Making flat springs - The Firearms Forum

Helix_FR · 08-26-2009, 12:03 PM

anyone have any good reads or advice on making flat springs. I recently reassembled a chicago arms single shot SG for a guy and now he has 3 more, all needing trigger springs. Someone made a failed attempt at lightening the trigger resulting in springs that are too short to seat correctly or push the trigger far enough forward to engauge the hammer. Replacement are no where to be found in fact there is little info on the chicago arms SG's at all.(I know they were a Sears brand made by Fred Biffer) He doesn't plan on firing them (I also advised him not to) but he wants them to be fully functional. I don't expect my first go around at making flat springs to be a success but I figured it may be another notch in my knowledge.

Bill DeShivs · 08-26-2009, 02:10 PM

Easy-
Use 1095 steel. O1 or 1080 will work, too.
Make the springs in the annealed state. Drill holes and polish the springs.
Using a firebrick or other heat reflective material, heat the spring to bright red and quench in canola oil immediately. If the spring is properly hardened, a file will skate off the surface. If the file does not skate, the spring will never work, so re-harden until you get the proper hardness.
Once hardened, all discoloration must be polished off the spring. Polish to bright steel.
Using the torch on a low setting, gently heat the spring to just past blue color and let it air cool. Keep the torch moving over the work to heat it evenly.
Done-you have a spring.

Enfield · 08-26-2009, 02:34 PM

Hi Guys
I made a spring for an old H & R revolver only last weekend and it worked just fine.

Now I learnt an old gun makers trick years ago, the trick is in the tempering.

What Bill says is spot on but it can sometimes be difficult to get the heat even for the final stage - if the spring is too hard it snaps like a carrot

and if it is too soft it will stay bent and not "spring"

. What I do for the final stage is to place the spring in a shallow pan of motor oil (an old tobbaco tin is good), heat the oil until it starts to burn and keep it burning untill it is all gone but dont play the flame on the spring . You then let it cool down and there you go it is cooked just right.

I understand that they used to use Whale oil but that is obviously not available now.

I have made a few like this have never had a failure.

Best of luck

Enfield

Helix_FR · 08-26-2009, 03:55 PM

Thanks Guys. question for Bill. Some of the springs that I need to make have to be bent to fit properly. (some have a slight arc) will bending and shaping the springs in the annealed state cause any issues? Do I need to draw the anneal out before hand by heating? Thanks and sorry for the semi amateur questions.

Bill DeShivs · 08-26-2009, 04:35 PM

If you can bend the steel, and it stays that way-it is annealed. There should be no issues in your case. Drastic bends (90 degrees +) should be made at red heat.
Should you need to anneal your steel, heat it to red, and let it air cool.
Please understand that the steel has to be of a type that has enough carbon content to make a spring. Just any steel won't do.

08-26-2009, 12:03 PM	#1
Helix_FR TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Imperial, MO Posts: 3,669	Making flat springs anyone have any good reads or advice on making flat springs. I recently reassembled a chicago arms single shot SG for a guy and now he has 3 more, all needing trigger springs. Someone made a failed attempt at lightening the trigger resulting in springs that are too short to seat correctly or push the trigger far enough forward to engauge the hammer. Replacement are no where to be found in fact there is little info on the chicago arms SG's at all.(I know they were a Sears brand made by Fred Biffer) He doesn't plan on firing them (I also advised him not to) but he wants them to be fully functional. I don't expect my first go around at making flat springs to be a success but I figured it may be another notch in my knowledge. --> Last edited by Helix_FR; 08-26-2009 at 12:04 PM..

08-26-2009, 02:10 PM	#2
Bill DeShivs Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Contributor Posts: 1,478	Re: Making flat springs Easy- Use 1095 steel. O1 or 1080 will work, too. Make the springs in the annealed state. Drill holes and polish the springs. Using a firebrick or other heat reflective material, heat the spring to bright red and quench in canola oil immediately. If the spring is properly hardened, a file will skate off the surface. If the file does not skate, the spring will never work, so re-harden until you get the proper hardness. Once hardened, all discoloration must be polished off the spring. Polish to bright steel. Using the torch on a low setting, gently heat the spring to just past blue color and let it air cool. Keep the torch moving over the work to heat it evenly. Done-you have a spring. __________________ Bill DeShivs www.billdeshivs.com

08-26-2009, 02:34 PM	#3
Enfield V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NZ Posts: 302	Re: Making flat springs Hi Guys I made a spring for an old H & R revolver only last weekend and it worked just fine. Now I learnt an old gun makers trick years ago, the trick is in the tempering. What Bill says is spot on but it can sometimes be difficult to get the heat even for the final stage - if the spring is too hard it snaps like a carrot and if it is too soft it will stay bent and not "spring" . What I do for the final stage is to place the spring in a shallow pan of motor oil (an old tobbaco tin is good), heat the oil until it starts to burn and keep it burning untill it is all gone but dont play the flame on the spring . You then let it cool down and there you go it is cooked just right. I understand that they used to use Whale oil but that is obviously not available now. I have made a few like this have never had a failure. Best of luck Enfield

08-26-2009, 03:55 PM	#4
Helix_FR TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Imperial, MO Posts: 3,669	Re: Making flat springs Thanks Guys. question for Bill. Some of the springs that I need to make have to be bent to fit properly. (some have a slight arc) will bending and shaping the springs in the annealed state cause any issues? Do I need to draw the anneal out before hand by heating? Thanks and sorry for the semi amateur questions.

08-26-2009, 04:35 PM	#5
Bill DeShivs Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Contributor Posts: 1,478	Re: Making flat springs If you can bend the steel, and it stays that way-it is annealed. There should be no issues in your case. Drastic bends (90 degrees +) should be made at red heat. Should you need to anneal your steel, heat it to red, and let it air cool. Please understand that the steel has to be of a type that has enough carbon content to make a spring. Just any steel won't do. __________________ Bill DeShivs www.billdeshivs.com