I learned a lot trying to forge tongs to be honest, and looking back on it every failure was a lesson. Drawing out, offsetting, upsetting, punching/slitting, measuring, rounding, etc. It really got me familiar with all the basic operations of smithing. I learn by doing and found that I couldn't forge efficiently with pliers and vise grips. I knew that I needed tongs and when I looked at the price of them it was too much for my liking. Tongs were the first real tool I ever made and have since used my smithing to make custom wood working tools for myself as well. Maybe I'm an anomaly? I love making tools, maybe more than making things with the tools.