JHCC Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 Welcome back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lary Posted September 6, 2021 Share Posted September 6, 2021 Is it a mistake to make hammer head pick up tongs out of mild steel? I was looking for dimensions on the widest point of the jaws. Unfortunately the threads I'm finding are pretty old so pictures and links have vanished. Along the way I read Brian Brazeal recommends half inch coil spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 6, 2021 Share Posted September 6, 2021 I don't know if it'd actually be a "mistake" but a hammer head is heavy and the bits on hammer tongs are pretty long and narrow. It could deform in use so maybe. I LIKE coil spring for tong stock, 1/2" wire is my ideal, I can forge them thin and light while maintaining good strength and springyness. One of the guys in our club makes tongs like breathing, in fact Brian Brazeal adopted a few of his techniques when demoing for us. Anyway, he favors 4140 for tongs for the same reasons I like coil spring. 4140 is not as susceptible to work hardening nor being quenched above red heat like 5160 spring stock. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 I'm another fan of 4140 for tongs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 Mild steel for my tongs. It is strong enough for any job your tongs may do, and no matter what, high carbon steel/tool steels will become brittle and break off when quenched. If you do make them from hc or tool steels, just don't forget to not quench them, just let them air cool to a normalized state. The obvious problem is when they get too hot to hold, and you want to keep working. Make two pairs or just use mild steel. For what it's worth, hammer eye tongs don't have to be narrow, they just need to fit the width of the eye so make them bigger on the working end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lary Posted September 9, 2021 Share Posted September 9, 2021 Thanks Frosty, Irondragon, and anvil for sharing your experience / experiences. anvil I probably wasn't specific enough on what part of the tongs I was talking about. Had already started on a set made from mild steel 5/8 round stock when I came across this thread. The area where the tape measure is laying. I just took a guess from viewing other pictures. They still need some work, I think I'll try other types of material and see how they work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted August 23, 2022 Author Share Posted August 23, 2022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lary Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 Thanks for coming back and posting that step by step process. Looks like the third tong down, first bend gets upset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goods Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 I don’t think that an upset corner. It’s a Habberman(sp?) bend, isn’t it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lary Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 Looking closer I see now that it is hammered, your wright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted August 23, 2022 Author Share Posted August 23, 2022 Yes, those are drawn out corners. They add strength and enable you to establish your inside and outside lines, angles, and corners. It helps immensely when matching up both halves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goods Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 These are usually made of coils spring, but what diameter? All the coil springs I have are 1/2” diameter or smaller. They always seem too small for most punches, tongs, etc. I’ve been keeping my eye open for large ones though. (Last weekend at our hammer in I made a hack out of the shop owner’s 1-1/2” coils spring. That might be a bit large for most things…) Keep it fun, David edit: I thought I posted this yesterday, something strange much have happened. (On my end that is.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted August 26, 2022 Author Share Posted August 26, 2022 I have made some out of 3/8" coil spring, but I usually start with larger. This last picture started with 3/4", but the largest area left for the boss is about 9/16". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 Goods, for somewhat larger coil springs, drop by a shop that specializes in off-road mods, lifts, etc. They often have take-offs from new vehicles that the owner wanted modded (new word, there...). I I picked up a bunch of coils, torsion bars, other suspension parts out of their scrap for free. Most were 1/2" up to 1" springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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