Snappier spring

Post by **tr4252** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 3:52 am

Would anyone here know of or care to speculate on a method for increasing the power of a spring from a 9" stiletto? I'm not sure I want to anneal it and re-temper it, but can't think of a better way. And I don't even know what alloy of steel it is anyway. The knife wasn't too hot to begin with, but in my lack of experience I've been working on the knife and now realize I should have picked a better one before investing the time to customize it.
Any suggestions would be welcome
TR

Vagrant · Post by **Vagrant** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 4:54 am

Unless it's a "do it yourself" one, the back spring and kick spring are all one piece so it would be as easy to copy it from a known steel as it would to guesstimate a heat treat for it. If it is a DIY it's easier to copy it from a known steel.

Post by **tr4252** » Fri Oct 10, 2003 3:55 pm

Thanks Vagrant,
I tend to agree with you. It's an (I think AB brand) from Tiny's. Don't know what type of steel they use, but may pick up a clue if I inquire.
I think making a spring would be the way to go though, that way I could have it the way I want, plus be able to say the knife is scratch built, except for the blade. Maybe a new blade would be possible too, if I get into this one. Already planning the next knife, many improvements occurred to me during the course of this project.
Do you know or know how I can find out how the tab on the spring is formed. I thought if I did one, I'd leave a bunch of metal there after it's cut out, and then forge the tab. Any ideas?
Regards,
TR

Vagrant · Post by **Vagrant** » Fri Oct 10, 2003 4:44 pm

I don't know how the tab is made but I'd forge it. .

Teddy · Post by **Teddy** » Fri Oct 10, 2003 8:00 pm

Vagrant wrote:I don't know how the tab is made but I'd forge it. .

I don't know how the old ones were made.... but these days almost everyone.... even the custom knife makers.... make the tab from the same thickness steel as the backspring.... then heat it up (locally) to enable it to be "twisted" through 90 degrees.

Best wishes
Teddy

Vagrant · Post by **Vagrant** » Sat Oct 11, 2003 7:50 am

Looking at one I more or less figured that. [Twisting while red hot is considered a forging technique according to a couple of my blacksmith books]. What I don't know is how they do this on switches [manually or drop forged]. It looks like it's also made [hammered?] flatter in the process.

Teddy · Post by **Teddy** » Sat Oct 11, 2003 8:15 am

AH!..... I had visions of you thumping one with a big hammer...to flatten out the tab...

The pictures on the AB brochure indicate they are stamped (drop-forged?) from flat stock leaving the tab to be "twisted" after which I'm sure the backspring would need "tidying up"

Best wishes
Teddy

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 11:31 pm

Modern Italian springs are made out of high carbon steel, similar to 1095 or O1. They can be quenched in room temperature water. You can anneal them, re-arch the spring, harden and temper the original springs.
Bill DeShivs

Post by **tr4252** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 3:32 am

Thanks, Bill, for this and also your advice on the blade pin.
TR

Vagrant · Post by **Vagrant** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 8:07 am

Hardening in oil [especially O-1] does as well as water and is less likely to be brittle if you're off a little on the temperture you temper at. For any unknown steel, hardening in water with a layer of oil floating on it, is a great compromise. I have a real old time Blacksmith 2 miles from the house and sometimes we solve "what if" questions by trying something out
to see how it works. [The mistakes are forged into something else if possible].

jthm · Post by **jthm** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 5:24 am

have you tried polishing and cleaning all the moving parts? there was another thread I remember talking about this. said it made a huge difference. might be an easy alternative.

jthm · Post by **jthm** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 5:25 am

lol! I found it! it was your post!!!! hehehehehe. I feel stupid.

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 6:48 am

Try beveling the rear edge of the locking pin on the blade.
Bill