[Shop-talk] weakening a spring

[Ron Horwitz]

Have a project that requires something like a
clothespin to hold two delicate pieces of fabric
together.  I'd like to weaken the spring on the
clothespin a bit.  I know that I can just force the
jaws open for a couple of days and that will help
some.  I can disassemble and bend the spring a bit,
but that seems to be fairly irreproducible, and I need
four that are fairly similar in clamp strength.  Will
heat lower the spring constant?  Do I heat with the
jaws closed or open?  Any other thoughts?

Thanks,
Ron