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Good Morning, If you haven't made tongs before, there is one rule you must learn. Left, Left, Left or Right, Right Right, Not a Variable!! 1 - Start the jaw on the near side of the anvil, half faced blows to set the shoulder, enough material for whatever jaw design you wish. DON'T MAKE THE BASE OF THE JAW TOO THIN!! 2 - "TURN 1/4 TURN LEFT" if you are right handed or "TURN 1/4 TURN RIGHT" if you are left handed. On the far side of the anvil at about 30 degree angle, at the shoulder that you had made in the first step, half faces blows to set the start of the hinge area, with an angle so the two halves of the tongs won't bind up an the base of the jaws. DON'T MAKE THE HINGE AREA TOO THIN, Minimum 1/4". 3 - "TURN 1/4 TURN LEFT" if you are right handed or "TURN 1/4 TURN RIGHT" if you are left handed. On the far side of the anvil at a 90 degree angle, at the end of the hinge area, half faced blows to start the base of the reins. DO NOT MAKE THE BASE OF THE REIN TOO THIN!! Start to draw out the rein, about 2-3 inches, Turn the tong end for end, grab the jaw of the tong with other tongs. Start to draw out the rein from the base of the rein, NOT THE END/TIP!!! Work about 3 inches at a time, draw the taper and break the edges of the rein as you go (IMPORTANT). When you have two reins done, match up the lengths of the reins, draw out or cut a little off of one and redraw to match length. 4 - Punch the hole for the rivet. I use 3/8" material for the rivet. 5 - Make a rivet from 3/8" mild steel in a header. Allow approx. 2 diameters long for the head of the rivet (3/8=3/4") 6 - Finish the shaping of the jaws. Can use a bolt and nut in the rivet hole to check the jaw shape. 7 - Heat up the rivet, use a rivet block on the anvil to support the rivet head (from damage). Put the rivet through both tong pieces (the tong pieces are not hot) and quickly hammer the rivet to form the other head. At this point the tongs are seized together with the rivet. 8 - Heat up the hinge area of the tongs and gently work the ends of the reins until the hinge is free. Put a piece of 3/8 round at the base of the reins and gently squeeze the reins to bend the reins so they will hang on the tong rack without the reins sticking out. Align the jaws to the shape you wish. 9 - Heat up the reins close to the hinge area and pull the reins, left rein to the right, right rein to the left, While holding the new tongs in a vise. Hold the point of the reins where they cross, with another set of tongs, and bend the left rein left and the right rein right. This will align the reins over top of each other and will allow anyone to use them, right or left handed. 10 - Finish the reins like you are PROUD of them. Give them the BRAILLE test, close your eyes and run your hands over them. THERE SHOULD BE NO SHARP EDGES on the reins. There should be lots of material at the base of the reins and jaws (the fulcrum point is the rivet. If you squeeze the reins it should not bend at the base of the jaws or reins). 11 - I make all my tongs from mild steel (preferably). This way you won't have the tongs crack if you accidentally quench them while hot. The rule for drawing out anything is S.O.R. Square, Octagonal, Round. Enjoy the journey, Be Proud of what you make.

A Lively New Year conversation had by all. I always thunk, Something to hit, Something to hit with, Something to hit on, Something to hold the thing being hit, A Campfire to warm up wut you want to hit. The Campfire keeps your coffee warm too. Sit Back, Shaddap, Enjoy the ride, the scenery is never the same. Too soon we are dead!! Happy New Year Neil

Good Morning, You can use a rosebud to start the fire (cheating, but who is looking) or you can start a paper and kindling fire in the fire-pot and gently sprinkle on some coke after the wood gets burning. Don't be in a hurry, the wood will start the coke. When you finish using the fire just rake the fire out of the fire-pot, to the side of the fire-pot and use this to start the next fire. It will start easier with the breeze (coke that has already started to burn). Enjoy the journey, the destination is not the only mission!! Neil Gustafson

Good Morning, John Newman at Newman Forge & Pattern in Hamilton Ontario has the BEST fire-pots. They are about 1 1/2" thick, VERY HEAVY! BEST does not equal cheapest. Neil Gustafson

Good Morning, I have a couple drums of quenching oils. I am in Victoria. Talk to Berkley Tack in Oregon (check out the North West Blacksmith Association for his address/phone) Neil Gustafson

Good Morning, Tom Clark has passed away, his Ozark School of Blacksmithing, is closing Ozark School Of Blacksmithing They still have some anvils for sale.

Good Mourning, Russell Jaqua put a lot of thought into what he wanted to see in an anvil. You will enjoy the experience. They have a very high pitched ring, try a trick that Tom Clark taught us, silicone the anvil to your base. Is causes enough of a damper for the ring but doesn't affect the rebound of the anvil. You will never wear it out, talk to a lawyer and leave to someone in your will (or won't). enjoy the hammer ride, Neil Gustafson

Good Morning, Normal size for any workshop is like a boat, IT SHOULD BE 2 FEET LONGER!! Size is always too small, never too big. Neil Gustafson

Good Morning, It is better to have any lubricant inside the blower. There are no bearings, only bushings. The gears are straight cut and they will act as a pump when you turn the handle. There are no seals so if a bushing is worn there will be a trace of oil dripping, Normal. We normally use any kind of engine oil. Atf is very thin and may leak more, but it provides sufficient lubrication. 80w90 gear oil is probably more expensive. Chrysler has been using ATF in their standard transmissions for years. The blower will be happy it gets anything other than water!! Neil

Refractory cement is available from a supply store for Bricks & Mortar. One of our members is a brick-layer and he buys a bucket when he gets his other supplies. He then sells/shares with our other members. After you put the refractory in place and it dries, you have to put a VERY LOW HEAT inside to dry out the water. If the water expands into steam, you have a mess!! another fine day above mother earth Neil viblacksmiths.com - Vancouver Island Blacksmiths Association

Good Morning, Try Doug Newell, dnewell@wildbuffalo.com Doug is a full time Blacksmith and he was President of the Kootenay Blacksmith Association. Doug lives in Cochrane, Alta. and also has a house in Crawford Bay, B.C. You always get Bang for your Buck, being a blacksmith. Neil Gustafson