Anybody have a a suitable, tiny V-spring lying around?

[FrankenMauser]

I need a cylinder pin catch spring for an Iver Johnson 1900 Double Action (.22).
It is a very small flat V-spring.

So far, I have been unable to locate a replacement or a suitable substitute.
Three attempts at modifying springs on hand just resulted in broken springs.
I was willing to give a coil spring a shot, but can't find anything small enough.
All 'general purpose'/'gunsmith assortment' type spring kits that I've looked at don't have good options for this spring.

So...
Do any of you have something suitable in your parts boxes?


Particulars:
No idea on spring weight required. Probably just a few ounces.
Compressed thickness less than 0.040".
Width: 0.085" max, 0.065" originally.
Length: 0.250" max, ~0.215" originally.


Since photos seem to always help (as simple as a V-spring is), here's a rendering of the spring, and a photo of the catch that retains the spring in the notch on the left side...

(Not necessarily to scale - I eyeballed the dimensions for the rendering.)

Just as a point of reference for scale, I could fit two of those catches on my thumbnail. It's a very small spring.

 

[Chaz88]

If you have an acetylene torch you could anneal the spring you want to modify then heat treat it after modification.

If you were close to me and I could see the original parts I am fairly confident I could replicate it.

 

[tangolima]

I was making a flat spring last night. If you can specify the dimensions in your rendering, I probably can make you a few to try on. No charge, but you pay shipping and make a free-will donation to a charity of your choosing.

-TL

 

[FrankenMauser]

That would be great, if you're willing.

About all I know about the spring is what's listed above.
But if you want some dimensions to shoot for or just think about:
Length (shaped): ~0.225"
Width: ~0.075"
Material thickness: ~0.014"
Folded end no taller than 0.050"
Height at tips of legs: ~0.150-0.180"

The shape of the leg that's rendered with a bend in it shouldn't be critical, as long as it acts as a spring. I think that's probably the critical factor that caused my attempts to fail: my springs were flexing the fold, rather than the 'bent' leg.

 

[tangolima]

Your last paragraph is critical. You don't want the fold to flex at all; only the bend in the upper lag flexes.

This is tricky. I will have to leave the fold hardened and only temper the upper (bent) leg.

Do I understand correctly?

I will make a some more springs for myself soon. Will try to do yours while I am on it. The thickness of the stock may vary, but I will use the closest to 0.014".

-TL

 

[FrankenMauser]

I'm grateful for the help.
Do whatever works for you, or you think is best. I don't have enough experience to be giving advice on, or making requests in regards to tempering.

 

[Hunter Customs]

Your last paragraph is critical. You don't want the fold to flex at all; only the bend in the upper lag flexes.

With all do respect I'm not sure the statement above would be what you want.
It appears to me the spring tempered correctly would be better to flex at the radius bend in the spring then at the sharp crease in the bend of the upper leg.
Just my thoughts, I may be wrong.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter

 

[tangolima]

Oh, my bad. It was meant to be a question to op. But I didn't put a question mark in the sentence. It should be read

"Your last paragraph is critical. You don't want the fold to flex at all; only the bend in the upper lag flexes?"

I ask because op stated

"The shape of the leg that's rendered with a bend in it shouldn't be critical, as long as it acts as a spring. I think that's probably the critical factor that caused my attempts to fail: my springs were flexing the fold, rather than the 'bent' leg."

If the spring is tempered everywhere, it will flex both at the fold and the bend. But he sounded not wanting to have any flex the the fold. The only I can do is to leave the fold hardened.

Thanks for pointing it out.

So op, is it really what you want? Flexing at the bent leg only?

-TL

 

[T. O'Heir]

Extractor spring for a Lee-Enfield is that shape.
$2.35 will buy the IJ spring from Gunparts though. Mind you, their exploded drawing part numbers don't exactly match the parts list numbers.

 

[FrankenMauser]

So op, is it really what you want? Flexing at the bent leg only?

I'll take anything that works.

It would probably be difficult to temper just the leg(s), anyway, given the tiny size of the part.



---

Thanks, T.O'Heir. But the LE extractor springs looks to be too large -- enough so that it likely wouldn't be a suitable candidate for modification.

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

Another route is to bend a piece of spring wire into a U, then bend that over, (both legs), at the middle, making a V. I have seen this done, when replacing old flat V springs. You will have an open end at one end, but it might work for this.

 

[tangolima]

I can do that too. The problem with wire springs of this sort that it requires something to "trap" the legs in place.

-TL

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[FrankenMauser]

If you don't want to mess with it, don't worry about it any more.

Yesterday, I actually managed to get a 0.020" music wire spring bent to work.

It may have a short life, but it's getting the job done for now and the revolver is not likely to see much use (pre-1909, so not rated for smokeless cartridges).


It was a beast to bend, due to the spring being smaller than the jaws of most of my pliers; and an even bigger pain to keep it oriented and placed correctly for installation; so I do not have a photo.

Here's a rough computer rendering of the basic shape:
It's not obvious in the image, but the hooks on the ends of the legs are offset so they don't stack when compressed.

And the assembled IJ 1900 DA (probably the best condition I've seen):

 

[tangolima]

No problem. Let me know if you need help. I need to make springs from time to time.

If you want to do it yourself next time, you may consider annealing the steel before bending. When everything is fitted, then harden and temper.

Good luck!

-TL

 

[James K]

If that spring fails after a while, you might try winding a coil spring from music wire if you can't find one small enough. You wind the spring on a small mandrel, then cut a suitable size slot in the cylinder pin release to hold it. I have made and fitted a bunch of those springs that way. Once replaced by a coil spring, they give no more trouble.

Jim

 

[FrankenMauser]

Thanks again for the help and discussion, everyone.

 

[hooligan1]

Mauser ejector spring could be modified, and Nuhmrich probably has them.