Kendrick Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 I just read about re-purposing old clippers to tongs. I have a couple pair that I don't use and probably never will for the intended purpose. I thought I would ask if they have an intrinsic value I am missing. The top set has no marking on it at all. The bottom set is Champion DeArment. I also threw in a pic of a visitor to the shop today just because. Kendrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Top pair is a hoof parer, bottom is a hoof nipper. I don't know a farrier that still uses parers, nippers are found everywhere at flea markets as "blacksmith tongs". Many blacksmiths have made usable tongs from them. Your creativeness is the limit in how to rework them. Only warning I can give is don't quench them in water, some or most are tool steel, and will crack pretty quickly when quenched in water. At least that was my experience on one pair I reworked. Jaw cracked and then fell off when I layed them down on my hearth. You can use a v swage (make one from angle iron) and a piece of square rod to reform the jaws once you straighten them out. Then they will hold round or square stock. This could be done to hold any number of sizes of stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaylan veater Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I reworked a pair of nippers into a pair of scrolling tongs they have been great I had no use for the nippers as a tool but the scrolling tongs I use all the time. Great to rework tools for ones needs. Gaylan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Ameling Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 The big ... advantage ... to them is that the pivot joint is already formed and trued up. And they usually have enough metal past the rivet to make a number of common tong configurations. A friend likes them because he can get the ends formed tight enough to be able to pick a dime up off of his anvil. My big problem with them is their total weight. For most of my work I need and like thin/light tongs. Tongs just seem to be one of those things that some blacksmiths HATE to make. (I'm one of them!) And some have no problems making them, and have many specialty variations. But modifying something else to work as the tongs I really need just seems less ... foreboding. Actually, the last pair of "tongs" I made were for a Colonial era Rush Lamp - with a candle socket on the end of one of the reins. The one rein stuck straight down into a wood block base, and the other end with the candle socket was bent up 180 degrees. In use, you would clamp a rush soaked in grease in the jaws to burn for light. Or use a candle in that other handle end. But this one we used on the one table in the display room to hold business cards - one clamped in the jaws and several curled into that candle socket. It finally got bought to be used once again as a table light. The couple had a candle in the socket, and also burned those long pencil-thin waxed wicks in the jaws. (those wicks dipped extra times in wax and used for lighting other candles) Mikey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Hey Kendrick. Here's a pair that I modified to hold round or square stock. They work excellent for RR spikes, too.Hoof Nipper Tongs - Blacksmith Photo Gallery That little welder that you have would do a fine job on that. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Ah yes, George, I forgot about doing it that way. An infinite number of possibles exist doing those like that. Even have that handy space like bolt tongs for holding headed items or spikes. I have a pair of tongs I bought in a package deal of 11 different ones that are straight lipped tongs with a split piece of 1/2 inch pipe welded onto the straight bits. Work a charm for holding smaller gauge railroad spikes. (an half-inch stock, also!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendrick Posted September 1, 2009 Author Share Posted September 1, 2009 Cool idea George. Thanks for sharing that. That loks a lot easier that what I was thinking. Kendrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Ain't this site just GREAT??!!!!! We just get all kinds of ideas and share all kinds of info. Good luck, Jeremy. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Ameling Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Yes, modifying existing "tongs" once you have them is just a matter of ... thinking past what you see. And sometimes it's just as simple as tack welding on a couple pieces to form what shapes are needed. I have a friend that cast pewter medalions. He forms his two-piece molds from brass - hollowing out both halves to create the total form, and then drills/files in a sprue hole to fill them through. His big problem was making of getting "tongs" to hold the two halves together when he cast his pewter. He solved his problem by picking up a bunch of cheap/junker pliers. He then brazed the brass mold halves to the jaws. And there is enough strength in the joint to get the mold parts to match up well each time. The ... toys ... we play with. Mikey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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