Chimaera

IDFC, you mean when making them or when using?

Hi. I'm a total newbie, and am looking to get some tongs. Right now I'm primarily forging rebar and 1/4" mild rod, but I hope to get some 1/2" mild round bar + square bar, 1/2" O1 drill rod, and maybe some 1095 flat bar, and I'm looking at leaf and suspension springs. Right now I'm just getting started, working on leaf keychains and kiridashis. I'm looking at Ken's Custom Iron rapid tong blanks. They have a bundle with v bit, flat jaw, scroll, bolt jaw, and slot jaw tongs. However, this bundle isn't much in the way of savings as opposed to buying those all separately. What I'm trying to figure out is what I need for those plans on a budget. Thanks. Chimaera

Ohio we have a pretty happy median. We got the deer, possums, birds, raccoons, bunnies, sometimes a bobcat etc. but not the rattlers, black widows, scorpions, or copperheads. A couple things I do wish we had more of were big deer (elk, moose) furry snakes (ferrets and weasels) bears and nonvenomous reptiles. And big fish. We used to have gator gar in the OH river, but that's done...

I forgot you were talking about copperheads... Was thinking you casually ran over a baby bear cup with your truck. By gosh was I concerned/confused/angry

Snakes are tough suckers. When I was a kid, my dad was mowing with our big ole riding mower and hit something. I'm playing in the yard the next day and I see a black snake. I go to pick it up, and I kid you not, it was cut 60% of the way through by that mower, just one day before. Thing was still perfectly alive and most docile snake I've ever caught. And not in a half dead, delirious way. Mine is a grey tree frog. They aren't exactly amazonian dart frogs, but they are still really cool. They change colors, from a brown to gray to green. While I kinda wish he was like the one on the left, mine looks a lot like the one on the right, just 10X fatter and with a blind left eye. Not the greatest, but I got what I could. This is Napoleon.

Ok. I will suggest a tree frog, though. Mine has a space about 2' by 1' by 1', and he's happy as can be. I have him trained to eat from my hand, so any time I put my hand in he tries to nibble my fingers with his adorable little gums. And one of the perks is that with the soil he has, I never have to clean his tank. That's right, never. Hey hey, I'm a senior member! And you, too, Deimos (The use of the @ Name tag is discouraged)

So, a quick search tells me that you can keep a dwarf cuttlefish (about 2.5" long as an adult) in a 30 gal tank. Of course, that's saltwater, but as it isn't a reef tank it wouldn't be nearly as difficult. They suggest also getting a few hermit crabs and snails to go with him as a clean up crew. Might want to seriously look into that. Would get some tank experience beforehand, though.

Absolutely. Ever heard of the mimic octopus? Absolutely incredible. Will pretend to be a lionfish or banded sea krait I believe it's the broadclub cuttlefish that can do the hypnosis. Most, if not all, can do color and texture changing.

And another that actually hypnotizes its prey with flashing white stripes! Colossal squid for the win! Or do you mean the giant Pacific Octopus? There's actually a tournament for wrestling those if you're interested...

Well... All cephalopods are difficult. The thing is, while you could have cuttlefish, it would be expensive, difficult, and ultimately- cuttlefish only live a couple years! And then, cuttlefish are fairly territorial so wouldn't like each other much. But I do agree, cuttlefish are awesome. There's one species that's only a couple inches long!

The thing is, with mosquitoes that big there are advantages and disadvantages. Advantage one- You can see them coming. Advantage two- it shouldn't be possible for there to be a large population as they'd deplete the food source. Disadvantage one- It doesn't matter if you can see them. Unless you're willing to point a Smith and Wesson M&P at your arm and pull the trigger, they ain't leaving. Disadvantage two- They really don't care about the laws of physics, so there are still plenty.

Sorry to hear that, Billy. Will keep you in my thoughts. I have been to Alaska, and boy are you wrong! Look up in the sky. See the majestic eagles with the 6' wing spans. Those are half size models of an Alaska mosquito Nile monitors will sleep with you...

That's a good point. Oh, and lemmings. And seals. And whales. And penguins That's who I was looking at. Do you know if you got the rapid or quick? The quick comes with only 4 pairs. I'm certainly not an expert either

Well yeah, I figured Frosty was counting arachnids as insects. I'm guessing creepy crawlies in general aren't his forte.

Sounds good

Well, large primates are dangerous, most people are dangerous to small primates... while yes, a pygmy marmoset looks cool, what percentage of owners actually know what they're doing? Now, what about scorpions? I'm guessing those fall under insect, but they're pretty cool. And nonvenomous snakes! A nice milk snake... and if you ever do want fish, you just need a 10 gal, male endler's livebearers. Basically more active, smaller, cuter guppies. Also, IDK what you got in Alaska, but in OH we have grey tree frogs that you can keep in a 10 gal and you don't ever have to clean it. Just spray em with some water daily, give em a couple crickets every couple days... I've got one called napoleon. Cute little guy. I mean, chickens are scary, man! They bite hard! I'm guessing y'all are too cool for something for losers like this, but anyone had experience with "rapid tongs"? They're waterjet cut or plasma cut tong blanks that you finish up... only about $10 a pair, seem nice and simple but fun... I could use some tongs. Right now I'm trying to use farrier's nippers, and those just aren't right.

I guess that an ovoviviparous specimen wouldn't be as obvious as a gravid one. THough, on that note, even mammals can hide it... we had a pet rabbit, came home and saw it laying in a pool of blood with its "entrails" on the ground next to it. Turns out, baby bunnies look a lot like entrails...

Oh, I knew boas did that, but was not aware garters did the same! The more you know. Still feels like you shoulda noticed, but I'll let it fly

Mind if I ask how in the world you didn't notice the eggs???? As a kid I was the animal guy... I had probably 5 fish tanks, a few lizards, maybe a couple frogs... they drew the line at snakes. My friend (owner of Smaug, RIP) had to stop because he ran out of outlets in his room, the kitchen, the basement, and the family room. I have a different theory. Cats are demon spawn brought from the depths of mordor to eliminate the human race through any means necessary. Including poisoning. Cats aren't my favorite. I do, however, respect that that may be different for others. Unless, of course, they actually have a demon cat and still think that mr floofers is an angel... then I have no respect in that sense. Granted, it can go the other way. My aunt had a morky, maltese yorky. I do not like little dogs. This little dog, Zeke, was the most psychotic creature I've seen in my life. He would bark for multiple hours after someone came into the house, would roll his eyes back in his head and lick and bite the air, and was prone to biting people and Lucy, my childhood dog, who was just the sweetest Labrodoodle. The thing was possessed, I swear.

Absolutely. Food can actually be quite a threat to herps. Even crickets! I have a friend whose longtail lizard had a cricket eat through its head while it was asleep. RIP Smaug.

That looks to be about right... Why I'm primarily making kiridashis Or skinners. Kiridashis are too small to warp or bend, skinners are supposed to have that gentle curve

Oh, I forgot about that...

bso, bso... I'm stumped. Blade shaped object? Nah... Balisong shaped object?? nope. Balatroon??? Boston symphony orchestra?? They made the Boston Symphony Orchestra on an anvil?? Blacksmith shaped object! 3rd grade self portraits! Please help... my brain is melting...

Ok. Just seems difficult to keep it from melting, but I'll give it a try.

Congrats! I'm a fisherman myself, and sometimes you gotta take what you can get. And in this case, it might be better than a 40#, 32"er...