Olorin

I have a tanto that I have forged out, the grinding is still done but I'm looking to anneal it and re-temper it (The refractory cement I used didn't seem to work very well as a clay for a clay temper). I would really like to make a hamon on this blade as it's a gift for my sensei. I was looking to buy the Rutland Furnace Cement which is smoother than the clunky cement I was using before. Any ideas on any of this? Clay tempering or otherwise?

Thanks!

Glenn good idea, I hadn't thought of that.

I do have a flux-core welder, but I still need some practise before I start welding on project pieces. I know I can just grind off the welded piece if it doesn't work, but I'd rather practise and do it right the first time.

I figured it out, thanks!

Fair enough. But I seem to be unable to open the link you sent me.

It just sends me to the Articles page and no to the exact link.

Nevermind, I figured it out!

Ah I see. Very well, I will not use the "@" format as requested.

I apparently got the smaller ones, and I would draw out the reins a little ways if I had anything to hold them with. (I have pliers and vice grips, but as I said before, my forge gets very hot and the flame comes out a significant ways).

pnut I did get a set of those tongs, though they are remarkably short and the instructions are not as clear as they could be.

Frosty  I have a few bricks, but it's kind of hard to set them up in front of the door. I made my forge out of a forty pound propane tank and a large piece of flat metal with two sides. The angle on the sides of the flat piece make it difficult to place bricks there without them falling off, though I could try welding an extension onto it.

Jim Coke  I tried to use vice grips the other day, but the opening on my forge is rather large and I don't yet have a door on it, so it burns my gloves. The flame extends about 3-5" from the opening of the door.

I have a propane forge. It has three burners and is rather large, so I am finding it difficult to forge tongs 1. when I don't have any to forge the metal with and 2. when the flame of the forge heats up the material too much for me to hold onto it. I don't have a functional coal forge and can't seem to find any material to make tongs anyway. Is there anywhere in Canada that I can buy a couple sets of pre-made tongs to get me started?

That is fair on both accounts. Spring steel would probably be good to use I see, I just need to find some and reshape the tongs I have to hold on to them better.

Thanks for all the help guys, I really appreciate it!

Frosty   thanks for the advice. I do typically call or go to the store in question in person, though I haven't asked about price per pound. I'll have to give it a shot! 

Goods   I have never heard of anyone using spring steel for tongs before, though using them for power kind of makes sense as long as the tongs are not heated and rapidly cooled too often. And I would think that you would want a lower rather than higher carbon steel while working on a powerhammer, though I suppose if you know what you're doing theres little to no risk of hitting you're tongs. And I know that spring steel is tougher than mild steel, I'd just think the constant heating and cooling of the metal (however slight the heating may be, relative to the working material) would put unnecessary strain on it, would that be accurate to say? (Actually asking, I'm not certain). Thanks!

OK that makes sense. I hadn't thought of cuyting into it with a file, so thanks for the suggestion! The only problem I seem to have with buying it from stores is that they only sell them in industrial size orders, but I will take another look. There has to be somewhere here... 

Thank you. I do know that high carbon steel is not very good for tongs at all. I am in northern BC and just need to know how to tell the difference between high and low carbon or where i can find mild steel.

Thank you this helps me a lot. I had a piece of 1/2" round here but wasn't sure if it was good enough.

Hey everyone. I am a beginner blacksmith and I am having some difficulty finding steel to make tongs. I live in a medium-sized town and don't have a lot of places that sell steel besides industrial suppliers and Princess Auto. Are there any types of metals I can use from auto-wreckers or scrap yards to make tongs with? Also what size and shape of stock I might need to start.

Thanks!