Brian,
Thank you for the video. Excellent work as usual. I just reviewed your profile and saw the horse head in your hand. Wow. What size stock did you use?

Brian,
Thank you for the video. Excellent work as usual. I just reviewed your profile and saw the horse head in your hand. Wow. What size stock did you use?

I did a couple of those in Austria for the Welsor family. I used 2 1/2" square stock. My brother, Ed, and I made one out of 2 7/8" round in the Chech Republic.

Clinton, Do you know how long it took me to do those drawings. I'm a very slow drawer with a pencil, even slower than I am with a computer.

Grant, I used to draw the reins out first, also, until I saw Bob Patrick do it this way. I don't usually use any more than 6" to do one half of this type of tong, and usually only about 4 1/2". And yes, I did go to grade school, but it was a long time ago.

Danger Dillon, Those 55 on the anvil don't count. I'm just laying my hammer to the side while I turn and look for my next hit.

O.K. here's the tong blank in clay.
http://picasaweb.google.com/brianbrazealblacksmith/TongBlankInClay

Brian,

I counted around 95 working blows in 1 minute 40 seconds to make that piece, thats unbelievable! Its always amazing to see how few times you strike the iron in order to move the amount of metal you do.

It's all about the dies I choose, small surfaces move metal faster, also grabbing less metal.

Thanks for the video. It was inspirational.

Great follow up Brian thanks. Keep the vids coming.
And all forged at a black heat.. :P

That's very neatly done, though a bit small, I usually use 3/4 sq. It's a good start for making scroll pliers etc. as well. I thought that was the only way to make tongs until I joined this site!

There's a good description of it here: http://p1.countryside.gov.uk/LAR/archive/publications/theblacksmithscraft.asp

Lillico gives a similar way of doing it with a power hammer: http://p1.countryside.gov.uk/LAR/archive/publications/manual.asp

Yeah, it's the Lilico method that I use:

Brian,
Maybe we can make this a part of the 3 day class we have scheduled in December with you?

Peyton

Yeah, it's the Lilico method that I use:

I've just looked up his house on Google Earth... Perhaps there should be a plaque or something.

thanks so much brian again - your videos are brilliant so clear and straightforward - and always so inspiring - thankyou!

That's very neatly done, though a bit small, I usually use 3/4 sq. It's a good start for making scroll pliers etc. as well. I thought that was the only way to make tongs until I joined this site!

There's a good description of it here: http://p1.countryside.gov.uk/LAR/archive/publications/theblacksmithscraft.asp

Lillico gives a similar way of doing it with a power hammer: http://p1.countryside.gov.uk/LAR/archive/publications/manual.asp

Sam, 13/16" round is comparable to 3/4" square, but it is a better choice because of the surface area contact that you start with. Forging is all about surface area contact. I also started out making tongs the "Lillico" way about 30 years ago, but when I saw Bob Patrick add the near sided half hammer face blows, I immediately saw the much improved method. It opened up a whole new world of approaches. Look at my rings or earrings post and see a similar approach. You and I,as well as everyone else that has just settled for the far side of the anvil approach, knows the problems associated with that. Has anyone else out there ever noticed stress fractures or a piece breaking off trying to stay on the far side of the anvil and finish a piece.

Brian,


Your are right. They do practically make themselves. Thanks for the slow explanation. The clay really allowed me to see what you were doing.

Brian Pierson

OK you guys, listen to Brian here. What he's talking about is concentrating the force, he's using the edge of the anvil sorta like a fuller to get the most out of every blow. I, on the other hand, moved to a power hammer very early on and never looked back. He's one of the kings of moving metal with a hand hammer. It just blows my mind to see what he does in one heat.........with a frigging hand hammer!

Thanks, Grant. I'm also talking about keeping your material straight and manageable, and I know you all know what that is like under the power hammer, but it's not that much different under the hand hammer or the striking hammer. You've got to think and let the metal give itself to you and just hold it under the dies and then it does practically make itsself.

As always you make it look easy. I am always happy to see a post from you! Clinton hooked me up with a good sized swage block, a bit of a rough casting but a pretty nice block. Since i visited you last, i switched to right handed hammering! Kind of nice to be able to hammer with either hand, but i favor the right. Great tong video Brian, the clay really brings out the angles and slows it down for us newbies.

Thanks Irostein, It's good to hear from you. I've been thinking about changing mediums and switching to clay.

I should have used clay. Karen said she'd help me take another video tomorrow. The dimensions are determined by the hammer blows and the profile of tong you're after. I'll slow it down with clay tomorrow and you'll be able to see as I go through it.

Without the video in steel, the clay looses a lot of impact. I do like the narration on the clay explaining each step as you go. I am still both amused AND impressed by the measured pace of your work, especially how much work each individual strike does. I am amused because it looks so easy, yet _every_strike_ I cannot (hopefully "yet") move metal like that.

Thank you.

Phil

Oh, yes you can. It just takes practice being able to hit the spots accurately, but, more than that,it takes thinking about it and understanding what the metal will do under the dies. Then it becomes very simple, not easy, but simple. Practice, practice, practice, but it's the thought that counts more.

Brian-
What kind of clay are you using?

Thanks for putting up those videos. Very helpfull!

awesome!. do it another few times for paractice, finnish them off and post to me... :P

I go in first with the half face blows over the near edge to make the bit and then over the far edge to form the bearing surface and the start of the reins. Making the angle at the change of section at the bottom of the bit is important to prevent a weak point.
I make 13/16'' dia 8% smaller than 3/4'' sq... I only said it was 'a bit' small! The next step up is 1'' dia and that's a bit big. :)

Brian- thanks for the claymation video it really shows the steps better for us slow guys

I go in first with the half face blows over the near edge to make the bit and then over the far edge to form the bearing surface and the start of the reins. Making the angle at the change of section at the bottom of the bit is important to prevent a weak point.
I make 13/16'' dia 8% smaller than 3/4'' sq... I only said it was 'a bit' small! The next step up is 1'' dia and that's a bit big.

Sam, I know and used to do it exactly the same way with square stock, also. I think you should veiw the videos again if you're missing the differences I'm trying to point out.

FeWood, Lyle bought that clay at a local "Hobby Lobby". I put it in the refridgerator to stiffen it up and wiped my anvil and hammer with oil before I started.