Leaf Springs ?

[Doc_Holiday]

SO, this might sound odd because it is the first time I've heard of it but we'll see ! I've heard that some people use leaf springs from old cars ( the older the better ) to make knives ! They pick up some leaf springs from the local junk yard and fashion it out of that and it turns out to be a very strong yet workable metal. Has anyone ever heard of this or know how this is done ? And if so how well does it workout ?

 

[DashCasey0120]

My uncle made a very nice knife from a leaf spring he found at the house he bought. He gave it to his son so I haven't seen it in awhile. I do know he used a piece of walnut for the handle

 

[Black Toe Knives]

Old car springs are 5160. They still make truck springs with it. It is more affectionately refer to as "OTS" or "OCS", Old truck spring or Old Chevy Spring.

 

[Doc_Holiday]

Black toe, sorry this is really my lack of knowledge on the subject but when you say 5160 I take it as you referring to the metal type, where does that rank with D2 steel and so forth ?

 

[Doc_Holiday]

Found some good info on steel types.
http://www.knifeart.com/steelfaqbyjo.html

 

[messerist]

I use either old recycled files or leaf springs for my knife blades. 5160 forges nicely and is very forgiving during the heat treat process. The best thing about leaf springs is that I get all I want for the low low price of $free!

 

[Black Toe Knives]

5160 is the type of steel. 5160 is used a lot on large knives. It is a wonderful forging steel.

 

[hso]

Has anyone ever heard of this or know how this is done ? And if so how well does it workout ?

Very common for knifemakers to use older leaf springs and old files of good quality that have become too worn to serve as files. Large saw industrial saw blades are used too.

It works out very well.

Pick up a copy of "The $50 Knife Shop" (great deal at the krausebooks website on it and other knife books right now) sometime and you'll get a kick out of all the salvage that can be used for blade material and for tools/equipment for making knives.

 

[Tirod]

92100 bearing steel from large races used in industrial machinery is another good source, along with older washing machine agitator spindles. Most of these are medium carbon steels that get hard enough for knife use, but are obviously malleable enough to form readily.

Studebaker leaf springs were a reputed great source of material in the day, now, the collector value to restorers is a lot higher. Anyone chopping up a good set of springs will not likely get the value back in finished knives.

All these are lower "grade" steels compared to D2, which has it's own quirks. It doesn't polish well, and some complain it won't take a keen edge - but it will keep a rough one seemingly forever. That's why it's preferred in power tool applications like planers. Those blades are usually in high demand for resharpening and resale to production shops, there seems to be no cheap D2 laying around.

 

[blindhari]

Not sure about leaf spring steel, but I carry Queen pocket knives in D2 steel and sharpen them with a RAZOR two cardboard wheel setup on a variable speed motor. I carve wood and this is the best I have found for whittlin in 60 years. D2 steel takes an almost scary sharp edge this way, woeks for a light axe head too.

blindhari

 

[highorder]

My leaf spring experiment.

 

[Mrdavidross321]

i have never made my own knife but i have heard ALOT of people say they use leaf springs or files. i am thinking about doing own attempt but i have to read alot more about the heat treating part

here is another info site for some steel i just googled up http://zknives.com/knives/articles/knifesteelfaq.shtml


from the link

" D2
D2 is sometimes called a "semi-stainless". It has a fairly high chrome content (12%), but not high enough to classify it as stainless. It is more stain resistant than the carbon steels mentioned above, however. It has excellent wear resistance. D2 is much tougher than the premium stainless steels like ATS-34, but not as tough as many of the other non-stainless steels mentioned here. The combination of great wear resistance, almost-stainlessness, and good toughness make it a great choice for a number of knife styles. Bob Dozier is one maker who uses D2. Benchmade has begun using D2 in its Axis AFCK. Ref - D2 Steel Composition. "


" 5160
A steel popular with forgers, it is popular now for a variety of knife styles, but usually bigger blades that need more toughness. It is essentially a simple spring steel with chromium added for hardenability. It has good wear resistance, but is known especially for its outstanding toughness. This steel performs well over a wide range of hardnesses, showing great toughness when hardened in the low 50s Rc for swords, and hardened up near the 60s for knives needing more edge holding. Ref - 5160 Steel Composition. "

 

[BRad704]

Here is what I consider to be THE definitive article for 5160.

http://www.caffreyknives.net/journeymanarticle.html

 

[r3dn3ck]

I like to use planer blades from sawmills. They're exceptionally hard and hold an edge well. They're kinda difficult to sharpen and are hard on tools but make great knives.

 

[highorder]

That's a pretty good read.

 

[pappy19]

The famous knife maker Rudy Ruana from Bonner, Montana started out using Studebaker leaf springs. His grandsons are still making great Ruana knives but not from leaf springs.

 

[hso]

The argument these days against using salvage is that you can get knifemaking supplies so much easier these days with steel with known properties that the beginning maker may be better off just ordering a billet or two, but if you enjoy taking nuth'n and turning into sump'n.

 

[rcmodel]

I agree.
There are too many unknowns with all the exotic steels being made today, and the heat treating methods necessary to temper it.
You can't hardly make a WAG on what you got to work with from scrap anymore.
I still trust files, but about everything else, not so much.

Several years ago, I managed to pick up some Swedish steel die rule used in die cutting paper greeting cards.

They stay sharp indefinitely in that use, and I thought they would make superior fillet knife blades.
Wrong!

After grinding the first blade, I spot annealed three places on the handle to drill for handle scales. The instant the carbide drill came down the whole tang shattered like glass into shards.

Turns out it was air hardening steel, and there was simply no way I could devise to anneal it in the slightest.
The hotter you got it, the harder it got when it cooled!

rc

 

[Zeke/PA]

It is MUCH easier and SIMPLER to make stuff that is going to be heat treated out of a KNOWN alloy.

 

[FlynnCastle]

Hey since we're on the topic, I really want to start forging. Anyone out there build their own forge? How might I do it cheaply? I'm looking for something kind of big so that I might make machete's as well. Also, what makes good fuel? Is there already a thread for this?

 

[Black Toe Knives]

There is excellent video called Knifemaking Unplugged.

This is the simple from of making a knife.

 

[FlynnCastle]

@Highorder

Impressive.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

Neat idea. How does one get the arc out of the spring? Heat?

 

[highorder]

Neat idea. How does one get the arc out of the spring? Heat?

haha, easier said than done.

I used three steel 2" round cylinders and a 20 ton hydraulic press, though had I forged my steel, I'm sure it could have been hammered out.

 

[Black Toe Knives]

Neat idea. How does one get the arc out of the spring? Heat?

Yes, when you heat it becomes very easy to bend.