I have an antique pistol and I've been trying to make some parts for it. I've used 2 types of steel to make the trigger return spring and the hammer spring. I've gone online and done some research but I haven't been able to make it work yet. Trigger return spring has snapped with both types of steel. Hammer spring snapped with one and the other I can't make the steel hard enough. Even after quenching and tempering. I used cold rolled flat bar for both once already and I chopped up some masonry tools for the other set. I have one what I've read online to go off of and minimal tools. Any advice helps. Thanks!
Making springs
- Thread starter loewen43
- Start date
I have used drywall knifes for hammer springs. They come in different thicknesses.
Good stuff
Heat treating is tough enough when you know the steel you are working with
Sometimes you get lucky with random steel but I never have
As suggested, if they are snapping they are too hard, you are getting the correct amount of heat for the correct amount of time to temper it properly.
AND/OR
There are defects in your work
- spring should be smooth & polished, no scratches, file marks or sharp edges.Make it, polish it, harden it, polish it again, temper it ... you'll get there. keep trying.
Too cold.... try 500 for an hour
Sparling is right - 350f is way too cold, 500 is pretty low as well, depending on how much carbon is in the steel you are looking to get anywhere from 600 - 700/750ish.
You are letting it air cool - right? not quenching it after your temper? Also - for a thin flat spring - I'm assuming you are doing this in your oven? Bring the heat up slowly/ish and let it cool slowly - i.e. just turn the oven off and play some video games for half an hour or so.
Some little toaster ovens will work much better than the big one in the kitchen.
Well - Cold rolled bar stock probably doesnt have enough carbon in it to respond to heat treating. On the other hand chisels, etc may have too much carbon in them, and possibly other elements, making the end result too brittle.
unstableryan
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I used to be a technician with an engineering school and I lab teched a lot of materials classes. I found that yellow hot, cool slow, make the shape, yellow hot and quench, then just barely make dark red with a torch and you make a spring...
But we were just teaching engineering students the concepts of carbon steel, not making usable parts.
But we were just teaching engineering students the concepts of carbon steel, not making usable parts.
Sparling is right - 350f is way too cold, 500 is pretty low as well, depending on how much carbon is in the steel you are looking to get anywhere from 600 - 700/750ish.
You are letting it air cool - right? not quenching it after your temper? Also - for a thin flat spring - I'm assuming you are doing this in your oven? Bring the heat up slowly/ish and let it cool slowly - i.e. just turn the oven off and play some video games for half an hour or so.
Some little toaster ovens will work much better than the big one in the kitchen.
I'm using a little toaster oven. It goes to 500 degrees. I let it cool down in the oven to room temp on it's own
