How to weaken a spring...??

[Bigmon]

Doing a patchbox repair and need to make a small short flat spring.
I have somehow managed to make what seems to be the perfect size and it even fits.
But it is just too strong.  I have tried heating it red hot and letting it cool, but just too stiff.
It is only about an inch or so long by 3/16" wide and 1/32"+ in thickness.
I could thin it a little but not by much??
Maybe its just too tuff of spring steel?
But I'd love to hear some ideas??
Thanks

[rich pierce]

Reducing thickness by 25% reduces strength by about 44%.  Any structural element that is short is hard to bend.

[P.W.Berkuta]

With the spring that you have it will be the "file a little - try - file a little" method. You can hunt around for that banding stuff that they use to strap down stuff on pallets. That makes a fine little low strength spring also.

[smylee grouch]

I would use a flat diamond stone and stroke it length ways.

[westbj2]

If you cant file the spring, it is not heat treated correctly.  You should be able to readily file a good spring.  For longevity, the spring needs to taper in both width and thickness.  File and try.....file and try.....
Jim

[James Wilson Everett]

The only way to change the strength of a spring is by changing the shape or thickness of the spring.  Heat treatment will not change the strength of the spring, as you have discovered.  Try the file-n-fit, file-n-fit, file-n-fit process as suggested above.

Jim

[Bob Roller]

The only way to change the strength of a spring is by changing the shape or thickness of the spring.  Heat treatment will not change the strength of the spring, as you have discovered.  Try the file-n-fit, file-n-fit, file-n-fit process as suggested above.

Jim

Long and limber, NOT short and stiff is the way. I won't waste time on a spring like you described.

Bob Roller

[Bigmon]

thanks  to all.
I have a nice fit of everything now, just need to make it a little easier to function.
And trying to make it look good.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

...and perhaps you are trying to make the spring move too far.  A very short action on a short stiff spring will do the job too.