Trigger Spring

[snrub47]

I am making a set of set triggers. Can I make the spring from a small file?? Don't have a very good selection of metal to work with, a band saw blade, but it's only a sixteenth thick, this small file is about 3/32nds. Going to try one or the other.  Thanks..............

[B.Barker]

Band saw blade would be too thin for the mainspring but would work for the front trigger. The file will work if its 1095 or similar steel but I prefer 1084 or 1070 myself. You will also need to heat treat the file if you use it because it is way to brittle in it's current state.

[rich pierce]

Do you have a real farm supply store nearby?  You can buy replacement springs for hay rakes cheaper than you can buy spring stock.  Files are much higher carbon and more finicky to harden and temper all the way to springiness.  You’d have to forge a hay rake spring out but can do so with propane and a couple fire bricks to hold the heat.  Unlikely to fail.

[Hungry Horse]

An old hand saw blade, or a industrial power hacksaw blade, works fine.

  Hungry Horse

[okieboy]

 A piece of 1080 spring steel 1/8" x 1" x 18" from Jantz Knife Supply is $5.95, Part Number XB0810. You can use it to make springs, knife blades and all sorts of things, you will know exactly what you are working with and can easily find out how to properly heat treat it for your project. My personal opinion is that I don't want to invest my time in making something with mystery material that may in the end not work properly.

[Bob Roller]

Looks like most have figured out the hard way to make a front trigger control spring.
I use annealed 1075 that is about .030 thick and one width is 1/2" and the other is 3/8".
The Hawken triggers use the 1/2" and the SMR and Ohio triggers use the 3/8.
My front trigger springs are done with a milling machine and are a hollow rectangle
that go along both sides of the two triggers.In the absence of a milling machine,this
material can be made into a one sided spring as is commonly found on muzzle loader
set triggers.Music wire can also be used.I go out of the way to make a redundant spring
that can still work even if one side cracks or fails entirely.Right now I am concentrating
on set triggers and am working as fast as I think is consistent with good quality work.

Bob Roller

[rich pierce]

Ahh, Bob, I thought he was asking about a mainspring.

[snrub47]

Thanks for all the good advise. What a great place to get the right answers. I have ordered the correct materials. Thanks again, Bill Burns