brianbrazealblacksmith Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Grafvitnir asked me about the tongs I use for making hammers. I took some pictures of the steps. These are similar to Alfred Habermann's pick up tongs. I started with 2 pieces of 1/2" coil spring 8" long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKForge Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Brian those are incredible. Thanks for the post and photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grafvitnir Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 (edited) Thank you so much!!! I really wanted to see the steps for making that type of tongs. I guess you use spring steel to make them... less bendable ( I couldn't find the word there) to resist the weight of the hammer head and you working on it, being the tongs so light(carbon content). You think mild steel would bend? You draw the reins by hand? Sorry for asking so many things. Thanks again. I couldn't find a worship icon so I could only use this Rub Edited May 7, 2009 by Grafvitnir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Yes, mild steel will bend. I did everything by hand, no striker today. I'm glad you asked, It gave me something to do today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Excellent Brian, thanks very much! Do you heat treat them? With a pinching action like that and such small contact area, do you really find they hold on hard enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 I do not heat treat them. they hold perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grafvitnir Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 "I do not heat treat them. they hold perfectly." But you do take care not to quench them while hot? Coil springs as in car coil springs? You pinch the corners(just in front of the boss and the next angle) for resistance? In your DVD it seems you cut the jaws like a "Y" but this one looks like the Habermann's, just flat. I was just examining all the details, just gaping at them... what finish you used? (hammer and tongs both look a beautiful gray color) I just love them Thanks again Rub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbalist Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Brian, Your tutorials are always so good and the pictures nice and clear. Thanks once again for sharing your knowledge (and skill) with us! Vic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 "I do not heat treat them. they hold perfectly." But you do take care not to quench them while hot? Coil springs as in car coil springs? You pinch the corners(just in front of the boss and the next angle) for resistance? In your DVD it seems you cut the jaws like a "Y" but this one looks like the Habermann's, just flat. Ruben, I don't quench any tong while they are hot. Yes, car springs. I started making them like this because I can hold inside the eye while I do the fullering between the cheaks and the faces. I put a finish on them just for the pictures; it helps bring the detail out. I just rub a towel with vegetable oil on it while it is at the right temp, not too hot and not too cool. I do pinch the corners for strength and efficiency. This is one of the best things I learned from Prof. Habermann. Thanks again for asking Ruben, and you all are very welcome. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy C Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Brian, That a great lesson! Thank you. Are you teaching anywhere this summer? I've got some vacation time coming up and would like to learn from you. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 RandyC, I'll be in Arizona in June and Virgnia in November at Yesteryear school of blacksmithing, and I'd like to fill in the space between those two dates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 I do not heat treat them. they hold perfectly. Interesting, I have never seen a shape like these before, I will have to give them a try Brian. Your perspective and designs are very different than what I am used to, nice for a fresh perspective and very inspiring to get out and in the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted May 8, 2009 Author Share Posted May 8, 2009 Hey, ApprenticeMan, You've got to get out more often! I'm just kidding. If you saw the video that Gerald Boggs posted of Alfred Habermann and his pick-up tong you could see what I'm saying even though you may not be able to understand anything that Alfred is saying. I can pick up and hold anything from under 1/16" to 2" with these tongs and manipulate it under the hammer and still hold a hammer in the eye to do work on either end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 No I do I do! Such a solitary life we smiths lead *sigh* Is the video online? Do you have a link to it if so? Please Call me Sam, can't change the dang username..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted May 8, 2009 Author Share Posted May 8, 2009 Gerald, I used coil spring for these tongs, 4140 would have been fine also. Mild steel wouldn't work for this light of tong with what I ask of it. I make other types of tongs out of mild steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piglet_74 Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Quick question. I can't tell from the pictures but it appears the boss area is the same thickness throughout as opposed to being forged down in width. Is that the case and if so do you bend the reins and jaws to get them in alignment. TIA Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted May 9, 2009 Author Share Posted May 9, 2009 Quick question. I can't tell from the pictures but it appears the boss area is the same thickness throughout as opposed to being forged down in width. Is that the case and if so do you bend the reins and jaws to get them in alignment. TIA Rob. I took some pictures of the boss area. I think they will clear it up. The boss area is the thickest part of the tongs both ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piglet_74 Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Cool, thanks. With those pictures I can see the boss much better. Also the 90 deg angles. They appear tapered. I think I saw that in a book once for making pintles. It made a pretty good corner without having to upset a lot of material to do it. Is this the same idea? Thanks again, Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grafvitnir Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 (edited) The close-up of the boss clarified things better for me also I got to see the pinched corners better. Could you post a close up of the jaws? Sorry to ask but I'll like to see that part also; I can't see if it is flat or has a groove in it or something(because of the groove in the Habermann tongs). Sorry for asking so many things. Thanks again Brian, for everything. Edited May 10, 2009 by Grafvitnir Adding attachment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Brian, Thanks for giving so freely of your talent. Every picture you post helps tremendously. And with every new picture I think one thing...Where can I find a table like that??:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reid Neilsen Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Brian, Those are very nice. Nice step by step as well. BTW for whoever asked about doing them out of mild steel instead, I thought I'd add this: If you start with heavier stock you would be fine, but I find tongs this heavy rather unwieldy (especially when handling something as heavy as tool heads or hammers) I may just have to copy these so I'll have a pair in my shop:) Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larnotlars Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Thanks for the posting the process for making tongs for hammers! I've been trying to make them with rr spike tongs and it's been working so poorly! Lar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 I keep going back to the ones I made they work great under the power hammer. Last weekend made 7 hammer making punches with drifted eyes. was great to have your style tongs while drawing the taper on them with the power hammer. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Brian: In the slitter geometry post you mentioned a slitter that was the width of the final hole in one dimension and tapered in the other to about an 1/8". In the picture of this slitter it seems to taper in both dimensions. Is this just because you wanted a heavier body to the tool and the taper ends for the working depth? i know this is late but I hope you will read this and get me an answer. Thanks. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted August 19, 2011 Author Share Posted August 19, 2011 Bill, a drift for making a hammer and a drift for opening a slot and sizing a hole are two very different tools. A drift for making a hammer is used as an anvil inside the hole and the cheeks are fullered towards the larger end of the drift creating a tapered hole. For hammers I'll make an hour glass type hole, because the handle gets set in with wedges. For top tools that I wouldn't want to wedge, I finish to hole tapered in one direction so the wood handle has better contact with the cheeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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