leaf springs

[tommy the cat]

Well one of my hobbies is tinkering with cars, at the mo we are taking the leaf springs (sp?) off a pontiac and seem to remember that the steel is suitable for toolmaking?
Was thinking maybe on the lines of a draw knife????
What ya think?
I've got access to oxy and a anvil.
Dave

 

[Gill]

leaf spring would be good, actually sitting right now thinking about getting some to attempt a kukri.

 

[tommy the cat]

Shame ya not closer ones going to prob go to the scrappy.
Dave

 

[FGYT]

this un is a leaf spring or was

my first blade made 20yrs ago at school and college (the horror)

 

[Singeblister]

Yes its usualy good steel something like 1095 or is that the coil springs i forget anyway I have made knives and draw knives out of leaf springs before , make sure you normalise the steel

 

[Matt.S]

Leaf springs? Certainly useable from what I understand (no 1st-hand experience myself), though I understand they frequently have pre-existing stress cracks which exhibit themselves during the heat-treatment process of whatever beautiful object you've spent hours working on.

 

[EdS]

Yes its usualy good steel something like 1095 or is that the coil springs i forget anyway I have made knives and draw knives out of leaf springs before , make sure you normalise the steel

and they still have a wicked edge

 

[Kerne]

Used to work with a guy who taught carpentry in Uganda. They used leaf springs for chisel and plane blades all the time.

 

[tommy the cat]

Ok will have a look see at them. I know they are rusty (not terribly) really thick and have collapsed (gone saggy) but I just seem to remember reading they were good steel.
Fancied a draw knife but too tight to buy one.
Dave

 

[jonquirk]

My brother made a neat tool for cutting nettles in the bottom of a ditch from a leaf spring. He put a bend, about 75-80 degrees six inches from the end and put an edge on the short bit. A bit of tape around the other end and we had a fine tool that saved a lot of stooping and sore backs as a result.

 

[Black Sheep]

My old metal work teacher made a nice crossbow using a Moggy 1000 leaf spring, he also used to make wicked tipped bolts on the lathe as well

Mate of mines made a few knives from old leaf springs.

Richard

 

[Singeblister]

and they still have a wicked edge

Its good to know there still giving good service Ed