clay tempering a european sword blade

It is possible to clay temper a double edged sword blade? The blade is in 13'th century hand-and-a-half-sword style, and about one meter in lenght. The blade is made out of a old truck spring.
It looks a lot like this sword: http://www.albion-swords.com/images/swords/johnsson/svante1.jpg

Don Fogg does it all the time. Others too. Not necessarily the style you pictured here but double edge is do-able. I think the trick is in balancing the clay on both sides to avoid warpage.
GA
  Quoted Text Here  

Greyangel wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
Sure, it's doable, but why would you? If it's 5160, then zone temper isn't as effective as a deep harden and draw. I tried some clay mask on 5160; didn't get a hamon, more of a change in luster. The mask was only good for about five points, hardly worth the effort. Plain carbon steels are much more responsive to the clay mask, I think the chrome slows everything down too much to get the hard transition.
Charly

I dont think it is 5160 series steel. I think it is a plain carbon steel type. I live in Europe, so it is possible it is a eropean type steel.
It is possible for me to find some left overs from the spring the blade was forged, and see if it takes the clay tempering.
Do someone here know about someone that can clay temper the blade for me? And with some kind of guaranty? I am no blacksmith myself, so i am afrayd to destroy the blade. The smith that made the blade for me here in norway, does not have the time and know-how to do it.
I can send mesurements on the blade or pictures on request.
  Quoted Text Here  
is in
  Quoted Text Here  
lenght.
as
didn't get
  Quoted Text Here  
responsive
the

  Quoted Text Here  
It's a truck spring, so it's exceedingly likely that it is either 5160, or something very closely equivalent (but european) to 5160, since that works very well for truck springs, so virtually all truck and car leaf springs are made from it.

  Quoted Text Here  
Yep. What both "Cats..." and "C the B" has said. :) I read a book about this subject and it boils down to this...
The use of alloy steels (like 5160 or a hundred others that are similar, a full dozen that are common were discussed in detail) for automotive springs is all about getting the same-hardness all the way into the core of the spring so the whole thick-ass spring works together. Soft core (or soft jacket) is easy to visualize giving out first and the whole spring soon failing. See it now? :)
So none of them are your better steels for clay-mask work! :/ They are formulated for just the opposite reasons. :) (axle shafts same thing) Which you might figure out a good use for those properities and be glad "they are that way"? :)
I read where railroad car springs might be plain 1075 but I wouldn't believe it unless I had some spectrographed. Careful spark testing (in the dark) might do it "good-nuff" tho?
Alvin in AZ

Hveem wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
Guarantee??? You want it when? Clay mask is a crapshoot. It either works or it doesn't. There are so many variables involved that guarantees are right out. If you want reliable results, forget clay and go with the standard quench and draw. For that, all you need to find is a spring fabrication company and enough cash to convince them to do it.
Charly