Tongs

These appeared on my doorstep today. Neighbour a few miles away cleaning his shed. I cannot figure what the ones each side of the nippers are. Left one seems to be some sort of wire cutter. Not very efficient by the look of it. They open and close smoothly. The roundish ones on the right are maybe for shaping a round end? Someone said they are farrier's tools. Anyway, nice that people drop things like this off.

Made some tongs today in class at the tonapah mining park. They are bolt tongs with a different bend on the jaws. The idea is when your upsetting or hammering back on them they won't want to open up.

The tongs came up on another thread recently, so I went to the shop and got them out. (seldom) Dick Renker is visiting the forge right now.

Hello everyone. I'm Branden. I was born, raised, and live in central Kansas. I just built a brake rotor forge last week as my starter forge. I'm a pure greenhorn when it comes to smithing. The only other metalwork I have done is 10 years experience as a welder, and 5 years experience with soldering copper and brass. My very first forging project was this set of tongs I was trying to make out of some 1/2" round stock from the iron bin here at work. As far as I know, it should be mild steel. I'm not aware of any high carbon alloys here at our shop. The problem I ran into is that after shaping and working the steel, all was going well until it…

https://youtu.be/CfRUT53L6hw Title pretty much says it all.. I changed plans mid stream which I know better to do as it can be more time consuming than just starting over.

Is there a spring steel that is quenchable in water? I looking for a new steel that I can quench in water a get the qualities of a spring. I plan to make tongs with this steel and I often cool my tongs with water so that is why I want the steel to be water quenchable. I know that I could just make them out of mild steel but I don't want the smallest part at the tips to bend because I'm going to make them really thin.

My first tongs, the short ones are made from 15mm rebar and the long ones from 10mm round and square stock steel.

I started working on some tongs. I am trying to fallow the Dempsey twist from the Anvilfire site. Can you tell which one was the second one? I learned some things today. Hot steel is easier to work, I need a fuller! The edge of the anvil worked but a fuller would be better. I am out of shape and got tired swinging the hammer. Glad I bought the 2 LB to start. My vise was indespansable in doing the twists. Any advise on drawing out the reins? Thanks for looking! Mel

The reins on some are over 8 ft long.

Can't seem to even forge a pair of simple tongs. Don't know what I'm doing wrong but nothing seems to work out for me. I guess every mistake is a learning experience. But XXXXX is it frustrating. It going to take more than this to get me to give up tho.

Well I had a few hours in the shop today and wanted to work on making a pair of bolt tongs, I looked at a few plans online and watched a few videos then gave it a shot! I didn't have any 3/4" square stock so these started from 1/2" square. They are a little thin in a few parts and a bit lopsided and I don't expect that they will hold up for a long time, but I made them and I learned a great deal in the process. What do you all think? I should also mention that this is the second pair of tongs I have ever made, the first were so ugly and wobbly that can't really use them, these new ones don't wobble at all! Yay me

Preface: Sorry to those who object to the idea of tongs being someone's first project. I didn't start reading here until I had already planned and started this adventure So I've been at this whole blacksmithing thing for about 3 weeks now, I'm definitely hooked. I just had to steal the propane tank from my barbecue pit to finish heating the pin for these tongs, so yeah. I started off pretty slow because well, my arm was just a limp noodle after a few hits...I'm much better now. This is actually my second attempt at tongs, the first ones I abandoned very early on, after my first day of forging, when I realized I didn't have enough metal in the boss. These are…

So here's my first pair of tongs (handle broke so I welded it back together), never had any classes or anything kinda just winging it, but I already know the boss area needs major improvement in my technique (as well as everything else) Made from 36" x 1/2" Mild round bar.

I've got one post showing my first pair of tongs, they are...meh. Started practicing a bit more based on the feedback and hammered out a really weak pair just for picking up 1/4" rivet stock and other small stuff. Newest one I decided to move with...Tongs for sections of Axle shaft. I work in an auto shop there is A LOT of free scrap (axles, springs, bolts you name it) I have a big shaft from a truck I plan on using to make hardy tools and possibly hammer heads, I am using 3/4" stock for the new tongs, using feedback from my first posts on the forums about my anvil, tongs, and whatever other knowledge I feel like I've made good progress in making the boss which I thin…

I've been following the tong section lately. This is my attempt to put this newly gathered info and skills practice together. The blanks were 5/8 round. The first thing they got after the picture is another trip to the fire to bring the inner jaw up and in at the nose to fit 3/16 round. Very grippy. Very versatile.

No idea if any of these are must haves or all scrap... Would you please help me out?

What is going on? Something I've noticed for some time, crappy tongs. I see folks make beautiful stuff but can't be bothered to make a proper set of tongs to do the work. Don't folks realize how much easier the work would be, how much more they could do, if the tongs fit the task? This inconsistency between the work and the tools people will use boggles my mind. I have never in my career, made a poor tool, I always made tools to the level as my skill allowed. So while not all my tools would be called "good" , they were the best I could do.

Finished these today. These are my first set of tongs I've made, though I only get partial credit because I used a kit from Ken's Iron. I was looking for better tongs to hold a spike, and I found these that hold it by the head. They were only sold as a kit though. I decided it would be a good two for one to get new tongs and use a kit to baby step into learning how to make tongs. I also ordered a few other kits of various kinds so that once I figure out more of what I'm doing and what I need I can make some to suit whatever I find myself needing. It'll be a bit before I take on the next pair though. I need to step back and practice some of the basic techniques. I've been …

Take a close look at the tongs this African blacksmith is using. This video has a close up showing the details. I have noticed that most of the videos I see of African blacksmiths (and other blacksmiths from around the world) use tongs like this. Notice how well the tongs grip the material and how easily the smith maneuvers his piece with those tongs. I see them mostly used for flat work like knives and hoes. Has anyone on the forum made tongs like this? If so, did you find them useful? Any idea why this pattern seems to be so common in so many places around the world? My next pair of tongs is going to be made like this so I can try them out.

I recently saw a post where somebody had done a set of Tongs from rebar. I'm looking to make my own set so if anybody has a pic or idea that would be awesome! These are my current tongs but I'm looking to make something with longer handles

What is the jaw type and size of the tongs you use the most in your shop? What is your favorite jaw type for tongs?

I made these specifically for welding small stock such as 1/8" to 1/4" and also sheet metal, the tines are rather springy so that you can clap both pieces rather well. You more or less just heat the metal up and then when you're ready you simply hammer between the tines. I am also aware that these are not very pretty.

I was just thinking about welded-on bars to hold stock without tongs and it occurred to me that there are lots of clamping systems that might be adapted to the end of a bar for stock holding. I'm imagining something that's like an adjustable chuck on the end of a bar. I can't recall seeing anything like that but smarter folks than me have been at this for a long time. I'm curious if there's anything like that out there and what it's like to use. It seems like it'd be a nice option for people without a welder. Thanks in advance.

Lots of folks use scrolling tongs to tweak scrolls, curl flower petals, etc, etc. Most people seem to favor the straight-nosed variety, whether purpose-made, reground from needle-nosed pliers, or reforged from tinsnips. However, I've also seen scrolling tongs with the nose bent 90 degrees, such as the ones Junior Strasil used in his BP0145 - Shelf bracket blueprint. These seem like they'd have a lot more leverage and wouldn't put so much torque on the tongs' joint. Any thoughts on why one or the other is preferable?

My first pair of Tong shaped objects. The rivet is a little too big (or the stock too small), and the jaws are open a bit, but pick up all of what I have stock for. The reins are not rounded, but I have to build a table for my brake drum to get a fire high enough to work more than the last 8 inches or so. Anyway, I've been told you guys like pics, so here goes. (Please be reasonably gentle, this is the first anything that I have made.) Thanks! Having a blast, and in my book that's what matters!