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Value of Blacksmithing tools just bought


Guest Ser Menalak

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Guest Ser Menalak

Hello all, I just bought some used tongs and hammers as I am beginning to get into blacksmithing. I didn't go out of my way to find these but a guy said he had some so I said I'd take a look. I have attached a picture of them. I only picked the tongs that had good joints, lockup and didnt seem bent. The hamemers I bought are securely fastened to the handles. I know I went to an antique fair and bought good pair of flat tongs for 15 bucks so I sort of went off that. I really don't know if I got a good price or not. I payed $80 for them, there is 8 tools. Could you guys let me know what you think? Thanks

post-55619-0-76595000-1406241653_thumb.j

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Well I'd say you did OK. Some farriers' tools there?? That light cross pein looks very useful. They seem quite rare, at least here. There would be a hundred ball peins for every cross pein hammer you see for sale.
Now, let's see what you can do with them.

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Honestly, looking at them I only see one true smithing hammer.  The one on the far left is a body hammer, not heavy enough for smithing.  The second from the right is interesting, I could use it.  Of the tongs the top are the most interesting.  The other two are more farriers type tools.  With tools it all depends on what you intent to use them for.  I wouldn't use any but the two large hammers and possibly the large tongs.  I would pass on them at $20.  Experience dictates you needs.  Don't get discouraged.  Find an experienced smith that will let you visit his shop.  Ask what his favorite tools are.  Follow his lead and get stuff that he uses.  Good luck.

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Really depends on where you are, if your happy its an OK deal;-). Thomas powers would of course be able to find the same thing for 8$ and buy an anvil from the same guy for a $ a #, but Thomas has a sick sense about that sort of thing that I know is truly rare.;-)

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I've seen worse and I've used worse. Its all in what you make of it and from it. Not to be cliche, but the only value is really what you feel they're worth because of their usefulness to you. Some I guarantee you'll never touch again for years if ever and one of those hammers might get rehandled and be with you for life. Just never know. Welcome to the club, now make something and show us!  :)

J

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Guest Ser Menalak

Well I'd say you did OK. Some farriers' tools there?? That light cross pein looks very useful. They seem quite rare, at least here. There would be a hundred ball peins for every cross pein hammer you see for sale.
Now, let's see what you can do with them.

 

 

Honestly, looking at them I only see one true smithing hammer.  The one on the far left is a body hammer, not heavy enough for smithing.  The second from the right is interesting, I could use it.  Of the tongs the top are the most interesting.  The other two are more farriers type tools.  With tools it all depends on what you intent to use them for.  I wouldn't use any but the two large hammers and possibly the large tongs.  I would pass on them at $20.  Experience dictates you needs.  Don't get discouraged.  Find an experienced smith that will let you visit his shop.  Ask what his favorite tools are.  Follow his lead and get stuff that he uses.  Good luck.

 

 

Really depends on where you are, if your happy its an OK deal;-). Thomas powers would of course be able to find the same thing for 8$ and buy an anvil from the same guy for a $ a #, but Thomas has a sick sense about that sort of thing that I know is truly rare.;-)

 

 

I've seen worse and I've used worse. Its all in what you make of it and from it. Not to be cliche, but the only value is really what you feel they're worth because of their usefulness to you. Some I guarantee you'll never touch again for years if ever and one of those hammers might get rehandled and be with you for life. Just never know. Welcome to the club, now make something and show us!  :)

J

 

Thanks all for the replies. The first blacksmithing I did was taking a 3 hour class at a local smiths. I made an S hook with whirls on the ends and then twisted in the center. I liked it so wanted to move on.  I have built my forge already and tested it on a file and it gets it plenty hot I think. I have a railroad track anvil i got at Brimfield Faire. It has a nice steel plate welded on to the top and a horn. Laslty, I bought a new cross pein (2.5lbs) from peddinghaus. My first project I want to do is make tongs from rebar. However, after you all replied I realized the two things are not tongs but nippers. I saw online you CAN forge these from nippers into regular tongs. Do you think this would be a fine place to start or should I keep them as they are? It should be noted I have no use for nippers unless they pertain to blacksmithing and not farriering :P

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You didn't do too bad for your $80, almost every peice of metal you can get your hands on can find itself a use in a smithy (as my flea market buddies roll their eyes)

 

Nippers can be modified into a specific tong to hold the head of a RR spike.post-182-0-96971400-1406244029_thumb.jpg

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The fourth hammer from the left is actually a very good score; though it is made for working stone it is a very good straight pein in what looks like a decent weight. Of course the second hammer is a "blacksmiths" hammer", a cross pein also of a decent size. The third is a coblber's (shoe maker).

The first is an autobody hammer, an expensive model in fact, and will be handy for small sheetmetal work which you may do. 

Lastly is the ball pein, most certainly a blacksmith's hammer, of which one should have a wide and varied assortment. 

 

The tongs are unusual but have plenty of meat to shape into whatever you need. The nippers may have more value to one who would use them, perhaps you could trade them for some tongs, if not, they certainly make excellent tong stock. 

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I find that the stone working hammer is much too "sharp"  on the straight peen end.  My favorite straight peen looks like it has a piece of 1" round stock welded to it.

 

Yes nippers make good tongs, remove the pivot rivet and forge the ends down to the shape required. (personally I don't work RR spikes very often at all so I would forge them into knife making tongs...and as mentioned DON'T QUENCH THEM!)

 

4th from the left bottom row is a cobblers hammer the two I have had come through the shop were cast iron and broke under smithing use---trading stock?

 

Ball peens are always useful as forging stock for hawks if nothing else.  The are on my *buy* list whenever I can find them for US$1 or lower, I'm on my third bucket of them right now...huge ones I'll go to $2 on...

 

I often find garage sales and scrapyards a more cost effective place to acquire tools; though being well tooled up gives me a lot more latitude to await the cheap ones.  My "sick sense" (thanks Shane!)  Mainly involves budgeting time to hunt down stuff---I bill it against entertainment--and being able to recognize oddball places to find such items and being able to recognize a smithing item 99% covered by rusty junk and being willing to dig for it and being willing to toss it back on the pile if they want too much for it.  (got my local scrapyard trained that I'll toss stuff back on the pile with a smile if they try to gouge me on the price; but will pay without a quibble a decent price and generally round up the bill to the nearest dollar so we don't have to deal with change.)

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