MOD CQD conversion - coil spring anyone?

[Ironman05]

I recently purchased a MOD CQD through an auction. Thought it was an auto, turns out it was manual. No problem. I'll have some fun with it. The handles were already milled to receive the spring. All I needed to do was drill the blade and grind it to lock the blade in the closed position. Done. Now comes the hard part. The center shank for the pivot screw has an OD of 1/2", so a 5/8" dia. spring is required or it will grab before the blade closes. I have scoured the internet like a mad man only to find that there are no 5/8" dia. springs. I even contacted Blackhawk Industries directly. That was useless. They won't sell or ship a spring. You have to send them the knife. I don't think so. I bought the button lock kit from knifekits.com, but it's 1/2" dia. too. That's OK, I'll find a use for it. If anyone can help me locate that 5/8" dia. spring, I will be eternally grateful. By now, it would have been cheaper to scrap my Frankenstein and just buy the auto. But now I'm on a mission. If you reply to this, that tells me that you know exactly what I mean. Thanks for allowing me to vent. I hope someone out there has the magic 8 ball of coil springs.
Marv