This is an interesting debate. Of course it comes down to personal preference or circumstance.
I like to make my own tongs. I probably pay more for them if I work at a shop rate (which I do) than if I bought them directly from a supplier.
My skill development and maintenance is strong when making tongs. My first few pairs were pretty rough and hopefully still buried in a secret location.
These days my tongs are what I want them to be: left handed for at the anvil, heavier and right handed for at the power hammer, spring reins, tools steel or mild depending upon the application and perhaps the most important thing - the jaws are oriented correctly for the job in hand.
Too often do I see someone using diamond bit tongs where box jaw would offer a much better working circumstance. In these cases the user saved time and money initially by buying the tongs but then looses much more of both while using the tongs in an ineficient manner.
The skills of isolating material and manipulating it to your desired specifications is a strong one. Making the jaws what you want them to be.
The old addage of;
"If you can't hold it, then you sure as xxxx can't hit it" is a good one.
Making tongs is the language of a journeyman smith. Blacksmithing is such a broad term, it's like calling someone a scientist. What sort of scientist are they?
Our common language is one of hammer and tongs. Regardless as to our style of smithing, we all appreciate good tongs. I get a little more out of it because there is a good chance that I made the tongs myself.
A frustrating experience at first, making tongs is a very good way to develop your blacksmithng skills.
Looking at the word count, this may be 3 cents worth!