Hi Gerben, I have heard of the use of lead for drawing back spring that have been quenched, I use Nitre blue salts for the drawing process blue. Using formed annealed high carbon steel, 1075 or 1095, I first heat the part up with a torch to a bright orange and quench it in water. Some put a layer of oil on the water to reduce the shock, but I find water alone, at room temp, works fine. Once that is accomplished, I then polish the part totally with a fine Dremel buff and suspend it from a thin piece of wire. I have a small Lee lead pot that I use to bring the Nitre salts up to 600 degrees and I suspend the part with the wire bent over the edge to hold it true. I check every minute or so to see the color change and be Johnny on the spot when it reaches blue! It goes thru yellow, brown, violet, and light blue before it gets to blue, or even dark blue?I like purple and can't stand to go any further! I shine a small hign intensity flashlight on it to verify color. Once out of the pot and cooled, just use your thumbnail to remove and remaining salts that are still on the part, and wipe down with oil... That's it! You just made a spring! Best to all, til......lat'r.....GT...
