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Post by beaudro on Mar 3, 2008 10:37:20 GMT -5
I"m hoping to make a few authentic looking traps for my gear, in the past I have modified several modern ones , has anyone ever attempted this? I know there is a few good bladesmiths in here. First off I can't figure out where to get good spring steel. Here's a pic of what they should look like, these run about $250 bucks , they are handforged donelson i think.
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Post by metalbender on Mar 3, 2008 15:04:36 GMT -5
old crosscut saw blades are great for this, cut them to shape, bend where needed, heat to past magnetic ( ie at a certain heat steel becomes non magnetic) hold at that temp for a min or two, quench, polish up, place back on TOP of the fire, watch the color change to a dark blue ( like when your grinding metal and you can see the heat changing the color of the steel near where your grinding) and quench, that tempers them.
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Post by beaudro on Mar 3, 2008 16:16:10 GMT -5
well thats a good idea of useing cross cut sawblades. I can see tempering it the way your describing , that is the way I oil harden. I have a few magnets just laying around for that purpose, it does work well. I'm wondering however if the saw blades will be a little on the thin side, if they work well it will not matter to me. I have an old saw I think i can cut up , i'll try it. The other parts of the trap I think i can get away with using mild steel, at least for now until I get over the learning curve on this project. Thank you metal bender, thats the first good idea.
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Post by Cody ( The Patriot ) on Mar 3, 2008 18:52:13 GMT -5
Quench in water or oil? Ive been wanting to build some traps like that myself.
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Post by beaudro on Mar 3, 2008 19:26:19 GMT -5
cody I use oil, but there are good knifesmiths on here that might tell you something better. I have an oven at work to anneal in, but hardening I still use a magnet like metalbender spoke of. I really love annealing, it takes alot of work out of a job when I can soften it, file on it, then take it back to hardness. I went out in the rain and snow today and dug out my old saw blade, I need to put the math to this project now, but I think i might have this whooped thanks to the help i already got.
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