Leeknivek

Thanks for all the replies, this has been really informative. I think I'll just make a few pairs of regular tongs - I have some scrap rebar, all conveniently about 14" long. That should suffice for tongs, right?

I have some of my grandfathers tools, too - he did auto body for 40 or so years. What do you think about taking the old style shears/snips (the ones that look like scissors, not aviation-style kind) and forging them into tongs? They don't cut at all, and I have multiple pairs. Worth a try?

Hello -

I'm in New London County, Connecticut. Wondering if there's anyone around here that does blacksmithing. I have a shop, getting my forge together right now.

It's good practice to make a few sets of tongs.  I bet you'll find that 3-4 sets of tongs will do a good portion of your work holding.  I find I'm going for the same three tongs most of the time.   2 flat jaw tongs one set up for 1/8" give or take and another that's good for around 3/8  and a set of bolt tongs for 3/8"  that have been resized  a few times now when something a little bigger comes along.  I have seen pictures of adjustable tongs,  but can't for the life of me remember where.   And on top of that they are fairly intricate to get right.   A good basic set of tongs really doesn't take a great amount of time to make.  Another option for a multiple sized tong would be V bit tongs (  think that's the name)  both jaws are V shaped but one is male the other female.  It really only take a minute or two to adjust a set of tongs and nothing quite holds like a properly adjusted set.

 

That seems a lot more reasonable, from what I've heard and pictures I've seen there were walls of tongs and I feel like I wouldn't be able to work too efficiently with that - so to cut down on it would be good. Do you have any links to v-shaped tongs?


 

You'll find yourself crippled with channel lock type tongs!  NOT a good idea!  You need 4 to 5 sets of tongs for most work.  By the time you need 100 pair you'll easily make what you need as you need them!

 

Well that's why I asked! They've always gotten me by before, thought I'd see what you fellows thought about it.

 

Greetings and welcome Leek,
 
A good start would be filling in your profile..  You would be surprised how many smiths are in your area that would be more than willing to help you along with making tongs...  Most would lend you a few pairs to get you started....   Before you try to re-invent the wheel so to speak on tongs might I suggest you research wolf jaw tongs...  They are pretty universal and will do quite well on most things...   Good luck on your venture and ask for help when you need it..
 
Forge on and make beautiful things
Jim

 

Good idea, I just did. I looked at the wolf jaw tongs, have you used them? They also seem a lot less complicated to make. I'll look more into them and maybe try making some after practicing more.

Nice thing about making tongs, is you don't have to have tongs to make them. You can simply work with a longer piece of stock and hold that. I helped a young smith last year make his 1st set of tongs and gave him a few pairs I had that  I'd made back when I was learning so he had a small selection to work with until he made his own. There are plenty of "easy" tong designs out there that don't require a lot of forge skills to make.  A simple set of twist tongs are so easy just about any new smith can make a pair or two.Then as you progress in your skills, tongs are a useful project that helps you build and improve your skills,

Yeah, I watched the video that Brian Brazeal made on making tongs from an 8" long piece of 1" round stock. I feel like I might be able to do that if I try hard enough. What are some things that are typically first made by aspiring smiths? I was thinking a hot cut hardie, tongs, as billion a-hooks, fire stoker.

Hi. I'm just getting started in blacksmithing and trying to get my foot in the door. I have a small, 40# stretch of railroad track and a brake drum-inside-a-55-gallon-drum forge. (Almost, at least. I just need to hook up a blower).

I don't have much for tools - an assortment of four hammers, three cross peins and one ball pein. The largest being about 2 pounds. I do not have any tongs, however, and I was looking to make some. I have a very limited experience in metalwork, only doing odd jobs in sheet metal, welding, and a little but of cold cutting. Not very much forming or forging, but I'm a fast and dedicated learner.

Now, in any circumstance where I needed more grip and leverage than human hands could provide, I've always preferred to use channel locks, seconded by slip joint pliers - or a combination of the two. I don't like vice grips, and I don't know if there's a lot of practicality in having 100 different tongs for 100 different operations that may rarely be used. I do not say this offensively, rather I say it objectively as looking at it from an outside perspective. I like tools as much as anyone else, but it's a hassle searching for the right tool already as it is. I'd like to make it simple.

I read through a thread on here before posting this - a new member asking about galv. Steel channel locks who was told he was bound to hurt himself and that they are no good. I'm hoping the same won't happen to me.

I was thinking something along the lines of regular, typical, ordinary blacksmiths tongs. Simple and effective, yet with the added advantage of being able to adjust jaw width. So, something with a regular jaw, for now - ie: suited flat-, square- or round-stock holding. - with the tongue-and-groove portion of channel locks, allowing them to be adjusted so you have tongs for 1/4" up to 1", instead of 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", etc.....

I'm thinking a specific punch could be made to make the crescent "grooves", maybe a reverse die for the "tongues".

Just curious what sort of input the members of this thread might have. I'm not trying to make some sort of revolutionary tool and expect to change the way things have been done for thousands of years - but innovation is a friend, also, and I am not afraid to benefit from convenience.

Thank you for reading.