I don't think O-1 will make proper springs. It makes wonderful chisels and smaller knives, but I know that it is not favored for larger knives because it does not have enough springiness to keep the blade from snapping under heavy use. Knives and springs are tempered differently, of course, but O-1 has a fairly high carbon content (1.0 %) as well as added elements like chromium that make it unsuited for springs, I think. You might be able to make it work, but I suspect that it would be difficult. A better choice would be a steel like 1075 or 1095, which are classified as spring steels.