Frosty,
It is a hoot, and making the tongs was so much more satisfying than the key fobs are. However the fobs let me try different things relatively quickly. I need to try some seahorses soon too!

Thanks for the info Jimbob, and thanks for the compliments and encouragements everybody.

Phil

Edited September 18, 200916 yr by pkrankow

Is a collar weld like Brian Brazeal shows for artwork a good choice for attaching 3/8 roundstock reins to irnsrgn's blueprint jaw and hinge? I am trying the flat jaws out of 1/4 x 1 inch hot roll, but have no electric welding equipment available. The jaws are rather easy to make, but I haven't fire welded anything functional yet. Yes, my forge is capable, it can make mild steel into sparklers. I forge welded a joint, 2 U's interlocking, to see if I could, but that's it.

The first tongs I made are already showing distress due to the over thin joint area.

Phil

While tongs can become "hot" in use, they should never become so hot that you are hardening them. That requires a red heat. Why would your tongs ever get red hot? Anything less is not "quenching" it's "cooling".

So when I'm making my tongs, should I quench during making them? or let them air cool, say for example on the anvil or on the stump perhaps?

David

It will depend on you material choice. If you choose mild steel like a36 or 1018, then it won't matter, if you choose something with higher carbon to it, say 1045, which is popular for professionally made tongs, air cool would be best as you do not want brittle tongs.

A professional tong maker may have more/different input on this.

Phil

Hecks Yeah! Nice job on yer tongs BTW!!!