5160 Spring Steel contains basically 0.6% of Carbon; that gives it the major characteristics of 1060 Carbon Steel. It is an alloy of Chromium with a small percentage of Silicon. Actually, Chromium is present at 0.7% and Silicon at 0.2%. The Chromium percentage is not enough to make the Spring Steel stainless, but it is enough to make the 5160 more resistant and more durable than the 1060 Carbon steel.
This Spring Steel type is very tough and commonly used to make very solid parts of machinery. It is characterized by a very high tensile strength. 5160 Spring Steel has the property of keeping the edge's shapes as they are for a long time even if they are exposed to great corrosive and abrasive efforts. The Carbon tenor within this Chromium alloy should make the heat treatment a delicate process. Actually, heat treatment does not influence so much the chemical composition but it influences and modifies the physical properties. Thus, the final properties acquired by the 5160 Spring Steel are a function of the applied heat treatment. This Heat treatment resistance is the result of the several elements that form the alloy.
5160 Spring Steel is appreciated for making Swords. Actually, many swords makers and smiths prefer that material though it is hard to forge. 5160 Spring Steel katanas are real pieces of art. The little amount of Silicone that contains the 5160 Spring Steel is enough to allow the production of very tough Swords.
5160 Spring Steel Katanas are really hard and are suited for very frequent Tatami roll; they are also referred for regular backyard cutting. As all Spring Steel, these swords inherit the resistance to bending efforts and can regain their initial shapes after being bent. The hardness of the material is one factor that makes forging Katanas for sale from 5160 Spring Steel hard and delicate process. It is recommended that the process is conducted at temperatures near 2200 F (1024 C) and above 1600 F (871 C)
The hardness of the 5160 spring steel katana can be increased by properly heating and quenching the blade in oil. This operation has to be conducted by professionals especially when it is done in the traditional way.
The Edge is really very sharp and can keep its sharpness for a long time even after repetitive and tough sessions of cutting and exposure to relatively hard material. Due to the extreme resistance to shocks, the edge does not need to be hardened and 5160 Spring Steel Katanas are usually mono steel swords. If there is a need to distinguish a particular Hamon, the swordsmith can use some other Steel Type to fold with the initial material and create the desired Hamon aspect.
The pieces to mount on the blade to form the final 5160 Spring Steel Katanas are to choose carefully; they need to be resistant to shocks and can support a blade with excellent tensile yield, shock absorption and with excellent hardness. The resistance of the blade to metal fatigue implicates that the pieces to mount have to be made of durable and well-designed material. Mainly, Tsuba and Tsuka have to be very resistant and can overcome frequent hard shocks resulting from cut sessions. The blade is preferably to be Full Tang to counterbalance the high tensile strength of the blade.
Clay tempering process and quenching sessions has no major effects on the creation of the famous curve of the blade. Due to the extreme hardness of the Spring Steel and the difficulty to recover any mistake while forging, it is better to define the curve before proceeding to harden the blade and before Clay tempering it. Differential hardening does increase the durability of the edge and keeps the spine softer.