brands of leaf spring

[Mason Simonet 54]

hey guys.

does anyone know what car brands make the good leaf springs? i found out mine that I'm currently cutting off of is a ford leaf spring and its pretty big so i think its from one of their trucks.

thanks.

[Brian Myers 134]

Probably 5160 or in the 1080's someplace. That's what they USED to be, but companies try to cut corners every other Tuesday. Mystery steel is always a gamble. BUT, with that being said, cut out a few pieces and experiment. Try air hardening, oil and water hardening. Snap the blanks and look at the grain structure. Then take the best one, I'm betting it'll be oil, and try a few tests with temper, going from 350 to 450 to see what gives the best temper. Then you'll have at least a reasonable basis for making stuff. 

[Jerrod Miller 565]

What Brian said, but in general you can assume leaf springs are 5160 (since most are) and gear your tests with that assumption.  Personally, I would make a demo piece assuming it was 5160, and test it out.  If it performs well, then you know the process works, and who cares if it isn't really 5160?  

[Mason Simonet 54]

I've already made a couple knives out of it and they seem good with what I'm doing, they are about as hard as my mora knife which is pretty soft but people seem to like them so whatever. what I'm really trying to find out is what brands to look for in the future, but i guess its all mystery steel.

[Joshua States 2,305]

I did some research on Ford springs. The company claims to have used either 5160 or 1095 into the early 2000's. Sometimes they stamped the steel type in the end under the Ford logo. I have a set of Ford leaf springs with 5160 stamped in them.

I also read a story about a knifemaker in the South Pacific who used Jeep leaf springs exclusively.

Edited February 24, 2017 by Joshua States