I need to make a few small bent parts from thin steel sheet and I am not sure what material would be the easiest to work with.

The parts are fairly simple, but I would like to avoid cracking at the bends and keep the shape reasonably consistent. I can cut the blanks myself and use a small press brake or a simple forming tool.

Would mild steel be the obvious choice, or would something like tinplate be suitable for this kind of job?

I am also unsure how much the sheet thickness and temper affect the result. I have noticed that some thin sheets bend quite easily, while others spring back more than expected or crack near the edge.

For a small workshop project, what would you normally look for when choosing the material?

Would you recommend making a few test bends first, or is there a simple way to estimate the bend radius and springback before making the tool?