[TheForge] Temper or Harden steel

[Lynn Emrich]

That depends on the type of steel. Unless you have something with enough carbon (the only type I can buy around here) it is low carbon and can't be hardened. If you use something like a car spring you can forge it out, harden, and temper. That is easy enough for want.
After forging take a good red heat and air cool a couple of times. This will release some of the stresses from forging. Then heat until a magnet won't stick, plus a little, and cool in hot (140 or so) oil. Any kind of oil will work but I use ATF. You only have a few seconds to go from the forge to the oil. Then temper at about 350 in an oven. Any oven will work but if you use your wife's stove clean the oil very well. Don't ask me why!
I didn't say but I would make several because if the first one breaks you can try a higher temper.
Just what I do,
Lynn


--- On Fri, 7/31/09, Dave Kammer <tinman36 at yahoo.com> wrote:


> I was looking for some advice on how to harden a small
> piece of steel. I have an old shotgun with a broken hammer
> spring, Parts for this old gun are unavailable, so I was
> able to make a duplicate but it is too soft of steel. It
> needs to spring back and forth. The piece I made just bends
> when put under pressure. Can some sort of heat treatment or
> hardening make it become more spring-like? I couldn't figure
> out how to post a question on "The Forge" Forum so I thought
> I could send my question to a couple other subscribers.
> Thanks for any help you can provide. 
> Dave tinman36 at yahoo.com