# How to "respring" metal?



## Mash (Dec 5, 2008)

Question for the metal gurus here, something that has bugged me for a LONGGGGG time:

How can one put the tension back into a piece of metal/steel, if you dont have room to move it past the tension point?
As an explanation, imagine a typical money clip. If the top part has been bent up too much, past its touching point, and now there is a gap, where the top part doesnt touch the base, and we can not push the top part down too far to retension it (since it contacts the base), how can we fix this? How was the springiness and the tension put in in the first place?

Weird way to descrie my question, but it was the best example I could think of, hope it makes sense!


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## Morelite (Dec 5, 2008)

You need to reshape the curve, can you provide a pic of the piece you need to correct?


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## Illum (Dec 5, 2008)

well...on knives the clip is usually removed and bent with a vice or pliers. 

I suppose you could try quick-griping the entirety of your money clip just below where the clip contacts the body then leaving it as such for a couple days, it really depends on what sort of metal is used in it


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## Mash (Dec 5, 2008)

Thanks for the replies!
I used the money clip as an example, since it was a recent thing.
Have alook here: http://www.asseenontvguys.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=184

I am sure you all know what it is, however, for me, the question is this: If i want to usually put the tension back in a piece, I bend it past its normal resting point, so when released the resting position will be where I want it. As mentioned above, with a belt clip, we can remove it, bend it, and voila!
However, if we look at the money clip pic, or if we imagine our beltclip on the knife was somehow not removable, we dont have the physical space, to bend the piece enough for it to regain its tension. Therefore my dilemma, about retensioning, and the question of how the thing was built in the first place with that tension? Is it a question of heat treating?


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## Tim Carleton (Dec 5, 2008)

thinking out loud here so bear with me.... would it be possible to put a dowel or rod slightly larger than the rolled up end on the other side of the gap causing the gap to get much larger, and then push back down on the bent part, restoring it to some form of tension on the end?


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## Lynx_Arc (Dec 5, 2008)

most likely when it was made the crease in the metal was put in with the thing flat (uncurled up on itself). Then it was put in a press and the curve was bent in it and pushed past the point it needed to be and sprung back to what it is. 
Two things you can do is put a dowel rod or something TALLER than the gap to the crease in it and then use pliers to put more curve in it and/or you could put the thing in a vice with the curved end in one jaw side and crank it to put the bend back harder in it.


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## Mash (Dec 6, 2008)

The clip I was playing with, was curved and didnt have the crease of my first example, it was more like this:

http://www.engravedgifts-online.com/index.php?cat=Gifts_For_Him



Lynx_Arc said:


> Then it was put in a press and the curve was bent in it and pushed past the point it needed to be and sprung back to what it is.



That is exactly my question, how do you bend the top part past the point it needs to be, since that path is blocked by the bottom part?


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## Lynx_Arc (Dec 6, 2008)

the idea is to bend part of it you don't want to change the opposite direction but not far enough for it not be able to spring back to where it was then take the part you want bent more the direction you need it bent so when you allow it to return it is bent more.


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## KowShak (Dec 6, 2008)

Would heat help? You could heat it with an oxy torch until it glows, then try to bend it.


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## Mash (Dec 6, 2008)

KowShak said:


> Would heat help? You could heat it with an oxy torch until it glows, then try to bend it.



Thats the whole problem, there is no room to bend it past the point it needs to be, look at the pictures!


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## KowShak (Dec 6, 2008)

Am I wrong in thinking that if you heat it until it glows you wouldn't have to bend it as far as you would cold?


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## PhotonFanatic (Dec 6, 2008)

If you had so much money stuffed into the money clip that you've ruined it, just buy another one, cheapskate. :devil:

Since that is a one-piece clip, your only hope is to follow the advice to put a dowel between the body and the clip and gently bend it back.


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## Mash (Dec 6, 2008)

;-)

Its not for saving the money clip!
The money clip just reminded me of this problem. And still we dont have an answer...


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## PhotonFanatic (Dec 6, 2008)

OK, then since we are dealing with theory now, instead of fixing a money clip bent out of shape, a little knowledge of stainless steel, whether it is magnetic or not, will help you plan your course of attack.

Try this for some light reading.


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## Mash (Dec 6, 2008)

Light reading indeed! Thank you PF!
There goes my hopes of an easy answer!


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## Lynx_Arc (Dec 6, 2008)

mail it to me and I will bend it back


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## Mash (Dec 6, 2008)

Forget the money clip as an object!!!!!! ;-) Especially since there is no money in it!
The question was a theoretical one, with the clips an example. The method is the goal here. 
To distract from the clip, lets use the other example: You have a knife with an unremovable belt clip that is now loose and not gripping tightly, how do you fix this? The dowel method? SOmeone got a youtube vid? ;-)


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## Lynx_Arc (Dec 6, 2008)

Mash said:


> Forget the money clip as an object!!!!!! ;-) Especially since there is no money in it!
> The question was a theoretical one, with the clips an example. The method is the goal here.
> To distract from the clip, lets use the other example: You have a knife with an unremovable belt clip that is now loose and not gripping tightly, how do you fix this? The dowel method? SOmeone got a youtube vid? ;-)


people gave you methods, you just don't seem to be able to figure out what they are talking about.


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## Mash (Dec 7, 2008)

True, I dont seem to ge it, thats why I asked for a vid!


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## LukeA (Dec 7, 2008)

KowShak said:


> Am I wrong in thinking that if you heat it until it glows you wouldn't have to bend it as far as you would cold?



This will ruin the temper.


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## Lynx_Arc (Dec 7, 2008)

put it in a vice and squeeze it till it bends shut then take it out and keep tightening it more till it is squeezed all the way shut.


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## Illum (Dec 7, 2008)

LukeA said:


> This will ruin the temper.



not to mention fissures if its heated/cooled unevenly...
if its too hot the spring might stick to the body...
Personally I do not recommend heating at all


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## KowShak (Dec 7, 2008)

LukeA said:


> This will ruin the temper.


 
That is the idea, some post bending heat treatment will be needed to restore a suitable temper to the metal if the original temper is lost.



Illum_the_nation said:


> not to mention fissures if its heated/cooled unevenly...
> if its too hot the spring might stick to the body...
> Personally I do not recommend heating at all


 
Metals are fairly good heat conductors and fairly ductile so I would not expect to see fissures forming from heating, nor would I expect to see pressure welding happening unless you actually melt the metal. 

How do you think the metal clip was given the temper it currently has?


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## LukeA (Dec 7, 2008)

KowShak said:


> That is the idea, some post bending heat treatment will be needed to restore a suitable temper to the metal if the original temper is lost.



That would be quite an ordeal if the clip can't be removed.


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## KowShak (Dec 8, 2008)

LukeA said:


> That would be quite an ordeal if the clip can't be removed.



If we were not talking about the money clip mentioned given as an example above, e.g. if we were talking about a non-removable clip on a torch, you couldn't get it glowing red without getting the torch body pretty hot, perhaps hot enough to melt the aluminium or in the very least the plastic bits inside. 

I think if the clip on a torch is removable, you probably don't need to use the heat on it, because you'll have room to bend it. On the other hand if it isn't removable, you may need the heat but can't use it. I think thats a lose lose situation.


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