Studebaker leaf spring

Raymond Richard

Raymond Richard

Forum Owner & Moderator
Finished this one up yesterday. It had been pretty much done for the better part of a year. I'd done a mustard patina on it but just didn't care for it so I decided to rub out the blade and I like it much better. I'd picked up a few racks of 1932 Studebaker leaf springs several years ago. Wasn't to impressed with the hardness at the time but do believe it gained hardness after sitting for a year after heat treat. 5" blade and 10" over all. Pretty sure the crown was from a white tail deer. Wagon wheel was used for the fittings.
 

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Not many people can say they have a knife made with a leaf spring from a 32 Studebaker..That fact alone makes this knife cool. And it looks good too. Nice work Raymond. But the sheath looks more like a work glove, might want to do something about that. :)
 
Very nice looking knife there. I like the wrought iron fittings and the clean blade. The handle looks a little dark for white tail, did you dye it?
 
Thanks everyone for the kind words!

Very seldom will I not dye antler. This piece had so much texture it would be very uncomfortable to use if I didn't remove some of it. I just like the looks of the antler when it is darkened.

I need to see if I can get into the sheath making mode now.
 
Gary Miller said:
Studebaker springs, that was Rudy Runa's favorite steel. great looking knife.
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Gary, When I went to get these leaf springs my mind was set that they would be 9260 but after I did my first few test I discovered this was not what I was hoping for. 1932 was the middle of the great depression and I'm sure they used what ever they had for spring stock. I should have known better when I noticed several of the leafs were broken. I did contact the fellow I'd gotten the springs from with the hopes he would want the knife but I am sure the price I offered him was more than he expected. I've used bits and piece of Studebaker spring over the years and it was good steel but really not much difference from 5160.
 
You sure haven't lost your touch, Raymond. Your work is always so elegant!

Be careful with your arm. :(
 
Stormcrow said:
You sure haven't lost your touch, Raymond. Your work is always so elegant!

Be careful with your arm. :(
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Is this the Knife Forum Division? :biggrin:

Its funny about not losing my touch. It just seems to happen on its own. None of my knives are planned except if I am doing an order and then I tell the customer it will be similar. I'll do the blade as close as possible but very seldom will I make a pattern. Everything is still done eyeball close. I do appreciate your comment!
 
i really think that your right the used what they had. the only true piece of studebaker steel i ever used was a peice of wagon seat spring off a old farm wagon the wagon. the wagon had a studebaker plaque on it. but they made wagons till the 1920's . and it worked just like 5160. but we all have our go to steels mine are 5160 and L6 .
 
Gary Miller said:
i really think that your right the used what they had. the only true piece of studebaker steel i ever used was a peice of wagon seat spring off a old farm wagon the wagon. the wagon had a studebaker plaque on it. but they made wagons till the 1920's . and it worked just like 5160. but we all have our go to steels mine are 5160 and L6 .
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I never realized Studebaker made wagons but that really does makes sense. I picked up a rack of buggy springs after a Montana knife show almost 10 years ago. I believe the springs were used to cushion the drivers seat. It must have been 15 years ago I'd bought some new 9260 steel at a OKCA show and I believe it was Kelly Couples that sold it. That was the only time I had seen if offered new.
 
Bob, still looking for your, I've got a engineer/mechanic check it out for me. But he thought that the 9260 was also used by Cadillac and may still be but although more later. Yes Studebaker mmade

wagons for a long time before they ever started into cars and tractors. tractors are rare.but the seat spring that I used was a flat leaf spring and it did hold up the wood seat levers, one on each end of the seat. Matt as much travel is a thing would've had at would've been a bumpy ride. Anyway, I'll keep my eye out for hear anything let you know. Just keep on found it man watches wrists will talk to you later. Gary
 
Your work has always been an inspiration to me, and this one is no different. Beautiful!

On the subject of springs, I have a set of wagon/buggy seat springs that I got from an Amish buggy maker in central Kentucky a few years ago. I imagine that he buys them new from somewhere, but I really don't know. This set had the longest leaf broken through right before the eye, and he just gave the set to me when I asked about them. I'm saving them for just the right whitetail shed to come along.
 
Todd Robbins said:
Your work has always been an inspiration to me, and this one is no different. Beautiful!

On the subject of springs, I have a set of wagon/buggy seat springs that I got from an Amish buggy maker in central Kentucky a few years ago. I imagine that he buys them new from somewhere, but I really don't know. This set had the longest leaf broken through right before the eye, and he just gave the set to me when I asked about them. I'm saving them for just the right whitetail shed to come along.
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I would think that the spring you have is 5160 if its fairly new. I picked up a whole rack of buggy springs while in Montana in 2007 that were quite old. I'm guessing the springs were most likely 10 series and and probably 1050.

I sharped the blade today from the 32 Studebaker leaf spring. I can't do any heavy duty testing anymore but it did take a nice edge and actually cut pretty good. Not sure if I mentioned that the blade sat for at least 3 years and to me it seemed to get harder over time.
 
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