A spring in a very old lock (perhaps 150 years old) has broken. I managed to dis-assemble the lock, and found the broken spring - a flat U-shaped spring with arms about 6cm long. I'm wondering how I can get a replacement for this? Is it by chance a standard piece? the spring turns around a splindle.
The lock is in a very large partition door (about 12ft tall). The actual lock is not used - just the catch, to keep the door closed.
Any suggestions gratefully received.
Try and get your hands on some of that steel banding that you sometimes see hold strips of metal together for delivery.
You will have to make the U shape by bending it round a suitable drill, or it will snap. I retains quite a good spring quality, but it may well snap if pushed too far.
HTH
Dave
Not a cat in hell's chance.
There are plenty of flat spring manufacturers who may have something similar as a stock item which you can adapt. Google for "flat spring". You may also be able to adapt a normal round wire torsion spring and you should find a much wider range of those as stock items.
A good locksmith can probably get one made for you, if you take the broken bits in. Otherwise, try a spring maker. It needs to be shaped from the right type of material and properly heat treated after shaping if it is both to work the lock satisfactorily and to survive the repeated flexing that involves.
It is quite possible that it wasn't even a standard item when it was first made. For a 12ft door, it seems likely that the lock was a special.
Colin Bignell
If you are fairly handy and have a reasonable workshop you could make one yourself. Plenty of info on the web. You need a bit of spring steel (high carbon), the means to soften it, tools to shape it, and the means to harden and temper it.
Try posting in uk.rec.models.engineering, someone might offer to make you one for beer tokens!
Thanks, that is probably what I shall do. I do indeed have the two broken parts.
It seems to be beautifully made.
I'll try that, thanks!
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