NickOHH

Those are nice looking tongs Ausfire, simple and to the point. Functions the most important and they look like they'll do just fine!

Nice to know I'm not the only one lol

Guess I should re grind it into a broad hatchet and I won't have to bend the handle! :)

I just recently forged my first hatchet/ tomahawk head from a ball peen hammer and it turned out nice. Could have planished alittle bit more but I like the hammer marks left it for a nice hand forged look, if yo look down the blade though it is slightly crooked I was wondering if anyone has a solution for it, or how to keep/ fix that one my next attempts.

I use all the shavings I have from my hand planes which is quite an endless supply a good handful packed tight. Lights up like an oil soaked rag and has a nice burn time throw a little of the old coke on top and I got a nice bed of coals by the time I'm all set up outside.

Great use Jim ! I'm gonna have to keep my eye out for a cheap one.

Nice smooth reigns definetly make a difference I am only working with a few pairs 2 that I have made one was from 1/2 inch round for small stock which I just left alone for the reigns and they feel great after using for awhile. The others were from. 5/8 which I drew out the reigns and are not nearly as smooth or even and after awhile your hands can feel the difference being a little more sore after.

I remember my first two sets of tongs of that type.   They are EXTREMELY ugly!   I will not post a pic.   Yours are way better!      

 

Though that makes me think.  Maybe I should post a thread asking for pics of your most horrible outcomes.    A thread where we reveal our most horrific failures...   Lemme think on that...   I would have to start with myself....   hmmmm

The jaws arent the prettiest, but the question is do they work? if so then its a success. i guess i shoulda said first successful tongs lol had a couple tries that didnt work out, but hey i got it down, made another pair the next day for slightly bigger stock that turned out better.

I would have a few post for a thread of failures lol i got plenty of them!

Very nice work compliments the glass well!

Just got done doin a little forging today, made some progress. Made my first pair of tongs, first bottle opener, and first tomahawk (although ive made a few adzes out of claw hammers), all in all a great day in the forge!

Hey guys Marcy wanted me to let you all know that she isn't able to get on her account, but she greatly appreciates all your advice and recommendations! 

He does know metal though so I'm sure he may have some useful info that can be applied even if not directly to smithing . It's the most addictive thing around you may be doin it in public before you know it, have fun learning more about the art!

DSW, Anthony, and any others near the NJ/Pa turnpike link:  If any of you want to carpool to Mt Joy or any of the other PABA events, let me know.  I have a 4 dr pickup and do not mind driving.  We could meet somewhere near Columbus NJ and go in one vehicle.

Welcome aboard! I'm not terribly far from your neck of the woods just a little outside of philly the other direction. Still pretty new to this wonderful world of blacksmithing as well but have a little out door forge and some basic tools and making more all the time your more than welcome to come by or meet up somewhere and talk , swing some hammers build you a forge whatever let me know just send me a pm

Those are amazingly beautiful man. I would be scared of scratching one just hanging it let alone swingin one! Awesome work

Post a picture of the rail. If it's not to radioused ontop you can grind it flat and roll the edges off a bit if it's pretty round you can stand it up and use the edges but have limited surface . You could also flip it rail side down and use the base for the flat surface. I started with a rail anvil not hardened but it was plenty hard to start with. Some marks in it but nothin an angle grinder can't smooth out. You can cut a horn in it with cut off wheels or a oxy acetelyn torch or have a machine shop ruff it out for relatively cheap and just grind it out to a nice shape depending on what tools you have. If you use cut off wheels it will take some time and quite a few discs but it is possible. I would bolt it to a stump and start hammering away for the time being though.

As a relatively new smith myself enjoy your new addiction.

The last week of the month me and my girlfriend are gonna be in the flint michigan area visiting her family for a week and was Wonderin if there any smiths in that area or not to far we could get together with one day while were out there from pa. And if there any good flea markets or similar places to look for some tools or metal etc .

So I finally finished up with adze's used claw hammers. They aren't as nicely done as nick's fine example above but functional none the less opted to cut the claws because I'm lacking in the tong department for now. Honed to a fairly sharp edge for now one with an inside bevel and one outside.

What about leaving it as stock till you know what you need? If you make a fuller then realize you needed a cupping tool, but no longer have the stock.......... That or think about what you will be doing and the tools needed for that. If the next project would benefit from bending forks or a swage, make what you will use not necessarily what the rest of us have on our next projects list.

i have a good bit left and i can get my hand on a couple more of them, i have like 5 feet of over 1 inch spring steel not in a hurry to use it all up just wonderin if theres anything that may be useful i havent even thought of

Looking for ideas of hardy tools or anything useful to forge from a 1 1/4 inch torsion bar just made a cut off hardy (works great) and a light radius swage. Was thinking about a fuller next but wanna know if there's any other ideas of useful stuff I can make out of it to build up my tool collection which is very limited

I forged a hot cut hardy today out of a peice of torsion bar from a pickup and was wondering what everyone's thoughts were on heat treating it or if it's a waste of time because the heat it's gonna be seeing cutting.

Lol but I want the big anvil !!! I guess I'll have to find another now!

If she takes it up along with you, consider yourself lucky.  Can you say, "striker"?

Spent some time breaking in the new brooks 100#er today and taught the girlfriend some basics , but I may be in trouble I think we have a natural! Had her make a couple hooks that came out pretty nice for her first experience with the forge.

you kidding?!  It's COLD up there!!!!   No thanks  

LOL come on , 44 degrees its beautiful, still t-shirt weather!