Looking for "flexible" metal!!!?

Question

I need some kind of a flexible, springy metal. I need it to kind of act like a carabiner (rock climbing lock), in the way that it snaps back into place after being bent. Right now I just buy a flat piece of sheet metal at Lowes that is used for welding. I then cut the small pieces that I need. The thing is the metal bends but it doesn't bend back into place. So I am looking for some kind of a sheet metal that I can cut out pieces and those pieces bend fairly easy but then they snap back into shape. What kind of metal am I looking for and where can I find it? Thanks

Answer 1

I don't think a carabiner is a single piece of metal that springs; it has a spring in it. You want a strong metal that will hold your weight.

Answer 2

what are you making

and if you need it to act like a carabiner why not buy a carabiner

good luck

Answer 3

Why not try a search for spring steel?

Answer 4

Get a piece of 6 x 37 construction High grade plow steel wire rope of small diameter and cut it to the length you need. you may also use a 6x19 construction High grade plow steel wire rope but this is not as flexible as the 6x37. If you need some flat pieces at the ends them attach them to the wire rope using suitable zinc poured or swedge fittings.

Answer 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shape_memor...

Try this, especially the section Pseudo-elasticity. You can probably find a place that sells it on the web. But the ones I checked out were expensive.

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Who gave a thumbs down?? Curious as to why.

Answer 6

Try a titanium-nickel alloy

Answer 7

...and im looking for UFOs

Answer 8

go onto ebay

Answer 9

I dont know what a carabiner is but I think your looking for spring steel. You can find it at mcmaster carr.

If you want a bit to try out just open up and old tape measure or some such device that contains thin flat springs.

The standard sheet metal you have now will not spring back much but spring steel will.

Answer 10

Once you push a metal past its yield point it will be permanently deformed. A lot depends on shape and the amount of bending you want to do. As a rule, a thinner metal shape (like a strip) will allow more bending. Several of these strips together (like a leaf spring) is a good combination, but they have to be free to slide relative to each other as they bend.