All About Pocket Knives

I have a 1915 dated Canadian issue riggers/yachtsman knife that has one broken spring. Is the spring something that I can make from a piece of flat steel or must it be a special spring steel.
Also can any one direct me to a knife makers supply outlet , for items like pins, bolsters and handle stock for other projects for folders ? I am brand new to this sight and would like to thank you all for the wealth of information that i have gathered just from reading your posts.

welcome cappi. there are lots of suppliers on the web. jantz, texas knife maker's supply are two i have used. spring steel is just that, tempered to have the necessary memory to move fom and return to it's at rest position. if not tempered properly a flat steel spring might be too brittle and break. there are some very steel knowledgable guys here who can correct me or add content

A spring needs to be heat treated and tempered to a relatively low hardness to make spring steel (spring temper). If you lack the equipment to do this Texas Knifemaker's Supply has 302 stainless steel for springs in 3 sizes ($1.35 for a 1 foot section) on page 44 of their catalog. I do not know if it is on their web site. They carry pinstock, but if I remember right I bought mine from Jantz, I think the selection and prices were better.
Part #'s and sizes of Spring Steel from Texas Knife:
SM001 .088 wide x .062 thick x 12 inches long
SM002 .120 wide x .062 thick x 12 inches long
SM003 .170 wide x .062 thick x 12 inches long

Shop around for prices, I think Texas knife had better prices on sheet stock and some bar stock while Jantz was better pin stock prices as well as some other items I ordered lately.

I also enjoy working with Alpha Knife Supply http://www.alphaknifesupply.com They are always very pleasant to work with.

Welcome cappi.
Here are some links for suppliers:

Jantz- http://www.jantzsupply.com/

Texas Knife Makers Supply- http://www.texasknife.com/

K & G (Knife & Gun) Supply- http://www.knifeandgun.com/

I buy from each of them, as some things are less expensive at one than at another, or one carries something that the others don't.
All have been great folks to deal with including Alpha, whom Hukk mentioned.


Dale

to the site Cappi. Unless you are set on making your own spring, an alternative would be to replace it with one from a similar knife. A beat-up knife with a sound spring would not cost much. They appear on ebay every once in awhile. Just my 2p. s-k

I of course would like the repair material to match what was used originally. Looks to me to be regular carbon steel. If I am understanding correctly, ANY steel flat stock that I get from a supplier WILL have to be heat treated correctly. AS I recall there are some sticks/crayons that you can mark an item with and when it changes colors you quench . Is that an over simplification ?

cappi wrote:I of course would like the repair material to match what was used originally. Looks to me to be regular carbon steel. If I am understanding correctly, ANY steel flat stock that I get from a supplier WILL have to be heat treated correctly. AS I recall there are some sticks/crayons that you can mark an item with and when it changes colors you quench . Is that an over simplification ?

Quenching is cooling off by air, water, salt bath, oil and a couple other methods depending on the steel. There are some who can heat treat by using an oxy-acetylene torch and looking for the steel to turn a specific color, then quench in oil, commonly used for carbon steel.

I forgot to add that 5160, 1080, and O-1 are regarded as the best for beginners such as I to make springs. These are carbon steels.

What about 1095 for springs?

Dale

I have used L6 carbon tool steel with good success. I temper them to a purple or dark blue.

How did the springs turn out? I have the same problem with a Canadian Clasp Knife I have. Looking forward to getting this knife back together.
Mark