around Fort Worth. My guess is that you will realize substantial savings by going this route.
 
Try looking in the yellow pages for a local outfit that makes truck springs. Call and ask 'em about scrounging their cutoff bin. After they let you have a couple pieces, forge em a blade and take it back. Mo' freebies! ;)
 
just called blackroad auto and they said they have them for 25$ a set as long as its not the 1 ton 13 leaf style (or bigger).

pretty good price compared to what i was looking at... but, question still stands on wether 5160 is really that expensive in new flat stock...


i guess my next question would be how to take the bend out of 1/4"+ thick leafs, and wether or not theres anyone in santa maria who can do it if it requires to much equipement...


good times :D
 
In the past i just talked to local mechanics and they gave me old broken springs or springs that they changed out free of charge.
 
Admiral steel has 22 feet of 1/4" x 2" wide for $99.70. I got some of the 1.5" wide stuff last year and with shipping it was still less the a hundred dollars. Check their web site then give them a call.
 
I have used the "spring plates" off a old VW transaxle. Thats the flat plates that let the rear wheels go up and down, and twist slightly. Good thin 3/16 5160, I think its 5160 or close to it.
 
holy crap....

i thought they were stating 20-22 inches....that completely changes what i was thinking...


well then, scratch the original question :D
 
Check with Kelly Cupples AKA octihunter. He will send you a list of what he has. Good prices on 5160.
Scott
 
I wish I knew where my coil spring came from! I found it at the dump. I wasn't expecting much. So I was very suprised while finishing my coil-spring/titanium knife how smooth and consistent the steel was.

I should measure the diameter and see if it's metric or something, only clue I have is it was in a cone kinda shape (that probably narrows it down to 5,000 makes). I'll tell you what, I'd buy new coil springs if that's what it takes to get more of it.

Steve
 
i am the service manager at a toyota/chevrolet dealership and can get all
the springs you want for free, only cost would be the shipping from n. ca.
 
what about o-1 guys its pretty pricy the 0-1 i used for a wsk my granpaw got from a freind for me. if i buy it seems really expensive, and i cant even find good sized pieces!
 
toolanddie.com has the absolute lowest prices on O1 I've seen. They have just about any size you'd want too. I ordered from them way back on Jan 31 and only 1 of the 4 bars I ordered has gotten here though :grumpy:
I guess I better get a hold of them.
 
Matt Shade said:
toolanddie.com has the absolute lowest prices on O1 I've seen. They have just about any size you'd want too. I ordered from them way back on Jan 31 and only 1 of the 4 bars I ordered has gotten here though :grumpy:
I guess I better get a hold of them.
Click to expand...

I ordered through them over the phone and got my piece of O-1 the next day.

Be warned tho, their SSL secured online ordering form isn't. They do have a valid SSL certificate installed, but their ordering form does not utilize it so any personal info and/or credit card info you submit goes over the wire in plain text.

I called them and ordered over the phone after finding that out. Nice folks. And like I said, the bar showed up the very next day.

-Andrew
 
went ahead and bought a set of a silverado... lookin forward to that bottom 7/8" thick spring...

guy wouldnt sell me the 1" springs off a semi in the yard, but that woulda rocked as well...
 
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