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How do you make a spring?

victorj19
Is it possible to make a spring?

I have a small antique spur trigger single shot pistol that is missing the trigger spring and has a broken mainspring. This is a very odd 22 short and there's no name on it.

The trigger spring needed appears to be a simple thin rectangular flat spring which I can likely file down a spring to fit.

The mainspring apprears to be made of iron or cheap steel and looks like it was made of square stock with a rough surface except where it touches the hammer. I can, with a lot of work, heat, bend, grind, etc. a piece of metal to the same shape and size. What I need to know is what type of material I should start with and, when ready, how to heat it to become a spring.

Appreciate any help you can provide.

Jim
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Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • ern98
    If you can locate, possibly in a used book store or online, a copy of "Machinery's Handbook" it would give you a fairly decent description of the process. On the other hand you could probably just buy a couple of flat springs from similar sized handguns and rework them to need. Gunparts Corp and their online exploded diagrams would be the place to start that way.
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  • Bill DeShivs
    I'll start a new thread to answer this question.
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  • Ned Fall
    And try contacting Brownells Inc. Not only do they have books on making springs but they also sell spring stock.
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  • rhmc24
    For small spur triggers I use tiny coil springs. Just drill a suitable hole behind the trigger for it. Cigarette lighters have suitable springs that push the flint.

    Tempering main springs is simple and foolproof. You need to do some prep work before. Make a little pan cutting off about half inch of food can then beat it as flat as possible to distribute your tempering oil. Buy a quart of cheapest SAE 30 motor oil to quench it in, put in an open container. To temper a mainspring, heat it red and quench it. Then put about half a teaspoon of oil in your little pan. Put your now hard spring in it and heat it from below, let it catch fire and burn off the oil. Let it cool, clean it up a little and install it.

    For spring material I have used old carbon steel kitchen knives, old carpenter saws, old files, etc. You have to heat red and let cool so you can easily saw and file it. Make all your final file marks on your spring run lengthwise because because if crosswise of the finished spring that promotes breakage.

    Above all, get some experience by shaping and tempering a few pieces of your steel before making your final spring. Lots of smoke - use common sense fire protection, ventilation, heat distribution tempering your spring. I have made hundreds of springs this way.
    You can contact me thru 'profile' if you need more info.
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  • beantownshootah
    If you'd like a more visual instruction, I think there is an entire AGI video on making springs, though I haven't personally watched it and can't attest to its quality or relevance here.

    The few AGI vids I've seen have been pretty good, though the instruction is definitely geared more towards the inexperienced (I guess figuring pros aren't going to be learning this stuff from home videoes).
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  • RichardC
    Posted are some good suggestions. If you have the pieces of the old spring you are in good shape. You know not to get the spring too hot when shaping and fitting or you'll have tention lost. If you can post pictures of your progress that would be good to see.
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  • victorj19
    Thanks guys. You at least got me started on my journey.

    Jim
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  • cbxjeff
    McMaster-Carr sell a variety of springs and spring steel.
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