Recommendation? Springs and the alloys from which they're made

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Jul 10, 2021
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Can someone recommend me a resource discussing how well or poorly different steel alloys perform as springs and how to head/work them to get them in a state of springiness? I plan to get a copy of Larrin's book "Knife Engineering", as a general reference Really Soon, but I'm uncertain if goes into depth on this topic.
 
Most common carbon spring steels are just carbon and iron plus manganese and some impurities.

Most low alloy spring steels are carbon, chrome, and manganese. Some are alloyed with silicon for fatigue resistance.

Stainless spring steels are iron chrome and nickel alloys that are work hardened.

Precipitation hardening grades are sometimes used as springs, 17/4 and 15/5 are iron, chrome, nickel, and copper.

There are probably more, these are what come to mind.

Hoss
 
Why not just use 1095 or similar? It's a proven spring steel.
Heat treating it is easy.
 
Sure it is. Regardless how the experts tell you it isn't (for knives) it's easy to make springs from 1095. No special equipment is necessary, except some fire bricks or a charcoal or ceramic heating surface, a propane torch, and some canola oil.

Now, before the experts tell us that 1095 requires precise heat treatment for maximum efficiency- it doesn't for pocket knife springs. I have made thousands of them. 4 broke-all from the same piece of steel. Most of these springs are leaf kick springs for automatic knives, so they get a little more flex than slipjoint backsprings.

I have explained my very non-scientific procedure before, but if anyone is interested I can do so again.
 
I'm with Bill. Simple 1075, 1080,1095 steel has been used for springs for a long time. HT for a spring is a tad simpler than a knife HT.

The biggest plus is these steels come in many sizes and shapes.
Round piano/music wire is one popular source for springs. The alloy can range between 1075 and 1095, but is usually around .90-1.00% carbon. It comes in any diameter you could ever need, and is cheap. I buy 1/8" music wire in bundles of ten 36" long rods for $20 with free shipping. It can be bought by the single rod for a few bucks. Many hobby shpos carry it, too.
It is already hardened and can be used for a straight spring as-is. Minor bending can be done with pliers.

It can be forged into any desired shape or coil and then hardened by heating above non-magnetic and quenching in oil. Tempering is done either by flame or oven ( oven is best). Temper around 550°F or what I call "first blue". The old guys put about 1/8" of kerosene in a shallow pan and set the springs in the pan. They set the pan on the warm forge and when it started smoking, they light the kerosene. They removed the pan ands set it on the anvil and let the fuel burn off. Once cooled to room temp, the springs were tempered.
 
Sure it is. Regardless how the experts tell you it isn't (for knives) it's easy to make springs from 1095. No special equipment is necessary, except some fire bricks or a charcoal or ceramic heating surface, a propane torch, and some canola oil.

Now, before the experts tell us that 1095 requires precise heat treatment for maximum efficiency- it doesn't for pocket knife springs. I have made thousands of them. 4 broke-all from the same piece of steel. Most of these springs are leaf kick springs for automatic knives, so they get a little more flex than slipjoint backsprings.

I have explained my very non-scientific procedure before, but if anyone is interested I can do so again.
I stand corrected. I suppose plate martensite wouldn't be an issue without an edge to worry about. Thanks, Bill and Stacy
 
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